Hawthorne writes, edits, designs, publishes, and launches books for entrepreneurs, executives, experts, and storytellers. Senior writers only. Full IP to the author. NDA standard.
Our story
In 2017, a close friend of our founder paid $40,000 to a freelance ghostwriter for a memoir. The voice was wrong. The chapters were padded. And buried on page 14 of the contract was a clause assigning the writer 30% of audiobook royalties forever. The book never got finished. The clause never got removed.
That's not a publishing house. That's a trap. So we built one that isn't.
"Authors should keep three things forever: their voice, their rights, and their royalties. We charge a flat fee, we ship the book, and then we get out of the way."
— Elena Hawthorne, FounderHawthorne is built on three rules. Senior writers onlyevery ghostwriter has shipped at least three traditionally-published or bestselling titles. You own everything — copyright, byline, royalties, foreign rights, audiobook rights, film. Always. Money-back at chapter 1 if the voice doesn't fit, we revise, switch writers, or refund. No questions, no exceptions.
Eight years and 250+ books later, those three rules still close the deal.
Mission
We pair authors with senior writers, editors, and designers, walk them through a proven six-step process, and ship books that earn shelf-space without taking the byline, the rights, or the royalties.
Vision
One where the writer's name is on the cover, the rights stay with the family, the royalties flow to the creator, and the publishing house earns its fee, ships the work, and disappears. That's the world we're building.
These aren't aspirations. They're constraints. Every engagement, every chapter, every invoice.
The author owns the book, the byline, and the royalties. Our name doesn't appear unless the author chooses it.
We say no to projects we can't execute well. Better to refer than to deliver a book that won't sell.
NDA standard, signed before discovery if requested. Studio-wide policy: nothing leaves the team without sign-off.
A finished manuscript is the floor, not the ceiling. Launch performance, reviews, and reader impact are how we measure success.
Every writer, editor, and designer is a senior practitioner. No junior staff billed at senior rates. No exceptions.
Milestone-based payments with satisfaction gates at chapter 1, mid-draft, and final. Refunds at any gate.
Four things that separate Hawthorne from the hundred-firm field.
Start My Publishing JourneySenior writers, editors, and designers in NYC, Austin, and LA. Real names, real bios, real Zoom calls.
You keep the byline, copyright, and 100% of the royalties. Our name doesn't appear unless you want it to.
Signed before we see your idea. Studio-wide policy: nothing leaves the team without your written sign-off.
Pay as we ship. Satisfaction gates at chapter 1, mid-draft, and final delivery — money-back if any milestone fails.
A note from our founder
"I started Hawthorne after watching a friend pay a freelance ghostwriter $40,000 for a draft she couldn't use. The voice was wrong. The chapters were padded. The contract said the writer kept 30% of audiobook royalties forever.
That's not a publishing house. That's a trap.
So we built the firm around three rules. Senior writers only. You own everything. Money-back at chapter 1 — no exceptions. Eight years and 250 books later, those three rules still close the deal."
A few of the writers, editors, and designers you'll meet. Filter by role and niche on the team page.
Former senior editor at Penguin Random House. Founded Hawthorne in 2018.
12 published memoirs, NYT-reviewed. Grief, recovery, and family-legacy specialist.
Ex-McKinsey, 8 founder books, 2x WSJ bestseller. Frameworks & thought-leadership.
22 traditionally published novels. 4x USA Today bestseller in romance and thriller.
15 non-fiction titles, 2.5M copies sold. Penguin Random House alumnus.
Award-winning cover designer. AIGA recognized. 80+ traditionally-published covers since 2014.
15 yrs in audiobook production. ACX-trained narrator and engineer. Heads our LA studio.
Ex-Amazon Ads. Has launched 60+ books to Amazon Top-100 in their category.
Countless authors have used Reedsy to bring their books to life. See what they have to say.
Laura was absolutely amazing. She was a true professional, patient, polite and kind. All her revisions made sense and she would always leave a comment to clarify a change or propose a solution, all while preserving my voice. We had multiple rounds of editing so that I also had an opportunity to implement some suggestions,clarify some moments, that were not clear, and deal with some overused words, as well as accept/reject the changes. I felt safe, calm and in good hands through the whole pr...
Erin is a fantastic editor. She got the book back to me very quickly with a full markup, an editorial report, and an in-depth guide on what the traditional publishing process would look like for that genre. Because of her previous experience, she's uniquely positioned to teach you not just how to edit your book, but also how to sell it. She's also extremely supportive, offering a call after the fact to help you get to grips with her edits. She doesn't just hand the book back and vanish. In m...
Brittany did an excellent job editing my manuscript. The line edits were exactly what I was looking for. What sets her apart are her suggestions. She provided valuable advice on how I can improve the mechanics of my writing. And she understands where I am as a story teller and offered concrete suggestions on how I can improve. She did not overwhelm me with advice and let sections of my manuscript breath. Her edits and feedback are well worth her rate. I would not hesitate to recommend her. I'...
I came to Ben afraid I might be making some terrible mistake on my query letter that would preclude me from ever being published. His feedback reassured me, pointing out the things I was doing right, while also kindly showing me all the ways in which I could elevate the impact of my
Working with Vicki on the cover design of my book was an excellent experience. From the very beginning, she demonstrated a high level of professionalism and a deep understanding of graphic design. She quickly grasped the atmosphere I wanted to convey...
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Working with Clelia was a true gift. From the very beginning, Clelia approached my manuscript with care, intuition, and a deep sense of presence. She didn't just edit words—she listened to the soul of the story...
A 3-minute strategy call is the fastest way to find the right path. No obligation. NDA on request.
