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The Writing King Your Ethical Ghostwriter. Your Story, Done Right.
Ghostwriting Resource Center

The Ghostwriting Hub

Everything about hiring, working with and understanding a ghostwriter, organized like a book. I’ve ghostwritten 54+ books for clients and authored 113+ of my own. Pick a chapter below, or start at the beginning.

No pitch. No pressure.

This hub is laid out in chapters, from what ghostwriting is to how a project runs, what it costs, what can go wrong and what happens after the book is written. Every article answers a real question clients ask me. When you’re ready to talk about your own book, see my ghostwriting services or start smaller with the Book Discovery Intensive.

1. What ghostwriting is

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2. Is a ghostwriter right for you?

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3. Planning your book: topic, timing and purpose

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4. Ghostwriting ethics, credit and what people will think

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5. Ghostwriting cost and pricing

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6. Finding and hiring a ghostwriter

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7. Ghostwriting contracts, rights and money

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8. How the ghostwriting process works

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9. AI and ghostwriting

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10. Memoir ghostwriting and personal stories

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11. Ghostwriting business, executive and expert books

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12. Ghostwriting fiction, genres and other forms

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13. When ghostwriting goes wrong

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14. After the ghostwritten manuscript: publishing, promotion and results

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15. Richard Lowe's ghostwriting story

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16. Ghostwriting case studies

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17. Local and remote ghostwriting

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is ghostwriting?
Ghostwriting is hiring a professional writer to create a book or other written work that’s credited to you. You provide the ideas, stories, and expertise, and the ghostwriter does the writing. Your name goes on the cover, theirs doesn’t.
How much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter?
Professional book ghostwriting is priced by the ghostwriter's experience and the project's length and complexity. My current rate is on my ghostwriting services page, and AI-assisted books cost less. Budget ghostwriters charge less, with significant quality risk.
Is ghostwriting legal and ethical?
Ghostwriting is legal. There’s no law against paying a writer to create work published under your name, and it’s a standard, long-established practice. It’s ethical when both parties agree to the arrangement and the work is original.
How long does it take to ghostwrite a book?
A book of 30,000 to 70,000 words takes four to eight months of active work, plus a month for revisions, followed by professional editing. Timelines vary with length and complexity and are established in the contract before work begins.
Do ghostwriters get credit or royalties?
Ghostwriters typically don’t receive a byline, and the client is credited as the author. Payment is a fee for the writing, not royalties. Richard Lowe doesn’t accept royalty-only arrangements, and the terms are set in the contract.
What kinds of books can a ghostwriter write?
Ghostwriters write business books, memoirs, self-help, fiction, and more. Memoir is its own discipline within ghostwriting, focused on capturing a person's life story through structured interviews.

Ready to start your book?

If you have a book in you, the next step is a conversation. I’ll tell you plainly whether ghostwriting is the right path for your project and what the process looks like. If you’d like to see the work first, the Book Discovery Intensive ends with a sample chapter in your voice.

No pitch. No pressure.

Categories and tags
CategoriesGhostwriting
TagsResearchWriting Craft
About the Author
Richard Lowe, professional ghostwriter

Richard Lowe is a professional ghostwriter and author with 113+ books authored and 54+ ghostwritten. Before writing full time he spent 33 years in enterprise technology, including 20 years as Director of Computer Operations and Technical Services at Trader Joe's. He writes nonfiction, fiction and memoir, and works with executives and experts on books that build authority.

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Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of Richard Lowe and are based on personal experience and research. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional legal, financial, accounting, or business advice. Always consult with qualified professionals before making important business or legal decisions. Richard Lowe is not a lawyer, accountant, or licensed professional advisor, and this content does not establish any professional relationship.

The Writing King

Professional ghostwriting for executives, founders, coaches, and authors who want to get the book done right. 113+ books authored. 54+ ghostwritten for clients.

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