Comparison
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Published by Big Impact Books
A ghostwriter writes your book for you, while guided interviews have you speak your book chapter by chapter and a team shapes your own words into the manuscript.
Big Impact Books uses guided interviews and says it refuses to hide behind ghostwriting, so it publishes this comparison from a clear point of view. Each approach below is judged on the same criteria, and the page says plainly where a ghostwriter or book coach is the better choice.
Guided interviews are better when the book must sound like you and you can give about an hour a week. A ghostwriter is better when you want the least possible involvement.
Guided interviews win for CEOs, business owners, and attorneys whose reputation rests on how they explain things, and for anyone who will promote the book on podcasts where listeners hear their real voice. A ghostwriter genuinely fits leaders who prefer to approve rather than talk, and a book coach fits experts who enjoy writing every chapter themselves.
Four ways to write a business book, judged on the same five criteria.
| Approach | Who writes the words | Your weekly time | Whose voice | Publishing included | Marketing included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Impact Books (guided interviews) | You talk through each chapter; the team shapes your words into a manuscript | About one hour a week, as Big Impact Books describes it | Yours, captured from your own interviews | Yes, as an independent publisher | Yes, including podcast placements and media coverage |
| Ghostwriter | A hired writer drafts from interviews and research | Varies; interviews plus review time | The writer’s interpretation of yours | Varies by provider; often separate | Usually separate |
| Book coach | You write; the coach guides structure and accountability | Highest; you draft every chapter | Fully yours | Usually not | Usually not |
| DIY self-publishing | You write and hire each editor or designer yourself | Highest; writing plus project management | Fully yours | You handle it through platforms such as Amazon KDP | You handle it |
Definition
A guided interview book process is a method where an author answers structured questions, usually one chapter per session, and an editorial team turns the recorded conversations into manuscript pages. Big Impact Books runs weekly interviews of about one hour. Attorney Manisha P. Patel described being able to talk through each chapter in an organized way while the team pieced everything together.
Definition
A ghostwriter is a professional writer hired to write a book that is published under someone else's name. Ghostwriters typically interview the author and research the topic, then draft the chapters for review. Involvement, fees, and whether publishing is included vary widely by writer, so ask for a written scope before you sign.
When a ghostwriter fits
When interviews fit
Back to the full business book writing services guide.
This comparison is written by Big Impact Books, which uses guided interviews, so it is not independent. Every approach is described on the same five criteria: who writes the words, weekly time, whose voice, and whether publishing and marketing are included. Details about Big Impact Books come from its own published descriptions; details about other approaches describe how they generally work, and individual providers vary. See the methodology.
Short, direct answers. Every question also appears on the full FAQ page.
No. Big Impact Books says it refuses to hide behind ghostwriting or churn out cookie-cutter content. Instead, weekly guided interviews capture your ideas in your own voice, and the team shapes those conversations into a manuscript. The goal is that you own your expertise on every page, not just the name on the cover.
See this answer in the full FAQGhostwriter fees vary widely with experience, book length, and research needs, and this guide does not quote a figure it has not verified. Ask any ghostwriter for a written quote that lists what is included. Then compare it with interview-based options, such as Big Impact Books, where you stay the voice of the book.
See this answer in the full FAQYou meet weekly with the Big Impact Books team and talk through your book one chapter at a time, in an organized way. The team pieces those conversations together into a manuscript, then supports publishing and promotion. Manisha P. Patel, an attorney author, described talking through each chapter while Melanie’s team assembled the book from those sessions.
See this answer in the full FAQNo. The guided interview approach is built for experts who speak clearly about their work but lack the time, or the desire, to write every page. If you can explain your expertise to a client across a desk, you can talk through a chapter. Editors then shape the language while keeping your voice.
See this answer in the full FAQIt depends on the contract, so read it closely. Big Impact Books emphasizes that clients get to own their brilliance, meaning the book is built from your ideas and voice. Ask any publisher who holds the rights, the final files, and the ISBN, and how royalties are paid, before you sign.
See this answer in the full FAQTalk with Big Impact Books about planning, writing, publishing, and promoting your book. For a quicker response, the team suggests email or text.
Published by Big Impact Books
