● GHOSTWRITING · EDITING · PUBLISHING · MARKETING

Answers to Every Question Authors Ask Us

Browse by service category or scroll through all topics below.

Ghostwriting Script Writing Editing & Formatting Book Design Publishing & Distribution Audiobook Production Book Marketing Author Branding Coaching & Consulting

Ghostwriting

Ghostwriting is entirely legal and widely practised across publishing, politics, business, and entertainment. You commission original work, ownership transfers to you under a signed agreement, and Hawthorne Publishers signs a comprehensive NDA before any project begins. Your name is the sole author credit on the finished book.

Voice accuracy is our most important metric. Before writing begins, we conduct a structured voice interview, review your existing writing samples, and build a voice profile document that your dedicated ghostwriter studies throughout the project. The first chapter is always a voice test — if it does not sound right, we revise before continuing.

A short business book or eBook (20,000–30,000 words) typically takes 8–12 weeks. A full memoir or business book (60,000–80,000 words) runs 16–24 weeks. All timelines include weekly review checkpoints and revision rounds.

Yes, completely. Full copyright transfers to you upon final payment. The ghostwriter signs a work-for-hire agreement and NDA, and may not claim authorship or reference the project publicly.

We ghostwrite memoirs, business and leadership books, self-help and how-to guides, non-fiction across all subjects, fiction (all genres), children's books, eBooks, and screenplays. Each project is matched to a specialist writer in your genre.

No. Many clients come with an idea and nothing written. Our discovery interview process extracts your story, expertise, or concept and builds a chapter-by-chapter outline before drafting begins. Notes, recordings, or a rough outline all help, but none are required.

All ghostwriting packages include unlimited revisions until you approve the manuscript. We deliver in chapter batches, incorporate your feedback before the next batch, and do not consider the project complete until you are fully satisfied.

Yes. Series packages include a series bible (world-building, character profiles, continuity log) and the same writer across all books to guarantee voice and plot consistency.

Script Writing

We ghostwrite feature film screenplays, TV pilots, limited series, web series, short films, and stage plays across all genres including drama, comedy, thriller, horror, sci-fi, and documentary.

All scripts follow WGA formatting standards — slug lines, action lines, dialogue blocks, scene numbering, and page count conventions. We deliver in Final Draft (.fdx), PDF, and Fountain formats.

Either works. If you have a concept only, we build a beat sheet and scene-by-scene outline for your approval before drafting. If you have a treatment or partial script, we continue from there.

A feature screenplay (90–120 pages) typically takes 10–16 weeks. A TV pilot (45–60 pages) runs 6–10 weeks. All packages include two full revision rounds.

Yes. A mutual NDA is signed before any creative material is shared. Your concept, characters, and story are never disclosed by any member of our team.

We guide you through the process and deliver the script in the correct format for WGA registration and US Copyright Office filing. Formal submission is made by you as the copyright holder.

Editing & Formatting

Developmental editing addresses structure — narrative arc, chapter order, argument flow, pacing. Line editing works at the sentence level — clarity, rhythm, word choice, and voice consistency. Copy editing handles correctness — grammar, punctuation, spelling, and style guide compliance. Most manuscripts need all three, in that order.

After your first or second complete draft, before investing in sentence-level polish. Getting developmental editing too late — after copy editing or formatting — means paying twice if structural changes are needed.

Yes. We edit manuscripts from any source. Share your manuscript in the consultation call and we scope the exact level of editing required.

Microsoft Word (.docx), Google Docs, and plain text (.txt). We return all edits in Word with tracked changes so you can accept, reject, or discuss every suggestion.

Copy editing and proofreading for 70,000 words typically takes 10–14 business days. Line editing takes 2–3 weeks. Developmental editing takes 3–5 weeks and includes a written editorial letter.

No. Copy editing corrects errors in the manuscript before typesetting. Proofreading checks the typeset file after layout, catching any errors introduced during formatting. Both are needed, in that order.

All formatting packages include a print-ready PDF (to KDP Print and IngramSpark specifications) and a reflowable EPUB for eBook distribution. Fixed-layout EPUB for illustrated books is available as an add-on.

Yes. We format specifically to each platform's technical specifications and deliver files that pass preflight checkers without flags. Platform upload issues are fixed at no additional charge.

Book Design

Every cover design package includes three fully rendered initial concepts — not rough sketches. You choose one direction and we revise through unlimited rounds until you approve the final design.

Yes. All packages include the eBook front cover (flat JPEG) and the full wraparound print cover (PDF with spine and back cover, sized to your exact page count and trim size). Hardcover variants are available on request.

Yes. All artwork, licensed fonts, and image licences transfer to you upon final payment. You receive the print-ready PDF, eBook JPEG, and layered source files for use on any platform without restriction.

Yes. We coordinate full illustration through our network of vetted children's book illustrators. We produce detailed visual briefs, manage all illustration rounds, and deliver print-ready art files.

We produce photorealistic paperback, hardcover, and eBook device mockups, plus a full social media promo pack — Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, and email banner formats. All assets are licensed for unlimited commercial use.

First concepts are delivered within 7–10 business days of a complete brief. Most projects are finalised within 3–4 weeks including revision rounds.

Publishing & Distribution

We publish to Amazon KDP (eBook and KDP Print), IngramSpark (for 40,000+ worldwide retail and library accounts), Apple Books, Barnes & Noble Press, Kobo Writing Life, and Google Play Books. Library distribution via OverDrive and Baker & Taylor is included through IngramSpark.

Never. All platform royalties are paid directly to your account. Hawthorne charges a flat project fee and takes no ongoing percentage of your earnings, ever.

KDP Select offers Kindle Unlimited page-read income but requires 90-day Amazon exclusivity. Wide distribution (IngramSpark + direct platform uploads) trades that exclusivity for multi-platform reach. KDP Select tends to outperform in genre fiction; wide distribution is usually stronger for non-fiction and professional titles.

A purchased ISBN lets you register your own imprint as publisher — which looks more professional and gives you full portability if you ever switch distributors. Free KDP ISBNs list "Independently Published" as publisher. We strongly recommend purchasing your own through Bowker.

Amazon typically reviews and approves new titles within 24–72 hours of upload. IngramSpark wide distribution goes live within 5–10 business days for most channels.

Yes. If you have an existing imprint or want to establish one, we publish under that name. We advise on imprint setup as part of our publishing consultation.

Metadata is every piece of information associated with your book — title, subtitle, description, keywords, categories. Amazon's search algorithm uses metadata to decide which searches your book appears for. Strong metadata dramatically increases discoverability without any ongoing advertising spend.

Audiobook Production

Full audiobook production includes narrator casting, studio-quality recording, audio editing and mastering (to ACX specifications), chapter file creation, and quality control before submission. A completed, distribution-ready audiobook is the deliverable.

Yes. We present a shortlist of narrators suited to your genre. You audition each with a sample from your manuscript and make the final selection. If you want to narrate your own book, we offer a production-only package.

We distribute to Audible (via ACX), Amazon, Apple Books, Spotify, Kobo Audio, Scribd, OverDrive (library channel), and Google Play Books. Platform availability depends on your exclusivity arrangement.

ACX Exclusive locks your audiobook to Audible, Amazon, and iTunes for 7 years in exchange for 40% royalties. Non-exclusive pays 25% on those platforms but allows wide distribution via Findaway Voices. For most non-fiction titles, wide distribution earns more over time.

A 60,000-word book (approximately 6–8 hours of finished audio) typically takes 6–10 weeks from narrator casting to final mastered files.

Yes. You retain full copyright. We produce on a work-for-hire basis — the finished audio files belong to you. We do not take a royalty share under any arrangement.

Book Marketing

A launch campaign is a coordinated sequence of marketing activities around your publication date — ARC distribution and review management, email marketing sequences, social media content, Amazon Ads for the launch window, and PR outreach. The goal is concentrated visibility and reviews on launch day.

8–12 weeks before publication date is the minimum for a full campaign. That window allows for ARC distribution and review collection (4–6 weeks), pre-order setup, and scheduling all marketing assets. Campaigns launched with less than 4 weeks' runway sacrifice reviews and pre-order momentum.

Yes, when set up and managed correctly. A well-managed campaign targets an ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale) of 30–60%. We set targets based on your specific royalty margin and optimise continuously. Most campaigns reach ROI-positive performance by weeks 4–8.

A bestseller campaign concentrates your book's sales in a 24–72 hour window to rank #1 in one or more Amazon sub-categories, earning a permanent bestseller tag. The campaign coordinates email, social, ads, and promotional placements to drive concentrated sales. Category selection is the most important strategic decision.

Through an advance review copy (ARC) programme — distributing pre-publication copies to a curated list of genre-relevant readers and bloggers. All reviewers disclose receipt of an ARC in compliance with Amazon's guidelines. We never purchase reviews or use incentivised programmes that violate platform policies.

Social media is most effective for audience building, discoverability, and reader engagement between releases. Viral moments (particularly BookTok) can drive significant short-term sales. For most authors it works best as a long-term brand-building tool that complements ads and email marketing.

An email list built before launch. A list of even 500 engaged subscribers can drive enough concentrated launch-day sales to earn a bestseller tag, generate initial reviews, and trigger Amazon's recommendation algorithm. Everything else amplifies the list — it is the foundation.

Author Branding

Yes. Your author website is the hub that links every other channel — Amazon listing, social media, email list, press materials, and speaking enquiries. It is the only online asset you fully own and control, independent of any platform's algorithm or policy changes.

Homepage (book showcase and email opt-in), Books page (with retailer links), About page (bio and photo), Blog or Resources (optional but good for SEO), and Contact or Booking page. We design all of these as part of our standard author website package.

Your author bio introduces you as a person — credentials, background, and human detail. Your book blurb (back cover copy) sells the book — it hooks the reader, identifies the audience, and closes with an implied reason to buy. Both need to be professionally written; both are very different documents.

Your email list is the only marketing channel you fully own. Social media algorithms, Amazon rankings, and paid ad costs all fluctuate. Your email list does not. Authors with engaged lists generate reliable launch-day sales, sustain reviews, and maintain reader relationships between books.

A speaking one-sheet is a 1–2 page PDF you send to event organisers, podcast hosts, and conference programme managers when pitching yourself as a speaker or guest. It covers your bio, talk topics, social proof, and booking contact.

A full package — website, bio, blurb, speaker deck, and social media setup — typically takes 4–6 weeks from brief to delivery.

Coaching & Consulting

Ghostwriting coaching is for authors who want to write their own book but need expert guidance on structure, process, and quality. A coach does not write for you — they provide the framework, editorial feedback, and accountability to write it yourself. It costs less than full ghostwriting and results in a book entirely in your own hand.

Yes — a detailed outline is the single highest-return investment at the start of a book project. Authors who outline finish their books faster, produce more structured first drafts, and revise less. Our Book Blueprint service produces a full chapter-by-chapter outline in 2–3 weeks.

Self-publishing is right for most non-fiction, professional, and business books, and for many genre fiction titles. It offers faster time to market, higher royalties, and full creative control. Traditional publishing offers larger advances and prestige for certain genres. We give an honest assessment of which route makes sense for your specific book.

A professionally self-published book with ghostwriting, editing, cover design, interior formatting, and launch marketing typically runs $8,000–$25,000 depending on word count and service level. Editing-only projects (existing manuscript) start around $1,500.

Build your email list and collect advance reviews. Both require lead time and cannot be manufactured at the last minute. Campaigns started 8–12 weeks before publication consistently outperform last-minute launches regardless of budget.

An imprint is not legally required but is strongly recommended. Publishing under your own imprint name rather than "Independently Published" looks professional to bookstores, libraries, and media. We advise on imprint setup as part of our strategy consultation.

A 3-minute strategy call is the fastest way to find the right path. No obligation. NDA on request.

Ready to write the book you've been putting off?

Book a Free Consultation Live Chat