Ghostwriting

Before we ask you to sign a contract, we make sure we understand you, your goals, and your book. We introduce you to a proposed ghostwriter, looking for the right chemistry.

Once you and your ghostwriter begin work, the process follows four phases.

Phase 1: Blueprinting

Over the course of several interviews, your writer gathers enough information to create a detailed plan for your book. They show this to you and together you modify it as necessary.

Phase 2: Writing

Your writer will draft a short writing sample, a few pages to show you the tone and style of the book. The alchemy of ghostwriting includes taking your spoken language and translating it into written language that has a style and feel authentic to you. If we don’t get it right on the first try, your writer will work with you to nail the right tone and style.

Using that writing sample as a style guide, they write the full manuscript draft and deliver it to you.

Phase 3: Revision

Your draft manuscript will need work. You’ll see things you want to change, and we’ll have questions for you and may need more information.

In order to make the work of revision manageable, we take it in stages.

First, we ask you to simply read the whole text, so you can understand the book in its entirety.

Next, your writer will break the book into manageable parts and create a revisions schedule. You and the writer will tackle those parts together with you sharing notes and thoughts and the writer revising the text. (Some authors want to revise the text themselves; in that case, we let you take the lead and step into the role of editor.)

Generally, revisions require two or three editing passes through the entire text.

Phase 4: Proofreading

After you and the writer are happy with your text, a copyeditor and proofreader goes through it carefully, bringing the whole manuscript up to Chicago Manual of Style standards. Your writer accommodates their changes.

And with that, you have a finished, publisher-ready manuscript! We typically allow nine months for this process.

Editing

If you come to us with a finished manuscript, we first read it and provide a proposed scope of work. Normally it includes all of the following:

Structural Editing

We introduce you to your editor and you have an initial call with them to share any thoughts, questions or concerns. Then they get to work, studying the architecture of your book at the highest level. The editor will mark up your manuscript and send you an overview memo explaining what you need to do. Expect some homework. They may suggest that you add, move, or delete material.

We work using Track Changes, so can always see what the editor has done and accept or reject those changes. Throughout this entire process, you are in charge.

Line Editing

After you address the first round of changes, they’ll go through the draft again, line editing it at the sentence-by-sentence level to elevate your writing while retaining your voice. You’ll accept or reject their changes and return clean text to the editor. Depending on what you need, they may take one more editing pass through it.

Proofreading

A copyeditor and proofreader goes through it carefully, bringing the whole manuscript up to Chicago Manual of Style. You will be responsible for accepting their changes.

Editing typically takes two to four months, depending on the length, complexity and condition of the manuscript.