How to Hire a Ghostwriter Without Losing a Year
Hiring a ghostwriter is a big decision with a long tail. Here is how the options really differ, what to ask, and what your contract has to say before you sign anything.
To hire a ghostwriter for a nonfiction book, decide first whether you want a freelance writer you manage, a ghostwriting company that runs the project, or an interview-based service like Dictate. Then check three things in writing: that you own 100% of the copyright and royalties, how your voice will be captured, and the real timeline. Dictate writes your book from up to 15 hours of phone interviews, with a goal of a finished manuscript in 4 to 8 weeks at your pace.
What a ghostwriter actually does
A ghostwriter writes a book that is published under your name. You supply the ideas, the experience and the stories; the writer gives them a structure and turns them into finished prose. Your name goes on the cover and the book is yours. Ghostwriting is an old and openly accepted practice, especially for business books, leadership books and memoirs.
The work always follows the same arc: a discovery conversation, interviews that capture what you know, an outline you approve, chapter drafts, then revisions until the manuscript is ready. What changes from one option to the next is who runs that arc, how much of your time it takes, and how long it lasts.
Your three options
A freelance ghostwriter is one person you hire directly, often through a marketplace or a referral. A good one can be excellent. You manage the project yourself, though, and you usually hire the editor, cover designer and formatter separately. Projects commonly run many months.
A ghostwriting company or hybrid publisher assigns a writer and a project manager and runs the whole process. You get one point of accountability. These are usually the most expensive option and often the longest, and some publish under their own imprint, so read the publishing terms as carefully as the writing terms.
An interview-based service, which is what Dictate is, builds the book from recorded conversations. You talk; the chapters are written from your transcripts in your voice. It suits experts whose knowledge is the product and who have more to say than time to write.
Questions to ask any ghostwriter before you hire
Ask every option the same questions, and get the answers in writing.
- Who exactly will write my book, and can I see work in a similar genre?
- How do you capture my voice, and what happens if a chapter doesn’t sound like me?
- How many hours of my time will this take, and on what schedule?
- What is the realistic timeline to a finished manuscript, and what usually delays it?
- Who owns the copyright, the files and the royalties? Is any of it shared?
- Who publishes the book, under whose imprint and whose accounts?
- What exactly is included: editing, cover, formatting, publishing setup?
- What happens if I want to stop partway through?
What the contract must say
The contract matters more than the sales call. Look for a clear statement that you own the copyright in the finished work, with no royalty share and no license back to the writer. Check confidentiality: many authors don’t want anyone to know they used a ghostwriter, and a good contract keeps the writer quiet. Check what is delivered (an edited manuscript, or print-ready files) and the refund terms if the project stops.
At Dictate the terms are simple. You own 100% of the copyright and keep 100% of the royalties. Your publishing accounts are in your name. You get a full refund before your second interview, so you can try the process before you commit. Prices are a custom quote on a call, because every book is scoped to its goals.
Red flags
Walk away, or at least slow down, if you see any of these.
- A guarantee of bestseller status or of sales. Nobody can honestly promise either.
- Vague ownership language, or a royalty share you weren’t told about on the call.
- No samples, or samples from a genre nothing like yours.
- Pressure to pay everything up front before you have seen any of the writing.
- A timeline that is never written down.
How the interview process works
Your part is talking and reviewing. Everything else is done for you, remotely.
A strategy call
We talk about who the book is for, what it needs to do for you, and what you already have: talks, notes, articles, recordings. We confirm the scope of your book on the call.
Research before you talk
Before your first interview, Dictate researches you and your field, so the questions start where your expertise starts instead of at the basics.
Phone interviews with Silas
You talk with Silas, our AI interviewer, by phone at times you choose, usually once or twice a week. Up to 15 hours of conversation in total. No writing and no homework.
Chapters from your own words
Chapters are written from your interview transcripts as you go, in your voice. Nothing is invented: every story and claim comes from you or your uploaded material.
You review and approve
You read every chapter in your author portal, leave notes and approve it. A sentence only you can confirm, like a date or a number, is flagged for you to check.
Ready to publish
You get print-ready and ebook files, a custom cover, Amazon copy and an Author’s Toolkit, set up to publish in your own accounts.
A realistic timeline
Our goal is your finished manuscript in 4 to 8 weeks. Your interview and review pace sets the timeline, so a busy month moves it and a free week speeds it up.
- Week 1Strategy call, research on you and your field, and your first interview.
- Weeks 2 to 5One or two interviews a week. Chapters arrive in your portal as you go.
- Weeks 5 to 8You review, ask for changes and approve each chapter. Then the files are prepared.
- After approvalYou publish in your own accounts, on your own launch date.
Hire a Ghostwriter: Questions
How much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter?
It ranges widely, from marketplace freelancers to full-service firms, and our ghostwriter cost guide breaks down the typical ranges. Dictate prices each book as a custom quote on a free call; it is typically a fraction of traditional ghostwriting fees, and payment plans are available.
Can I buy copies of my finished book in bulk?
Yes. You publish in your own account, so you order author copies at the printer’s cost, in whatever quantity you need, with no markup from us.
Can my book reach bookstores through IngramSpark?
Yes. Your files are prepared for Amazon KDP and for IngramSpark. IngramSpark lists your book in the Ingram catalog that bookstores and libraries order from. Both accounts are in your name, so royalties come straight to you.
Who owns the rights when I hire a ghostwriter?
It depends on the contract, so read the assignment language before you sign. You do. You own 100% of the copyright and keep 100% of the royalties. Dictate claims no ownership of your book and takes no royalties, and your publishing accounts are in your name.
Does a ghostwriter help with speaking and promotion?
Most freelance ghostwriters stop at the manuscript. Every book comes with an Author’s Toolkit: bios, Amazon copy and quote graphics. Optional marketing packages add a speaker one-sheet with talk topics, and the largest adds a keynote outline and speaking pitches. We help you get ready to be booked; nobody can honestly promise the bookings.
I’m not a writer. Do I need to be, to work with a ghostwriter?
You don’t need to be. You talk on the phone with Silas, our AI interviewer, and the chapters are written from your own words, in your voice. Your job is to talk and to review.
Hire the Process, Not Just the Writer
Start with the free training. See how an interview-based book works before you hire anyone.
