Literary Agent vs. Book Coach vs. Ghostwriter: What Do You Need?

If you want to write a book, you'll hear about literary agents, book coaches, and ghostwriters. These are three completely different services that solve three completely different problems.

Here's what each one actually does, who needs them, and how to know which one you need right now.

The Simple Breakdown

Literary Agent: Gets your finished book publishedBook Coach: Teaches you how to write your bookGhostwriter: Writes your book for you

That's the core difference. Everything else is detail.

Literary Agent: Your Publishing Representative

What They Do

A literary agent represents your book to publishers. They:

• Pitch your manuscript to editors at publishing houses

• Negotiate your book deal and contract terms

• Handle all business aspects of getting published

• Advocate for you throughout the publishing process

  
  

What they don't do: Help you write or develop your book. Agents work with completed manuscripts or polished proposals.

How They Get Paid

Agents work on commission—typically 15% of everything your book earns. No upfront fees. If your book doesn't sell, they don't get paid.

This means agents are selective. They only take on projects they believe they can sell.

Who Needs a Literary Agent

You need an agent if:

• ✓ You have a completed manuscript or strong book proposal

• ✓ You want to publish with a traditional publisher (not self-publish)

• ✓ You want someone to handle the business side of publishing

• ✓ You need help navigating contracts and negotiations

You don't need an agent if:

• ✗ Your manuscript isn't finished yet

• ✗ You're planning to self-publish

• ✗ You need help writing or developing your book

When to get an agent: After your manuscript or proposal is complete and polished.

Book Coach: Your Writing Teacher

What They Do

A book coach helps you write your own book. They:

• Guide you through the writing process

• Help you develop your structure and outline

• Provide feedback on your drafts

• Keep you accountable to your writing goals

• Teach you how to improve your writing

  
  

What they don't do: Write your book for you. You do all the writing. They provide guidance, feedback, and accountability.

How They Get Paid

Book coaches charge upfront fees—usually hourly or in packages. Typical range: $3,000-$15,000 depending on the scope and duration of coaching.

You pay them regardless of whether your book gets published.

Who Needs a Book Coach

You need a book coach if:

• ✓ You want to write your own book but need structure and guidance

• ✓ You're struggling to make progress on your manuscript

• ✓ You need feedback and accountability

• ✓ You have time to write but need help with the process

• ✓ Writing the book yourself is important to you

You don't need a book coach if:

• ✗ You don't have time to do the actual writing

• ✗ Writing isn't your strength and you'd rather hire someone

• ✗ You already know how to write effectively

When to hire a book coach: When you're starting your book or stuck in the middle of writing it.

Ghostwriter: Someone Who Writes Your Book

What They Do

A ghostwriter writes your book for you. They:

• Interview you to capture your ideas and expertise

• Research and develop your content

• Write the entire manuscript in your voice

• Deliver a complete, polished book

  
  

What they don't do: Publish your book. Once the manuscript is complete, you still need to either get an agent to sell it or self-publish it.

How They Get Paid

Ghostwriters charge upfront fees—typically $20,000-$100,000+ depending on the book's length and complexity.

Like book coaches, you pay them regardless of whether your book gets published. You're paying for the writing service, not a guarantee of publication.

Who Needs a Ghostwriter

You need a ghostwriter if:

• ✓ You have expertise to share but don't have time to write

• ✓ Writing isn't your strength

• ✓ You need a finished manuscript within a specific timeframe

• ✓ You value the outcome (having a book) over the process (writing it yourself)

You don't need a ghostwriter if:

• ✗ You want to write your own book

• ✗ The writing process itself is important to you

• ✗ Budget is a primary constraint (ghostwriting is expensive)

When to hire a ghostwriter: When you know you want a book but don't have the time or skill to write it yourself.

Can You Use More Than One?

Yes. Here's how they commonly work together:

Ghostwriter → Agent This is common. A ghostwriter helps you create the manuscript, then an agent sells it to publishers. This is the path most business executives and subject matter experts take when they want a traditionally published book but don't have time to write it themselves.

Book Coach → Agent You work with a coach to write your manuscript, then find an agent to represent it. This works if you want to write your own book but need guidance through the process.

Agent → Book Coach or Ghostwriter Sometimes an agent will sign you based on a proposal but suggest you work with a coach or ghostwriter to strengthen the manuscript before pitching to publishers. Less common, but it happens.

What doesn't work: Hiring an agent before you have a manuscript or proposal. Agents can't represent a book idea—only a completed project.

How Write it Great Fits In

We offer literary representation, ghostwriting services, and book coaching. Here's how it works:

If you have a completed manuscript or strong proposal: Submit to us as a literary agent. We evaluate your project and, if it's a good fit, represent you to publishers. No upfront fees—we work on commission.

If you want to write your own book but need guidance: We offer book coaching to help you develop your concept, create an outline, and work through the writing process. You do the writing—we provide the structure, feedback, and accountability.

If you need help creating your manuscript: We offer ghostwriting services. We interview you, develop your content, and deliver a complete manuscript. After that, we can either represent it as your agent or you can take it elsewhere.

Can we do multiple services? Yes. Common paths include:

• Book coaching → manuscript completion → literary representation

• Ghostwriting → literary representation

• Book coaching to develop a proposal → literary representation (even before the full manuscript is done)

The service you start with depends on where you are in your process and what kind of support you need.

The Honest Answer About Cost

Literary Agent: Free upfront, 15% commissionBook Coach: $3,000-$15,000Ghostwriter: $20,000-$100,000+

Yes, ghostwriting is expensive. But consider what you're buying: a complete, professionally written manuscript that positions you as an authority in your field. For business professionals, the ROI often comes from the credibility, speaking opportunities, and business development that result from being a published author.

Book coaching is less expensive but requires significant time investment from you. You're paying for guidance, but you're doing all the actual writing.

Literary agents cost nothing upfront, but you need a finished product before they can help you.

What Do You Actually Need?

Be honest with yourself about three things:

1. Time: Do you realistically have 200-400 hours to write a book in the next 6-12 months? → No = Ghostwriter → Yes = Book coach (optional) or self-write

2. Skill: Can you write clearly and compellingly? → No = Ghostwriter → Yes = Book coach (optional) or self-write

3. Stage: Do you have a completed manuscript? → Yes = Literary agent → No = Book coach or ghostwriter first

If you're still not sure, the answer is probably to start with one conversation. Talk to a ghostwriter about what they'd charge and deliver. Talk to a book coach about their process. Talk to an agent about whether your project is ready.

Most professionals figure out pretty quickly which path makes sense.