Ghostwriting

  • What is it?

    Ghostwriting is a full-service process. We start from the beginning, even if the beginning means, “I have this great idea for a book.” Step-by-step, I’ll guide you through everything we need to do to position, plan, write, and revise your manuscript.

  • Who is it for?

    You’re ready to write your book. You’re great at what you do, but you’re not an expert writer. You want to enlist the support of a professional, as you would in any unfamiliar endeavour. I’ll make sure that the process goes smoothly, coaching you through the inevitable emotional ups-and-downs, writing the manuscript based on your words, and revising it with you to ensure it matches your voice and message. By the time our work is done, we’ll both be proud of what we’ve created together.

    On request, I sometimes ghostwrite shorter pieces, such as articles or blogs.

  • How much does it cost?

    My standard rate is 30,000 USD per project, paid in monthly instalments. Should the total manuscript length exceed 30,000 words, I charge $1 per additional word above that length. If there are unique complications or requests, I quote on a bespoke basis. For articles and blogs, my standard rate is $1 per word.

Selected Portfolio

  • Elevate, by Jack Delosa and Tim Morris

  • Yoga Business Mastery, by Lucas Rockwood

  • The Richest Real Estate Agent, by Ben Oosterveld

  • Navigate the Investment Jungle, by Douglas Stone

  • Formulating Solutions, by P. Scott Bening

  • Give, by Nicholas Kusmich

  • A Little a Day Keeps the Dog Trainer Away, by Tom Roderick

  • The Bumblebee Takes Flight, by Thuta Aung

  • Performance Partnerships, by Robert Glazer

  • I Took Her Name, by Shu Matsuo Post

  • Best She Ever Had, by Andrew Mioch

  • Fly Africa, by Eric Kacou and Hassan El-Houry

  • Vital Connections, by Lou Bergholz

  • LOYAL: Listen or You Always Lose, by Aaron Painter

  • The Eagle and the Dragon, by Chris Duffin

  • The Perfect Southern Fraternity Party, by Trey Myers

  • Demystifying Esports, by Baro Hyun

  • Retail Pride, by Ron Thurston

  • Passion to Serve, Grow, and Prosper, by Sandana Dass

  • Consulting Essentials, by Jeff Kavanaugh

  • The Resilient Decision-Maker, by Lampel, Banerjee, and Bhalla

Book Coaching

  • What is it?

    Writing a book is hard. Coaching puts a professional on your team. It’s a way to enlist staunch support with your writing, to keep you moving forwards, hone your thinking, and improve the quality of your work.

    With the services of a good coach, you’ll write a far better book than you could without one.

  • Who is it for?

    You want to write your own book but you don’t want to struggle through the self-doubt and loneliness that come from trying to do it alone. Therefore, you need a coach to provide you with both moral and practical support, bolstering your spirits and boosting the quality of your output.

    Coaching is less of a done-for-you service than ghostwriting, requiring you to absorb and apply key lessons. While this makes it more labour-intensive, the payoff is that you’re developing the skills to become a better writer for life.

  • How much does it cost?

    My standard coaching rate is 2,000 USD per month, paid as a retainer. This entitles you to weekly calls, detailed feedback on the manuscript’s progress, and tailored interventions as needed, for example a comprehensive edit of a section of the book to illustrate relevant writing principles.

Testimonials

  • “Rob's contributions to our book, Elevate, were exceptional. Throughout the entire project he displayed an impressive talent for understanding our message and transforming it into a well-structured and seamlessly flowing narrative.

    He was persistent, adaptable, and willing to challenge ideas when needed - all essential qualities for writing a book over many, many months. He exceeded expectations and demonstrated unwavering commitment that is rare and deeply appreciated.

    On top of all this, Rob is damn funny and a real pleasure to work with. I couldn't recommend him more for future projects requiring a talented writer, editor, and collaborator.”

    Tim Morris, former CEO of The Entourage, co-author of Elevate: How to Accelerate Growth and Scale Your Business Beyond You

  • “Rob is awesome to work with. He helped me organize my thoughts, anecdotes, and notes into a manuscript that hooks the reader.

    As my writing coach, Rob took the time to get to know me, my family, listen to my stories and worked hard to get inside my head.

    A true professional, Rob was a super coach for me and I am sure can be a superb ghostwriter for many.”

    P. Scott Bening, former CEO, MonoSol, LLC, author of Formulating Solutions: Lessons from an Unexpected Entrepreneurial Journey

  • “Are you looking for some magic? Rob is the one for the job if you need some light-hearted, funny, and just plain fantastic writing.

    Don't hesitate, I've used him for a book and consider him an important part of my overall team for content.”

    Jason Toy, Owner of Canine Scholars, author of Mind Your Paws: From Puppy to Perfect Pet

  • “Rob was the editor for my book Demystifying Esports that was published in 2020. Living in Japan, a comment I get often is that the book reads easily even for non-native English speakers.

    Without Rob’s involvement I know for a fact that my book would have been in a completely different shape. The editing process was as smooth as his writing style.

    If I were to write another book, Rob would be the first person in my mind to ask for. Highly recommended editor!

    Baro Hyun, Founder & CEO of LunaTone, Inc., author of Demystifying Esports: A Personal Guide to the History & Future of Competitive Gaming

  • “My collaboration with Rob Wolf Petersen was an incredibly positive experience. His ability to understand and articulate my ideas with precision cultivated a deep trust and efficient partnership.

    Rob's attention to detail, allied with his empathetic listening, enriched my voice and helped hone the effectiveness of my message.

    Rob's expertise allowed my ideas to resonate deeply with readers, He is an invaluable asset for any author seeking to leave a lasting imprint with their work.”

    Robert Glazer, Founder & Board Chair of Acceleration Partners, author of Performance Partnerships: The Checkered Past, Changing Present, and Exciting Future of Affiliate Marketing

  • “Rob played a crucial role in the planning, editing, and writing of one of my books.

    He was patient, thoughtful, and not shy to push back and help me find clarity and consistency when I most needed it. Highly recommended.”

    Lucas Rockwood, Founder & Managing Director of YOGABODY, author of Yoga Business Mastery: Earn a Great Living Doing What You Love

  • “Retail Pride has been a huge success and I just wrapped up over a year-long book tour across the country, living in an Airstream and meeting retail teams in 30 states. Thank you for all you did for me; that book has changed my life.

    I'm all in on doing a second book, I hope we can work together again somehow!”

    Ron Thurston, Co-founder of OSSY, author of Retail Pride: The Guide to Celebrating Your Accidental Career

  • “I was fortunate to work with Rob many years ago on a book. I found his work to be professional and meticulous.

    His writing was very cohesive and flowed well. I will also just say that I enjoyed working with Rob over several months until the book was published.”

    Hassan El-Houry, Chairman, Menzies Aviation Group, co-author of Fly Africa: How Aviation Can Generate Prosperity across the Continent

Editing

  • What is it?

    There are three main types of editing: developmental editing, line editing, and copyediting.

    Developmental editing focuses on big-picture questions: What should go into the book, and what should be left out? Is the overall thread of the author’s thinking compelling and persuasive?

    Line editing looks at the composition and structure of individual paragraphs and sentences. Are they phrased as elegantly and effectively as possible?

    Copyediting operates at the same level as line editing, focusing more on sentence mechanics than on questions of style. I perform all three.

  • Who is it for?

    You’ve already written at least a first draft of your book, and you need the input of a professional before you publish. Editing will highlight and resolve issues such as gaps in your thinking, superfluous content, excess wordiness, lack of clarity, and so on.

    We’ll go back-and-forth, improving the flow of your work, cutting anything that doesn’t serve the reader, and polishing your prose. When our work together is done, you’ll be confident that your book hangs together philosophically, progresses smoothly from one subject to the next, and reads beautifully.

    On request, I sometimes edit shorter projects, such as articles or blogs.

  • How much does it cost?

    My standard editing rate is 150 USD per hour, paid in blocks depending upon the total scope of the work. I usually request an initial payment to get started, followed by further instalments as the project progresses and full settlement on completion.

  • “What an astonishing thing a book is. It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person.”

    – Carl Sagan

  • “I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

    – W. Somerset Maughan

  • “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

    – Thomas Jefferson

  • "A word after a word after a word is power."

    – Margaret Atwood

  • “I write to discover what I know.”

    – Flannery O’Connor

  • “If there’s a book that you want to read, and it hasn’t been written yet, you must write it.”

    – Toni Morrison

  • “One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”

    – Jack Kerouac