Ghostwriting Services

Ghostwriter and ghostwriting services for authors and books

Our top-notch editing services will preserve your voice, while improving your writing as much as possible. But sometimes we wish we could just grab the pen and write it for you. True writing mastery can take decades to earn, so even though we can point out flaws and suggest ways to improve, we could still make it better if we had the freedom to rewrite more heavily.

Some of our clients want more than an editor or writing coach; they want a writing partner who can help them get the book over the finish line. And since I also know most ghostwriters are rubbish, I’ve decided to offer these high-level services to help those who need them.

Should you use a ghostwriter?

If you want to write and publish a book, but don’t plan to make writing and publishing your main career or lifetime skillset, then a ghostwriter might make sense. Some authors love to suffer for their art; and any new skill is difficult to master. 

You *could* spend years writing it yourself and wallowing in self-doubt. It’s exhilarating and scary. For many authors, the difficulty is the appeal.

For business owners, coaches or professionals who already have an income stream or calling, and just want to share a powerful story that boosts their brand and brings in new clients and customers, a book can be a great marketing addition.

However, most ghostwriting companies are “productized services” – they can get the project done and maybe put the bare minimum into publishing it, but it probably won’t leave an impact or be successful on its own. It can be fun to give out at events, but a book doesn’t always earn; especially when ghostwriting typically costs an average of $50,000 for a real professional.

If you’ve got millions to burn, a ghostwritten book may make sense. But maybe you real care about getting your message just write and have some ownership; in this case, the Book Butchers offer a uniquely different approach.

Ghostwriting Service 

I’m still working on the clever names for these, but basically we would help you finish a project you’ve already kind of started. And if you have no idea where to start, we can help with that too. 

Dueling Pistols (cowriting) – $0.12 cents per word.

Includes all our normal levels but with much heavier rewriting and revision, including story development. You can expect roughly 25% of new or rewritten content.

The Big Bang (ghostwriting) – $0.25 cents per word.

You will have an idea, and outline, a collection of post-it notes, yellowing binders of autobiographical anecdotes, rough scenes or sections or blog posts, or recorded videos talking through your ideas. We’ll help you develop it, organize it and write it. We’ll even include a book cover that will triple your sales, compared to the ugly ones other “writing gurus” are offering with their expensive publishing packages.

Let us know if you’re interested in this service when you submit your sample.

PS. If you’re torn between the .06 and .12 cent options, we strongly suggest booking the first chapter critique service first so you can get a better understanding of what you need.

Hiring a ghostwriter is usually a matter of googling and finding someone who claims they have the right experience and expertise. I’m skeptical of other editors and ghostwriters, because I’ve been doing this quietly for 20 years and see a lot of complaints from authors, or service providers whose quality aren’t up to my personal standards.

I have a PhD in Literature and have worked with projects that hit the USA Today, WSJ and even Oprah Magazine. I can’t promise any of that for you, because I don’t actively work in book marketing; I focus on producing the best actual product, with writing you can be proud of, and the rest sorts itself out.

Others will promise you more, with confidence, but I’m a little too transparent and honest to make big guarantees. Not because I can’t deliver, but because I want you to have an accurate understanding of the publishing industry and the return you can expect on your investment.

That said, I also have a habit of undervaluing my services even when I’m providing more than my competitors… but this is to your advantage. At 25cents/word, a 50K book will cost about $12,500. That’s exactly 50% of what I should be charging as a base ghostwriting fee ($25,000) based on my degrees and experience, so I’ll probably raise prices going forward.

But for right now, you get a relatively good deal and someone who will actually deliver. I’ve been building an online brand for the past 15 years and I’m pretty well known (and recommended) in publishing circles, so you don’t have to be afraid that I’ll just disappear without doing the work – which unfortunately can happen if you just hire someone off their random personal website.

Although I don’t have many reviews for actual ghostwriting, because I keep my clients confidential, I do have hundreds of reviews from authors for whom I’ve edited or helped launch a bestseller. But do your own research and reach out if you might be interested. If I don’t have time to take your project (or it’s not a good fit for me) I may have a recommendation you can use.

PS. This service is personally provided by Derek Murphy (the founder of Book Butchers, who holds a PhD in Literature. His plotting and writing tips and videos have had over 2 million views on YouTube).

Click here for more info about using ghostwriting services.