Publishing and Self-Help Book Ghostwriting
Your message has the potential to change people's lives. Allow us to assist you in writing your book and reaching your readers.
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Who We Are
Our team of #1 New York Times-bestselling self-help ghostwriters and Big-5 acquisitions editors collaborates with aspiring authors to build their books and execute a successful publishing strategy.
Meet our team of bestselling editors and publishing professionals.
What We Do
Our Self-Help Ghostwriting Services Include
Book Planning
Bestseller Targeting
Direct Submissions to Publishers
Our Work
#1 national & WSJ bestseller
New York Times
bestseller
#1 bestselling author, millions of copies sold
New York Times
bestseller
Six-figure deal with Harper and WSJ bestseller
“Working with Updike Associates has been a pleasure from start to finish—they even accommodated my request to meet with me in Japan. My lead editor, Mary, is a truly talented editor and a joy to work with. I couldn’t have been happier with our dynamic throughout the process. She brought a passion and an energy to my project that is rare to find and immensely valuable. I recommend KAA and look forward to collaborating on more projects in the future.”
“LifeSuccess has had the pleasure of working with Updike Associates and their team since early 2008. I must say that we’ve been very impressed with their professionalism and excellent editing services. Several of our authors have gone out of their way to express how much they’ve appreciated their professional advice and helpful insights. They have also been readily available to us whenever we’ve needed them in a crunch. I cannot recommend them enough.”
“Working with Updike Associates is a great experience. Having worked together on multiple books over the years, they’ve proven themselves to be reliable, responsive, and talented. Their team of bestselling authors is a great resource for us and I definitely recommend their services to any author or publisher looking for top-quality writing services with a well-managed process.”
Why Should
You Hire Updike & Associates?
Service in its entirety
Brainstorming, concept development, outlining, writing, revisions, editing, beta testing, marketing and public relations strategy, agent acquisition, publishing strategy, best-seller list targeting, and much more!
The Big Five Acquisitions Editors
Your project will be managed and edited by a former acquisitions editor from a Big-5 publisher who has a long list of New York Times best-sellers.
Individualized Service
Each author is distinctive. We tailor our book-writing and publishing strategies to your specific needs, ensuring that your voice is captured in the book.
Authorization for Agent and Publisher
Our clients include literary agents and publishers who specialize in memoirs and biography, providing you with unparalleled industry access. While not every book is appropriate for trade publishing, we frequently secure publishing deals for our clients.
Proven Track Record of Success
Numerous award-winners and New York Times best-sellers have graced our shelves. UA is hired directly by major publishers and agents to assist their authors.
Publishing and Self-Help Book Ghostwriting
Your message has the potential to change people's lives. Allow us to assist you in writing your book and reaching your readers.
The Process of Updike Associates Ghostwriting
Our method entails more than simply ghostwriting your book.
Your project will have its own team of professional writers, editors, and publishing strategists who will work together to write a powerful book and guide you through the publishing process.
We Specialize in Self-Help Topics
- Personal development and self-improvement
- Books on inspiration and motivation
- Spiritual advancement
- Health and well-being
- Investing and personal finance
- Relationships and love
- Productivity and organization
- Recovery from addiction
- The philosophy of life
- Devotionals
- …...and much more
Our offices are in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles.
Can’t get to us? We can bring our team to you.
FAQ
I Know the General Topic for My Book, But I Don’t Know What Specific Ideas to Include. Can You Help Me?
Absolutely! Your ghostwriter can be intimately involved with the planning and development of your concept, as well as conduct in-depth research to augment and elaborate on your topic. We can conduct interviews with you and create an outline for your book based on your ideas that you can then work with your writer to refine and expand before the writing process begins.
How Do I Know What Details Are Important to Include or Exclude?
It all depends on the message that you want to communicate. Lucky for you, we have a team of talented ghostwriters to help your articulate and shape your book. Your writer can help you to make choices about what to include or omit in order to convey your central theme and develop it logically and thoroughly. Give us a call and tell us about your idea, and our experienced team will help you decide the best strategy for developing your book.
What if I Just Want Feedback and Consultation on My Book?
Our editing and consultation services are perfectly suited for writers who are looking to improve their work. We can give input at whatever level of detail you’d like—overarching feedback on the structure and concept of the book, critical review on the flow and transitions, or copyediting changes to the text itself. We can also address specific issues, as per your request, in our review of your work.
How Much Experience Do You Have with Self-Help Books?
We’ve worked with a multitude of self-help authors on a wide range of topics. Our past self-help clients have gone on to receive critical and popular success, and their books have served as a launching pad for careers in motivational speaking, workshops, and lecture circuits. We know how to get your knowledge down on paper and out into the world!
What’s Included in the Ghostwriting Process?
The ghostwriting process can be as unique as you and your book! There are basic elements that are typically included in every book; however, our ghostwriting services are tailored to your specific needs and can include anything you need help with, from planning and preparation to ghostwriting to publishing. A standard ghostwriting package will include phone calls and email correspondence to gather information from you, as well as a process of writing, reviewing, and revising your content. We can also conduct in-person interviews, site visits, and independent research as needed. We are very flexible with our ghostwriting process and are happy to adjust our service to best suit your personality, schedule, and publishing goals.
How Much Do Ghostwriting Services Cost?
Every ghostwriting project is unique, and so the pricing is flexible and varies according to what you choose to include in your package. We customize our services for every client, which means the price is negotiable and based on the specifics of your project. Our comprehensive ghostwriting and publishing packages typically include phone time with the ghostwriter, an original query letter, a book cover, literary agent search, and publishing services, which means the price for your book will vary according to your publishing goals and needs.
What Do I Need to Consider When Choosing a Ghostwriting Firm?
The Internet is littered with online writing and editing services, making it nearly impossible to sift through the scams and find a legitimate and trustworthy service. Here are some questions to ask when you’re vetting companies to ensure that you pick a reliable firm for all your writing and editing needs:
- Is the price right? If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Developing a high-quality book can take hundreds of hours of work and requires a high level of expertise—don’t be tempted by third-rate writers who market “affordable” prices.
- Who owns the rights to the book? It’s your book, which means that you should own the rights to your content. Be wary of ghostwriters asking for partial rights to your material.
- What is the payment arrangement? You should always pay for ghostwriting services in installments and never 100% upfront. After the initial deposit, you should make subsequent payments only if you’re happy with what the ghostwriter has written up to that point. You should have clearly defined milestones for payments to ensure that you and your writer know what to expect.
- Who’s in charge? Working with a ghostwriter is a collaborative effort, but you should have the final say on all content decisions. If a writer is unwilling to put your needs and requests first, then it’s not going to be your book—it will be theirs.
- Is the service confidential? This is YOUR book. A ghostwriter’s name should never appear on the completed manuscript unless you want it to be there.
Whatever service you decide to use, be sure to protect yourself. Make certain that you are working with a reputable company with experience.
Once the Ghostwriting Is Complete, Can You Help with Publishing and Marketing?
We’ve assisted many first-time and experienced authors with self-publishing their book and securing lucrative book deals through traditional publishing avenues. We’ll craft a query letter or book proposal that you can use to promote your book to agents and publishing houses. We’ll help you to decide between self-publishing options, and we can put you in contact with marketing services to get the word out about your book.