Ghostwriting
- memoir and personal books from $4,900
- business and thought leadership books from $9,900
- fiction and series from $14,900
Trusted Ghostwriting & Publishing Partner
Write like a pro.Publish like a bestseller.
Ghostwriting and Publishing Company for Authors Who Want to Own Their Book
Small Press Distribution is a ghostwriting and publishing company that writes, edits, designs, publishes and markets your book under one roof. Our office is in Dothan, Alabama, and our team works across the United States.
- 100% Author Ownership
- USA Based Experts
- Global Distribution
- Transparent Pricing
Published on 
That matters because a book is rarely one job. It is writing, editing, design, production and promotion, and most authors do not want to hire and manage all of that separately. With us you deal with one team that has done it before.
You bring the idea, the story or the expertise. We turn it into a finished book, and you keep 100% of the copyright, the credit and the royalties. Get a free consultation to talk it through, or submit your manuscript if you already have pages to show us.
About Small Press Distribution
Why Work With a Ghostwriting and Publishing Company Under One Roof?
Most authors who go it alone end up managing a small crew of strangers. A writer here, an editor there, a cover designer who has never spoken to the person formatting the interior. Every handoff is a chance for something to slip, and every freelancer has a different idea of what "done" means.
We built Small Press Distribution to remove that burden. One project manager is your single point of contact from the first call to launch day. The writer, editor, designer, publishing specialist and marketer all work from the same plan, so the voice stays consistent and nothing falls between steps.
It also means one set of terms. You get a fixed quote in writing before work starts, split into milestones that match the work you can see, with no hidden fees. You can use us for the whole book or for a single stage. Either way, you talk to a person who knows your project and replies within one business day.
Our services
What We Do for Authors
Every service below can stand alone or be combined into a single plan. Pick the stage you need, and we will fit it to the rest of your book. Many authors start with one service and stay for the rest, because the continuity shows in the finished result.
- 01Explore Ghostwriting
Ghostwriting
A professional writer interviews you, builds an outline you approve and drafts the book in your voice. We write memoirs and autobiographies, business and leadership books, self-help and other nonfiction, and fiction. If your voice is distinctive, the writer studies your interviews and past writing until the pages sound like you on a good day. You review the outline and a sample chapter before the full draft begins, and you approve every revision round. Explore our ghostwriting services to see how it works.
- 02Explore Editing
Editing
Whether your manuscript came from a ghostwriter or from your own keyboard, it benefits from fresh eyes. Developmental editing shapes the structure, line editing sharpens the prose, and copyediting and proofreading catch the details. Our book editing services are priced per word, and a free sample edit is available so you can judge the quality before you commit. Every edit is delivered with clear explanations, so you understand each change.
- 03Explore Cover design and formatting
Cover design and formatting
Readers do judge a book by its cover, and by its pages. We design book covers for your genre and set clean interiors for print and ebook through our book formatting team. The cover and the interior are designed together, so the finished book looks like one coherent product on a shelf or a screen.
- 04Explore Publishing and distribution
Publishing and distribution
Publishing is where many do-it-yourself projects stumble, so we handle the details for you. We register your ISBN in your name, prepare the metadata and publish in print and ebook, with distribution through major retailers and networks such as IngramSpark. Your book is prepared to the file standards each platform requires, which avoids rejected uploads. See our book publishing services for packages.
- 05Explore Marketing and author branding
Marketing and author branding
A good book still needs readers to find it, and that rarely happens by accident. We plan launches, run advertising campaigns, and build author websites, identities and media kits through our book marketing services. We are honest about what marketing can and cannot do, and we never promise sales.
- 06Explore Audiobooks, illustration, children's books and websites
Audiobooks, illustration, children's books and websites
Need your book in audio? See audiobook production. Writing for kids? Pair our children's book writing with illustration services. Want a home online? Our website design team can build it. Each of these is quoted per project after a free consultation.
How Working With Us Works
The path is the same whatever service you start with. We listen first, plan clearly, then do the work properly. You always know where your book stands, because your project manager tells you before you have to ask.
- 01
Free consultation.
A conversation about your idea, your readers, your goals and your timeline, with honest advice on the best route. If another route would serve your book better, we will say so.
- 02
Written proposal.
A scope, a fixed quote and a schedule, so you know exactly what you are getting before you commit. Larger projects are paid in milestones, so you never pay far ahead of the work you have seen.
- 03
Team match.
A project manager and specialists chosen for your genre and subject, and for how you like to work. Some authors want weekly calls, and others prefer a short email at each milestone.
- 04
Creation.
Writing, editing, design and production, with revision rounds and your approval at each key stage. Tracked changes and plain explanations keep you in control.
- 05
Publication and growth.
Your book goes live in print and ebook, and marketing support carries it toward readers.
Once a manuscript is final, a full publishing timeline typically runs 4 to 8 weeks from handover to live distribution. Ghostwriting a manuscript comes before that: a picture book text takes about 2 to 3 weeks, a memoir 8 to 14 weeks and a full-length novel 12 to 18 weeks. Your proposal includes a milestone schedule, so there are no surprises, and rush timelines are available for certain projects for an additional fee, quoted up front.
Transparent pricing
What a Book Costs With Us
We do not hide prices behind a sales call. These are starting points, and your final fixed quote depends on scope. Knowing the ballpark first lets you plan realistically, and it means the quote you receive will not come as a shock.
Editing
- proofreading from $0.012 per word
- developmental editing from $0.030 per word
- a complete edit from $0.045 per word
Publishing
- Ebook Launch from $1,490
- Complete Publishing (print and ebook) from $3,900
- Signature Edition (print, ebook, hardcover and audiobook) from $7,900
Marketing
- Launch Essentials from $1,200 per campaign
- Growth Campaign from $990 per month
- Author Brand from $3,500 per project
Cover design, formatting, audiobook, illustration and website work are quoted per project after your free consultation, because the price depends on factors such as page count, number of images, formats and the amount of custom work involved. Every quote is in writing, split into milestones, and fixed for the agreed scope. Ad spend for marketing campaigns is paid directly to the advertising platforms. See the full pricing page for what each package includes, or ask for a quote on exactly the pieces you need.
100%Yours to keepYour rights
You Own Your Book, Completely
This is the part that separates a good partner from a risky one. When you work with us, you are the author. Rights transfer to you on delivery, confirmed in writing at the start of the project. The copyright is yours, your name is on the cover, and every dollar of royalties goes to you. We never take royalties or hold rights to your book.
That also means you can leave. Your files, your ISBN and your retailer accounts are set up in your name from the start, so the book is never held hostage by the relationship.
Your ISBN is registered in your name, so you are listed as the publisher of record and can take your book anywhere you like. You can also register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office, and we will help you prepare for it. Ask us anything about how an ISBN works.
Ghostwriting projects are confidential, and a signed NDA is required before any ghostwriting work begins. Everyone who touches your material is bound by confidentiality terms, and we do not name clients without permission. If you want your involvement kept private, it stays private.
Who we work with
Who We Write and Publish For
We work with founders and executives building authority, coaches and experts who want a signature book, people with a life story worth leaving behind, novelists developing a series, and parents and educators writing for children. Some of our authors have never written a page, and some are writing for an audience of one family. Others have written several books and want a better team behind the next one.
You do not need a publishing background or a large platform to begin. You need a story that matters to someone, and the willingness to answer a few questions along the way. We handle the craft and the paperwork. Our writers and editors are matched to your genre, from memoir and business to health, faith and fantasy. Browse genres or meet our authors to see the range. Our fields include business and leadership, healthcare and wellness, technology, education, entrepreneurship, food and culinary arts, travel, social impact, and sports and lifestyle.
The Numbers Behind Small Press Distribution
- 250+
- Books published
- 170+
- Authors served
- 50+
- Bestsellers achieved
- 100%
- Author ownership
We have published more than 250 books for over 170 authors, and more than 50 of those titles have reached bestseller lists in their categories. We say that plainly, and we will never promise you a bestseller, because no honest publisher can.
Behind those figures are people: first-time writers, seasoned professionals, and families preserving their history. Each one received the same attention to detail and the same written terms.
What we can promise is the process: clear terms, quality work and a team that answers. Read about us, look through our portfolio or read author testimonials and judge for yourself. Where an author has given permission, you can see their cover and their words.
Questions
Ghostwriting and Publishing Company FAQs
What does a ghostwriting and publishing company do?
It writes your book for you, then handles the publishing steps too. That means interviews and drafting, editing, cover design, interior formatting, ISBN and distribution setup, and marketing. You stay the named author throughout and approve every key decision along the way. Because one team does it all, the voice and the schedule stay consistent from draft to launch.
Who owns the book when you use a ghostwriter?
You do. With Small Press Distribution, copyright, credit and 100% of royalties belong to you, and your ISBN is registered in your name. The ghostwriter is paid for their work and holds no claim on your book, rights transfer to you on delivery as confirmed in writing at the start, and your project stays confidential under an NDA. You can ask us to put these terms in writing before you decide.
How much does it cost to have a book ghostwritten and published?
Ghostwriting starts from $4,900 for a memoir, $9,900 for a business book and $14,900 for fiction, and publishing starts from $1,490. Your final fixed quote depends on length, services and timeline. We confirm it in writing before work starts, with milestones and no hidden fees.
How long does it take to write and publish a book?
Publishing a finished manuscript typically takes 4 to 8 weeks from handover to live distribution. Ghostwriting adds 2 to 3 weeks for a picture book, 8 to 14 weeks for a memoir and 12 to 18 weeks for a novel, depending on word count and how quickly you review chapters. We give you a schedule with your proposal so you can plan around it, and rush timelines are available for an additional fee, quoted up front.
Will you take royalties or rights to my book?
No. We never take royalties and we never retain rights to your book. You pay for the services in your fixed quote, and everything the book earns afterward is yours, on every platform where it sells. That is a core part of how we work.
Do I need a finished manuscript to start?
No. Many authors begin with an idea, an outline or a stack of notes. If you do have pages, send them through submit your manuscript and we will recommend the right next step. Replies come within one business day.
Free consultation
Talk to a Ghostwriting and Publishing Company That Answers Back
Whether your book is an idea or a finished draft, the first step is a short, free conversation. Get a free consultation or call +1 205-210-8070, and let's talk about your book. You can also submit your manuscript any time, or email info@smallpressdistribution.com. No pressure, no obligation, just honest advice.