Ghostwriting scams are common enough that author groups track them. Use this checklist on any company before you pay, including us. Every question below has our own answer next to it.
To choose a ghostwriter safely: get a written scope and fixed fee, an NDA and a rights-transfer agreement before writing starts, a sample in your voice, and proof the people are real. Walk away from permanent "50% off" prices, bestseller promises, unlinked publisher logos, and anyone who wants to own your KDP account.
Writers' watchdogs have documented ghostwriting and "publishing services" companies that take large payments and deliver little, use famous publishers' names, or resell the same template to every client. Writer Beware and the Authors Guild both publish scam warnings for authors.
The good news: most scams fail a few simple checks. You can run them in an afternoon, before you send any money.
One of these alone is a reason to ask hard questions. Two or more is a reason to leave.
Ask these on the first call and get the answers in writing. A good ghostwriter will not mind.
| Ask | A good answer | Our answer |
|---|---|---|
| What exactly is the price, and what does it include? | A fixed fee tied to length, revisions, and deliverables | Fixed packages from $699 to $3,999, listed on /pricing |
| Who owns the book and the royalties? | You do, in a signed rights-transfer agreement | You do: rights transfer before writing begins |
| When is the NDA signed? | Before you share any material | Before you share source material |
| Can I see writing in my voice before committing to the whole book? | A sample chapter, with a fix if it misses | Sample chapter rewritten at no cost if the voice misses |
| Whose KDP account will the book be on? | Yours: you are the publisher | Yours; we support setup, you stay the account holder |
| Do you use AI to write? | A clear policy, in writing | Human writers; see our AI policy |
| Will you guarantee sales or bestseller status? | No | No, nobody honestly can |
| Who are you and where are you based? | A real address, phone, and named people | Iowa, USA: info@ebookwriters.us, +1 712-414-0542 |
Read the contract before the first payment. It should name the word count, the number of revision rounds, the schedule, what happens if the voice is wrong, and who owns the manuscript, the cover, and the retailer accounts.
Our ghostwriter contract checklist walks through each clause, and our list of questions to ask a ghostwriter covers the first call.
Very low prices for a full book usually mean the writing is outsourced, generated, or never finished. Very high prices are normal for celebrity and traditional-publishing ghostwriters. In between, the question is whether the price is written down and tied to a scope.
Our packages are fixed for an agreed length, with no inflated "was" prices or countdown timers. See what an ebook ghostwriter costs for the wider market.
Check for a written scope and fixed price, an NDA and rights-transfer agreement before writing, a sample in your voice, a real address and phone number, and people you can verify. Search the company name with the word scam, and check author watchdogs such as Writer Beware.
Paying after a written scope and quote is normal. Paying the full fee before any scope, outline, or contract exists is a warning sign.
A permanent discount with a countdown timer is a sales tactic, not a sale. It is one of the most common signs of a low-quality or scam operation in this niche.
No. You should be the publisher of record on your own KDP account and receive royalties directly. A ghostwriter can help with setup without owning the account.
No. Bestseller lists depend on sales and editorial choices nobody controls. A promise of bestseller status is a red flag.