Authors who hire help writing a book often discover partway through that ghostwriting was only the first piece of a longer chain. A finished manuscript still needs editing, a cover, formatting, an ISBN and publishing setup, retail distribution, and some form of launch marketing. Some companies handle all of that under one roof. Others write the book and hand the author off to find the rest. Writers of the West, Scribe Media, and Greenleaf Book Group each carry a project well past the writing-only stage, while Gotham Ghostwriters, Kevin Anderson & Associates, StoryTerrace, and Reedsy cover different slices of that same chain. This comparison looks at exactly how far each one goes, and where the author still has to pick up the rest.
What Does “Full-Service Ghostwriting” Actually Mean?
The phrase gets used loosely, so it’s worth defining before comparing anyone against it. A genuinely full-service provider can contribute to some or all of these stages: book planning and strategy, interviews and research, ghostwriting the manuscript, developmental editing, copyediting and proofreading, cover design, interior formatting, ISBN and publishing setup, retail distribution, marketing and launch support, audiobook production, and post-publication support.
No company here runs all of those with equal depth. Some write and edit, then refer the author to a publisher or self-publishing platform. Others take a finished manuscript and carry it through design, distribution, and marketing without writing a word themselves. A smaller group does both. That distinction, not writer talent, is what actually separates these companies.
Service Breadth at a Glance
| Company | Ghostwriting | Editing | Design/Formatting | Publishing Setup | Distribution | Marketing | Managed by One Team? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reedsy | Yes, freelancer-provided | Separate hire | Separate hire | Separate hire | Separate hire | Separate hire | No | Choosing each specialist individually |
| Gotham Ghostwriters | Yes | Yes | Referred out | Referred out | Referred out | Referred out | Partially | Elite writer matching for business authors |
| Kevin Anderson & Associates | Yes | Yes | Referred out | Traditional-publishing navigation | Referred out | Referred out | Partially | Authors targeting traditional publication |
| StoryTerrace | Yes, interview-based | Yes | Yes | Optional add-on | Optional add-on, limited | Optional add-on, Amazon-focused | Yes, for the core process | Interview-driven memoirs and family histories |
| Writers of the West | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, major online retailers | Yes, included | Yes, plus post-launch project manager | One provider from idea through a marketed book |
| Scribe Media | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, 40,000+ outlets | Yes, launch campaign included | Yes, dedicated Publishing Manager | Premium end-to-end process with audiobook |
| Greenleaf Book Group | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, hybrid imprint | Yes, wholesalers and bookstores | Yes, plus PR outreach | Yes, dedicated project manager | Real bookstore-level distribution |
How We Evaluated Full-Service Ghostwriting Companies
Price sits in the background here and is covered in more depth in our separate piece on affordable ghostwriting options. This comparison instead evaluates: whether writing is actually provided in-house; whether editing is included or separate; whether design and formatting happen in-house; whether publishing setup (ISBN, metadata, retailer accounts) is handled; how far distribution reaches; whether marketing is real and specific rather than a vague promise; whether the author works with one point of contact or coordinates several providers; who keeps copyright and account ownership; whether the relationship continues past manuscript delivery; and which type of author each model actually suits.
We didn’t assume a company was full-service because its marketing used that word. Each entry reflects what the company’s current site says it delivers, checked against outside sources where a claim needed verification.
Reedsy
Service model: A curated marketplace, not a company performing the work itself. Authors browse vetted freelance ghostwriters, editors, designers, and marketers, and hire each one directly.
How far it takes the author: A marketplace of separate specialists the author selects and coordinates individually.
Services available: Ghostwriting, developmental and line editing, proofreading, cover design, and marketing consultations, each from a different independent professional.
Project management: None built in beyond the platform’s messaging and contract tools. The author is the project manager.
Publishing and distribution: Not handled by Reedsy. Authors publish and distribute independently or hire a separate publishing consultant on the same marketplace.
Marketing: Available as an individually hired service; no bundled launch campaign.
Best fit: Authors who want to personally vet and choose every specialist and don’t mind acting as their own producer.
Main trade-off: More say over who does each job, but nothing is centrally managed. Every stage is a separate hire and a separate relationship to keep on schedule.
Gotham Ghostwriters
Service model: A ghostwriting and editorial agency that matches clients with a vetted network writer, then helps them find a publishing path rather than publishing the book itself.
How far it takes the author: Idea through a polished manuscript or proposal, then a handoff to an agent, publisher, or self-publishing route.
Services available: Ghostwriting, developmental editing, proposal writing, and manuscript doctoring, plus introductions to agents and self-publishing consultants through its network.
Project management: One agency contact manages the writer search and writing relationship; production, publishing, and marketing happen through outside referrals.
Publishing and distribution: Not handled in-house.
Marketing: Available through referrals to PR and marketing contacts, not as an in-house service.
Best fit: Business leaders and public figures wanting bestseller-credentialed writers, comfortable arranging publication and marketing separately.
Main trade-off: Strong writing and editorial backing, but the relationship is largely writing-focused. Authors still line up their own publisher, distributor, and marketing.
Kevin Anderson & Associates
Service model: A ghostwriting and editorial firm built around traditional-publishing expertise, staffed in part by former Big Five acquisitions editors who help position manuscripts for agents and publishers.
How far it takes the author: Idea through a submission-ready manuscript and proposal, then support navigating agents and publisher submissions.
Services available: Ghostwriting, editing, book coaching, proposal writing, beta testing, and cultural accuracy editing, alongside publishing-navigation support for traditional, hybrid, or self-publishing routes.
Project management: A senior editorial team, often including a former Big Five editor, oversees the manuscript through submission readiness.
Publishing and distribution: Helps position a manuscript for publishers and can guide self-publishing decisions, but doesn’t distribute or sell books itself.
Marketing: Not a core in-house service; tied to whichever publishing path the author takes.
Best fit: Authors whose main goal is traditional publication, wanting editorial input from people who’ve worked inside major houses.
Main trade-off: Strong for manuscript and proposal quality aimed at traditional gatekeepers, less useful for authors planning to self-publish, since production, distribution, and marketing all happen outside the firm.
StoryTerrace
Service model: A managed memoir-writing service built around structured interviews, with an optional “PRO” tier extending the process toward self-publishing and wider distribution.
How far it takes the author: Interviews through a finished, designed book on core packages; interviews through a self-published, lightly marketed book on the PRO and self-publishing add-ons.
Services available: Interview-based ghostwriting, editorial sessions, cover design, and interior layout on every package. The self-publishing add-on brings multichannel distribution through IngramSpark plus one to three months of Amazon-focused marketing.
Project management: A writer, and on higher packages a dedicated project editor, manages the process end to end.
Publishing and distribution: Not included by default; core packages produce a personal book, and wider retail distribution requires the separate add-on.
Marketing: Limited to the optional packages, scoped to Amazon visibility rather than a broader campaign.
Best fit: Individuals, families, or business owners commissioning a personal or company story through a structured interview process.
Main trade-off: Genuinely strong at interview-driven writing and production, but full-service distribution and marketing are add-ons on top of a product built for personal books, not the default.
Writers of the West
Service model: A managed ghostwriting services and book-production company that keeps ghostwriting, editing, design, publishing, and marketing inside one team rather than referring authors elsewhere once the manuscript is done.
How far it takes the author: Idea through an edited, designed, published, and marketed book, with a project manager who stays on the account after delivery.
Services available: Ghostwriting, editing, proofreading, cover design, formatting, and publishing setup, all handled directly. The included marketing program covers Amazon A+ content, editorial reviews, press releases, a month of paid advertising on social media and Amazon, social posting, a book trailer, and a companion website.
What happens after the writing is finished? This is where the model differs from a writing-only agency. The manuscript moves directly into editing, design, and publishing setup with the same team, then into the marketing program at launch, without the author finding a new provider for each stage. The company registers the ISBN as publisher of record but assigns it fully to the author, who keeps 100% of royalties and full rights.
Project management: One matched writer plus a dedicated project manager oversee the project; if the initial match doesn’t work, the company offers a different writer.
Publishing and distribution: Setup and distribution through major online retailers are included; there’s no confirmed wholesale or physical bookstore-chain network like Greenleaf’s.
Marketing: Included in the package, though the paid promotion and press elements are time-boxed to roughly a month around launch rather than an ongoing campaign.
Best fit: Authors wanting one company to carry a project from idea through a published, marketed book without assembling a ghostwriter, editor, designer, and marketer separately.
Main trade-off: The marketing is meaningful but launch-focused, and there’s no confirmed audiobook service or bookstore-chain distribution, the kind of reach a premium firm like Scribe Media or a hybrid publisher like Greenleaf offers at a considerably higher price.
Scribe Media
Service model: A structured, premium end-to-end publishing service for executives and experts, with a dedicated Publishing Manager as the single point of contact.
How far it takes the author: Either a completed manuscript or an idea captured through structured interviews, carried through editing, design, publishing, global distribution, audiobook production, and a launch campaign.
Services available: Manuscript evaluation, copyediting and proofreading, cover and interior design, ISBN and copyright registration, and audiobook production distributed to Audible, Amazon, Apple Books, and Spotify. Interview-based tiers add ghostwriting through recorded interview sessions.
Project management: A dedicated Publishing Manager coordinates the writer, editor, and design team as the client’s single point of contact.
Publishing and distribution: Confirmed distribution to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and more than 40,000 retail outlets worldwide, under the company’s own imprints if the author doesn’t have one.
Marketing: A launch campaign is included on every package: an Amazon bestseller strategy, social assets, email templates, a Goodreads giveaway, and media opportunities.
Best fit: Executives and nonfiction experts wanting a premium, highly structured process, particularly where audiobook production matters.
Main trade-off: Comprehensive, but pricing runs from roughly $29,000 for a completed-manuscript package to $135,000 for its most involved tier, well above the rest of this comparison, and its stated focus is nonfiction rather than fiction or children’s books.
Greenleaf Book Group
Service model: A hybrid publisher and master distributor, meaning it functions as both a production company and an actual publisher with its own retail and wholesale relationships.
How far it takes the author: Idea, including ghostwriting, through a professionally produced book placed into bookstore, wholesale, and airport retail channels, plus an ongoing marketing campaign.
Services available: In-house ghostwriting, editing, and design for authors starting from an idea. Marketing includes Amazon ads and optimization, audience building, and social strategy; a separate digital media outreach service covers podcast placement, influencer outreach, and press release distribution.
Project management: A dedicated project manager liaises between the author and Greenleaf’s editorial, design, and marketing teams.
Publishing and distribution: Greenleaf’s clearest differentiator. As a hybrid publisher, it maintains direct relationships with wholesalers, bookstore chains, airport retailers, and independent booksellers, domestic and international, rather than relying on online listings alone.
Marketing: A customized plan per book, with digital media outreach extending into podcast and influencer placement beyond standard launch advertising.
Best fit: Business and nonfiction authors wanting real bookstore-level and wholesale distribution alongside full production, comfortable with a hybrid-publishing structure.
Main trade-off: As a hybrid publisher, Greenleaf’s model is built around the author keeping most, rather than necessarily all, royalties, and typically requires a higher up-front investment than a flat-fee service company, reflecting its stronger physical-retail network.
What Full-Service Book Support Looks Like From Idea to Launch
Breaking the process into stages shows where each company’s coverage starts and stops:
- Idea and planning: Handled directly by Writers of the West, Scribe Media, Greenleaf, and StoryTerrace’s PRO tier; folded into the writing engagement at Gotham and Kevin Anderson & Associates.
- Writing: Every company here provides this, in-house or through a Reedsy freelancer.
- Editing: In-house everywhere except Reedsy, where it’s a separate hire.
- Production (cover, formatting, metadata): In-house at Writers of the West, Scribe Media, Greenleaf, and StoryTerrace; referred out by Gotham and Kevin Anderson & Associates; a separate hire on Reedsy.
- Publishing setup: In-house at Writers of the West, Scribe Media, and Greenleaf; a paid add-on at StoryTerrace; handled through referrals elsewhere.
- Distribution: Widest confirmed reach at Scribe Media and Greenleaf, including physical bookstore and wholesale channels at Greenleaf; major online retailers at Writers of the West; dependent on the referred publishing path elsewhere.
- Marketing: Included at Writers of the West, Scribe Media, and Greenleaf; a limited add-on at StoryTerrace; outside referrals at Gotham and Kevin Anderson & Associates; a separate hire on Reedsy.
Full-Service Company vs. Hiring Separate Freelancers
A managed full-service company puts one team behind most or all of these stages. Advantages: one point of contact, continuity between stages, fewer handoffs where details get lost, centralized accountability. Potential downsides: less direct say over exactly who handles each stage, and a bundled price that may run higher than sourcing the cheapest freelancer for each piece separately.
A marketplace like Reedsy puts the author in charge of assembling the team. Advantages: direct selection of each specialist, a wide pool to choose from, room to shop around on price and style. Potential downsides: the author becomes the project manager, juggling multiple contracts, with no single party accountable if a handoff goes wrong.
Neither is objectively better. A managed company suits an author who wants the coordination taken off their plate; a marketplace suits one who wants maximum control and doesn’t mind doing that coordination.
Which Full-Service Ghostwriting Company Is Right for You?
Choose Reedsy if: you want to personally choose every specialist and are comfortable managing the handoffs yourself.
Choose Gotham Ghostwriters if: your priority is a bestseller-credentialed writer and elite editorial talent, and you’ll arrange publishing and marketing separately.
Choose Kevin Anderson & Associates if: traditional publication is the goal and you want former Big Five editors shaping your manuscript and proposal.
Choose StoryTerrace if: your project is an interview-driven personal memoir or company history, with the option to add self-publishing and light marketing later.
Choose Writers of the West if: you want one managed provider from idea through a published, marketed book, without assembling a separate ghostwriter, editor, designer, and marketer.
Choose Scribe Media if: you’re an executive or expert with the budget for a premium, highly structured process including audiobook production.
Choose Greenleaf Book Group if: real bookstore and wholesale distribution matters as much as writing and design, and a hybrid-publishing structure works for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a full-service ghostwriting company do?
At minimum, it writes the manuscript. A genuinely full-service provider also carries the project through some combination of editing, design, publishing setup, distribution, and marketing, rather than handing the author off once the writing is done.
Can one company write, edit, publish, and market my book?
Yes, though depth varies. Writers of the West, Scribe Media, and Greenleaf Book Group each confirm in-house ghostwriting, editing, production, publishing, and marketing. Others here, including Gotham Ghostwriters and Kevin Anderson & Associates, write and edit but refer authors elsewhere for the rest.
Is it better to use one book company or separate freelancers?
It depends how much coordination you want to do yourself. A single managed company reduces handoffs and gives one point of contact. Hiring separate freelancers through a marketplace like Reedsy gives more control over who does each job, at the cost of managing multiple contracts yourself.
Do full-service ghostwriting companies publish books under the author’s name?
Generally yes. Ghostwriting arrangements typically credit the commissioning author as sole writer, with the ghostwriter’s involvement kept confidential. Confirm this in writing before starting, along with how the company appears as publisher of record, if at all.
Who owns the copyright when a ghostwriter writes the book?
This depends on the contract, and it’s worth confirming before signing with any provider. At Writers of the West, the author keeps full rights and 100% of royalties even though the company registers the ISBN as publisher of record; other companies, particularly hybrid publishers, structure ownership differently, so ask directly rather than assume.
Can a ghostwriting company also distribute a book?
Some can, and reach varies. Greenleaf Book Group and Scribe Media both maintain confirmed distribution into large numbers of retail outlets, including physical bookstores at Greenleaf. Writers of the West covers major online retailers. Gotham Ghostwriters and Kevin Anderson & Associates don’t distribute directly; they connect authors with a publisher or self-publishing platform instead.
Do ghostwriting companies help with book marketing after publication?
It varies by provider and by what “after publication” means. Writers of the West’s marketing program runs for roughly a month around launch. Scribe Media and Greenleaf both build marketing into their packages, with Greenleaf’s outreach extending into ongoing podcast and influencer placement. Ask any provider how long marketing support lasts and what happens once that window closes.
What should I ask before hiring a full-service book company?
Ask which stages the company actually performs in-house versus refers out. Ask who owns the ISBN, the publishing accounts, and the files once the project ends. Ask whether the same team stays involved through launch or the relationship ends at manuscript delivery. And ask exactly how long marketing support lasts, since it can mean anything from a single press release to an ongoing campaign.
The Bottom Line
Whether a company only writes, writes and edits, or carries a book all the way through production, publishing, distribution, and marketing depends on its business model, not how it markets itself. Reedsy and the referral-based agencies give an author more control at the cost of coordination work. Writers of the West, Scribe Media, and Greenleaf Book Group each keep more of that chain under one roof, at different price points and with different distribution reach. The right choice comes down to one question: once the manuscript is done, do you want to find the rest of the team yourself, or do you want the same people who wrote it to carry it the rest of the way?
