Jana Murphy – Ghostwriter

Thanks for finding me here on Reedsy! I'm a ghostwriter who helps authors share their experiences, their big ideas, and their life’s work.

-A little about me:

*I've ghostwritten more than 40 books, including NY Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestsellers in multiple categories.

*I'm an expert at guiding projects from idea to publication. My favorite subject areas include business and leadership, memoir, health and wellness, adventure and travel, personal growth, parenting, and pets.

*I bring high level understanding of the publishing industry and its processes to every project.

-A little about my work:

*My ghostwritten books are published by Algonquin, Bloomsbury, Hachette, HarperOne, Hay House, Henry Holt, Penguin, Random House, Rodale, Rowman & Littlefield, Simon and Schuster, and others.

*My titles have over 15,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, plus great professional reviews like these:

"Thoroughly engaging, with deadpan humor and Grisham-like suspense” (Publishers Weekly)

"Starred review" (Booklist)

“A stirring, beautiful memoir. Starred review” (Publishers Weekly)

"A ripping great read" (Barnes & Noble in-house/exclusive review)

"Downright engrossing" (Booklist)

"Highly recommended” (Library Journal)

"Not just another self help book" (School Library Journal)

"A practical compass to navigating life's tricky areas." (Kirkus)

“Timely, practical, instructive, inspiring, exceptionally well written” (Midwest Book Review)

-A little about our collaboration:

*I'd love to hear about your project and what you want to accomplish. My authors use their books to grow industry status, media presence, client bases, speaking fees, and more. Many also use them to take ownership of their story and legacy.

*I'm committed to delivering value. If I write your book, we'll talk (a lot). I'll do independent research to support your work. We'll come up with a summary, overarching themes, and an appealing, logical structure. I'll draft an outline and a sample chapter, and then we'll build out the book. If we collaborate, you can expect me to do a deep dive and invest 10-14 months on your project. A book is forever; it should take time to write!

*2026 Project Cost Guidelines

*Full book manuscript (50,000 words and up): Rates are based on length, genre, level of research, and timetable. $60,000-$85,000

*Book proposal (summary, outline, comp works, marketing summary, sample chapter, query letter, and agent list). $22,000

*Short form writing. I've written blogs, op-eds, speeches, scripts, stakeholder letters, grant applications, book blurbs, and even VIP thank-you notes for happy clients. Quotes start at $1.50/word

*Not sure what you need? I charge $2800 for 16-hour blocks of consulting time. We can accomplish a lot together in 16 hours of review, revision, and strategizing.

UPDATE (12/1/25) My calendar is booked through August, 2026, but please feel free to message me with questions or to set up an introductory call. I often have a wait list, but if your project and my skills are a great match, I'll do all I can to work with your timetable.