Six established companies and marketplaces, compared on writer selection, pricing transparency, revisions, author rights, and publishing support. Presented in no particular order. The right fit depends on your project.
Quick Verdict
The top book writing companies based on our analysis are: Scribe Media suits busy executives who’d rather talk through a book than draft one. Writers of the West suits authors who want a vetted, matched writer, unlimited writer changes, 100% ownership and royalties, and a project manager who stays on after delivery, all under one roof. Reedsy suits authors who’d rather pick their own freelancer. Gotham Ghostwriters and Kevin Anderson & Associates fit high-profile or political projects. Fiverr fits the tightest budgets, with no agency-level vetting.
Quick Comparison
| Book Writing Company | Best For | Pricing | Writer Selection | Revisions | Rights | Publishing Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scribe Media | Busy executives | Custom quote; older roundups cited $40,000+ | Matched via structured interviews | Structured rounds | Author keeps full ownership | Hybrid publishing, in-house |
| Writers of the West | First-time authors wanting full support | Published: $700–$12,999 by tier | Matched by editorial team; <2% of applicants accepted; unlimited writer changes | Unlimited on most tiers | 100% ownership, royalties, copyright; no commission | In-house: editing, formatting, publishing, marketing |
| Kevin Anderson & Associates | High-profile nonfiction | Not publicly listed | Matched by agency | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Gotham Ghostwriters | Political memoirs, thought leadership | Set per matched writer | Matchmaker model | Negotiated with writer | Negotiated with writer | Not core offering |
| Reedsy | Choosing your own freelancer | Freelancer’s rate + ~10% platform fee (both sides) | Browse and pick from vetted profiles | Negotiated directly | Author owns under freelancer contract | A la carte |
| Fiverr | Tight budgets, hands-on authors | ~$40–$2,500+ per gig | Open marketplace, no vetting | Set by seller | Set by seller | Not included |
How We Compared
Nine factors: writer credentials, portfolio, how writers are matched, pricing transparency, revisions, rights, communication, editing/publishing capability, and independent reputation. Sourced from each company’s own site plus Trustpilot, Wikipedia and trade press. Unpublished pricing is marked “not disclosed” rather than guessed.
1. Scribe Media
At a Glance Type: Full-service ghostwriting + hybrid publishing Location: Austin, Texas Best for: Busy executives Pricing: Custom quote, not published
Founded 2014 by Tucker Max and Zach Obront. Built around a “speak-to-write” method: authors talk through interviews instead of drafting. The Scribe Method’s publisher listing credits the process on David Goggins’s Can’t Hurt Me and Tiffany Haddish’s The Last Black Unicorn.
- Different because: documented methodology, not ad hoc. Authors keep full ownership and creative control.
- Pricing: not published. A 2021 industry roundup cited $40K–$150K; treat as historical.
- Drawback: likely premium-tier pricing with no current published rate. Not a fit if you want to write it yourself.
2. Writers of the West
At a Glance Type: Full-service ghostwriting, editing, publishing Location: Houston, with offices in LA and NY Best for: First-time authors wanting full support Pricing: Published, $700–$12,999 by tier
Roots dating to the early 2000s under founder/CEO Chris Holloway; moved fully online in 2020. The only company here with a fully published pricing page instead of a quote request.
- Process: matched to a writer by an editorial team (fewer than 2% of applicant writers accepted); unlimited writer changes if the fit’s wrong; project manager stays on after delivery.
- Pricing breakdown: writing-only $700–$2,800+; bundled writing+publishing+marketing $799–$12,999; publishing/marketing only $699–$5,999; editing $300–$3,000. Zero-interest payment plans on every tier.
- Advantages: matched (not blind-picked) writers, unlimited writer changes, direct-pricing model built to undercut $20K+ boutique agencies, payment plans instead of paying upfront, 100% ownership/royalties, full pipeline in-house, project manager who stays past delivery.
- Drawback: five package categories means matching your project to a tier may still take a quick call. Its “200+ bestsellers” figure is self-reported: the company’s own site notes it’s from internal records, since ghostwriting is typically confidential and many clients don’t allow public credit. That’s an industry-wide limitation, not unique to them.
- Best suited to: first-time authors, or anyone who wants one team and one point of contact from draft to published book. Also a fit for anyone comparing book writers for hire who want editing and publishing in-house too.
3. Kevin Anderson & Associates
At a Glance Type: Nonfiction ghostwriting agency Location: Not independently confirmed Best for: High-profile nonfiction Pricing: Not publicly listed
Described across independent roundups, including Reedsy’s blog, as a longstanding agency serving executives and public figures, founded roughly mid-2000s. Reedsy also links them to specific bestselling titles we couldn’t independently verify, so we’re not repeating those.
- Advantage: longer track record than most companies here.
- Drawback: pricing, revisions and rights aren’t published anywhere we found. Get specifics by consultation.
4. Gotham Ghostwriters
At a Glance Type: Ghostwriter matchmaking agency Location: New York, NY Best for: Political memoirs, thought leadership Pricing: Set per matched writer
Founded and led by Dan Gerstein. Fortune described it as “a kind of editorial employment agency, pairing would-be memoirists and gurus with wordsmiths.” Co-presents the Andy Awards for Nonfiction Book Collaboration with the American Society of Journalists and Authors.
- Different because: matches you with an independent vetted specialist rather than in-house staff; strong niche credibility in politics/public affairs.
- Drawback: since the matched writer does the work, revisions and rights vary case by case, not by one company policy.
5. Reedsy
At a Glance Type: Curated freelance marketplace Location: London, UK Best for: Choosing your own freelancer Pricing: Freelancer’s rate + ~10% platform fee
Founded 2014. Per Wikipedia: 1M+ authors, ~3,700 vetted freelancers, 15,000+ books brought to market yearly, 10% commission from both sides.
- Different because: you browse and pick the specific person, not a company-assigned writer.
- Drawback: you become the project manager, coordinating separate hires for writing, editing and design.
6. Fiverr
At a Glance Type: Open freelance marketplace Location: Palestine (global) Best for: Tight budgets, hands-on authors Pricing: ~$40–$2,500+ per gig, set by seller
General marketplace, not book-specific. Lowest cost of entry here by far, with the widest range of individual sellers.
- Drawback: no agency-level vetting like Reedsy’s; quality varies a lot seller to seller, and there’s no built-in editorial or publishing support.
Best Match by Situation
| Author Need | Best Match | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-time author, full guidance | Writers of the West | One team, published pricing, PM stays on after delivery |
| Executive book, no time to write | Scribe Media | Speak-to-write process built for interviews, not drafting |
| Political memoir or thought leadership | Gotham Ghostwriters | Writers vetted specifically for that space |
| Wants to pick their own freelancer | Reedsy | Curated marketplace, visible portfolios and rates |
| Tightest budget | Fiverr | Lowest cost of entry, no agency vetting |
| Established firm, high-profile project | Kevin Anderson & Associates | Longer operating history than most on this list |
Company vs Freelance Writer
Company (Scribe, WOTW, Kevin Anderson & Associates): team structure, project management, usually a replacement writer if the match fails. Less control over who’s picked upfront.
Freelancer (Reedsy, Fiverr): you pick the person directly, often cheaper. You coordinate writing, editing and design yourself.
Neither is inherently better. It’s whether you want one company running the project or you’d rather assemble your own team.
How Much Do Book Writing Companies Cost?
Pricing varies by company and project: length, research, interviews, writer experience, and how much editorial/publishing work is bundled in.
Scribe, Kevin Anderson & Associates and Gotham all quote custom (Scribe’s $40K–$150K figure is a dated 2021 estimate, not current). Writers of the West is the exception here: fully published tiers, $700 to $12,999, with editing priced separately at $300–$3,000. Reedsy’s rate is whatever the freelancer sets, plus Reedsy’s ~10% cut on both sides. Fiverr runs roughly $40 to $2,500+ per gig, entirely seller-dependent.
Full breakdown for book writers for hire at Writers of the West is on their pricing page. It’s the most detailed of any company here.
How to Choose Book Writing Companies
- Portfolio: real, verifiable books, not just marketing claims
- Writer fit: who’s actually writing it, and do they know your genre
- Rights: who owns the manuscript and royalties
- Revisions: included, or billed separately if the draft’s off
- Communication: talking to a PM, the writer, or both
- Pricing: what’s included, what triggers an extra charge
- Contract: what happens if either side wants out early
A company that can answer all of these clearly and in writing (or already has, published) is the safer bet.
FAQs
What are the best book writing companies? Scribe Media, Writers of the West, Kevin Anderson & Associates, Gotham Ghostwriters, Reedsy and Fiverr. Each fits a different need, from full-service ghostwriting to budget freelance marketplaces.
How do I choose a book writing company? Check the portfolio, who actually writes it, and what happens to rights and royalties. Then compare revisions, communication, what’s in the price, and exit terms.
How much do book writing companies charge? Ranges from about $40 for a single Fiverr gig to $700–$12,999 in Writers of the West’s published tiers, up to $150,000+ historically cited for premium, celebrity-level projects.
Are book writing companies legitimate? Most are. Check for a real portfolio, a written contract on rights and revisions, independent reviews (Trustpilot), and a clear answer on who’s writing your book.
Company or freelancer? A company gives you project management and a replacement writer if needed. A freelancer (Reedsy, Fiverr) usually costs less and gives direct control, but you coordinate everything yourself.
About the Author
Fiction & Speculative Narrative Editor, Writers of the West
Natalia Coldwater holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College and specializes in speculative fiction, psychological storytelling, and personal development editing. Based in Brooklyn, NY, she has been with Writers of the West for over two years, working across memoir, self-help, and fiction manuscripts. Her editorial focus centers on emotional clarity, character voice, and transforming complex experiences into structured, reader-ready narratives.
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