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Real numbers for writing and publishing books

Pricing guides and walkthroughs with actual 2026 rates, the research we wish existed when authors ask us what things cost.

Honest research and real numbers for authors
Comparisons

Best Ghostwriting Services in 2026: Honest Rankings by Budget

The ghostwriting market ranked honestly: premium firms, marketplaces, and volume agencies compared on pricing, ownership terms, and trust signals, including where we fit.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

Best Self-Publishing Companies in 2026 (And Which to Avoid)

Self-publishing platforms, service companies, and hybrid publishers compared: KDP, IngramSpark, BookBaby, assisted-publishing services, and the vanity presses to avoid.

Updated Jul 9, 2026
Writing

How to Hire a Ghostwriter: Vetting Checklist and Red Flags (2026)

A step-by-step hiring process: where to find ghostwriters, the questions that expose weak candidates, contract terms that protect you, and the warning signs to walk away from.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

What Does a Ghostwriter Do? (And What They Don't)

What ghostwriters actually deliver: interviews, structure, drafting, and revision, how credit and confidentiality work, and where the ethical lines sit in 2026.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

Memoir vs Autobiography vs Biography: Which Should You Write?

The three life-story formats defined precisely, how publishers and readers treat them differently, and a decision guide for choosing yours.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

How Long Does It Take to Write a Book? Real Timelines by Path

Realistic book timelines in 2026: solo writing, working with a ghostwriter, and publishing production, with a full idea-to-published schedule table.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

How Long Should a Book Be? Word Counts by Genre (2026 Guide)

Word count targets for every genre: novels, memoirs, business books, children's books, and novellas, plus what happens when you miss the band.

Updated Jul 8, 2026

How to Write a Memoir: 10 Steps From Memory to Manuscript

A working method for memoir: choosing the throughline, what to leave out, scene-building from memory, handling real people, and finishing a draft that reads like a book.

Updated Jul 8, 2026

How to Write a Children's Book and Get It Published (2026)

Age bands, word counts, page-turn structure, illustration planning, and the KDP publishing path for children's books, with real cost numbers.

Updated Jul 8, 2026
Publishing

Amazon KDP Royalties Explained: 70% vs 35% and the Math That Matters

How KDP actually pays: ebook royalty bands, delivery fees, paperback printing costs, expanded distribution, and worked examples at common price points.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

How to Get an ISBN (And When You Don't Need One)

ISBNs explained for self-publishers: when KDP's free option is fine, when owning your ISBN matters, Bowker pricing, and the barcode question.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

Vanity Press vs Legitimate Self-Publishing Services: How to Tell

The five structural differences between a vanity press and an honest publishing service: account ownership, royalties, pricing games, rights, and exit terms.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

How to Publish a Book on Amazon KDP in 2026 (Step by Step)

The complete Amazon KDP walkthrough: account setup, formatting specs, categories and keywords, pricing for the 70% royalty band, and launch-week checklist.

Updated Jul 8, 2026

Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing: Honest 2026 Comparison

Royalties, control, speed, prestige, and money: the real tradeoffs between self-publishing and traditional publishing in 2026, and who should pick which.

Updated Jul 8, 2026

How Much Do Authors Make in 2026? (Advances, Royalties, Real Numbers)

Median author incomes, advance sizes, KDP royalty math, and what realistic first-book earnings look like, with the variables that actually move the number.

Updated Jul 8, 2026
Pricing Guides

How Much Does a Children's Book Illustrator Cost in 2026?

Children's book illustration pricing: per-illustration and per-book rates, what drives cost, rights and source files, and a budget table for a standard 32-page picture book.

Updated Jul 9, 2026

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Ghostwriter? (2026 Rates by Genre)

Ghostwriter costs in 2026: per-word rates from $0.10 to $2.00+, per-project ranges by genre, what drives price, and the red flags that signal a quote to walk away from.

Updated Jul 8, 2026

How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book in 2026? (Full Breakdown)

Publishing a book costs $0 to upload on Amazon KDP, but $730 to $5,600 to do properly. Line-by-line 2026 costs for editing, cover, formatting, ISBN, and marketing.

Updated Jul 8, 2026

How Much Does Book Editing Cost? 2026 Rates for Every Editing Type

Editing costs per word and per project: developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading rates in 2026, with worked examples for real manuscript lengths.

Updated Jul 8, 2026

How Much Does It Cost to Make an Audiobook? (2026 Per-Hour Rates)

Audiobook production costs per finished hour, what a finished hour actually is, narrator rates, royalty-share deals, and the ACX specs your files must pass.

Updated Jul 8, 2026
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