You've Written an Incoherent Nonfiction Manuscript. Now What?

You've always wanted to write a proper book. Maybe a few of your friends and colleagues have. If they could do it, then why couldn't I?

Over the past few months or even a year, you sat down a banged out a manuscript for a prescriptive nonfiction book. You prioritized writing over research. And, of course, you asked some of your friends for their input. Strength in numbers, right?

You're not delusional. You're aware that your current, ostensibly final manuscript isn't perfect. To be clear, I'm not talking about a few easily fixable typos, grammatical errors, and sections that just don't quite jibe.

No, your creation is much worse. The massive Word or Google document is fundamentally flawed. Hiring an experienced developmental editor will identify your manuscript's structural issues, but it certainly won't fix them.

In this post, I'll explain the seven options at your disposal as well as their pros and cons. Note that the costs below include writing and editing. I'm excluding proofreading, fact-checking, design, indexing, and ePub conversion.

1: Developmental Edit

The ghostwriter or developmental editor provides extensive notes on the book's content, structure, tone, and the like..

Pros

• Of all the options listed here involving a professional ghostwriter or developmental editor, this option minimizes the costs involved.
• You'll know exactly where the problems lay.

Cons

• Reading notes and then applying them to chapters will be overwhelming given the state of the manuscript. Put differently, reading about how to run a marathon is one thing. Running those 26.2 miles is something else.

Estimated Cost

$9,000.

2: Hire a Ghostwriter to Perform Selective Surgery

The ghostwriter rewrites only a few key chapters of your book.

Pros

• Minimizes cost compared to a full rewrite.
• Gives you a limited sense of what your final product should look like.

Cons

• The rest of the book will remain uneven if you leave the other chapters as is or attempt to ape the ghost's style.
• Readers will notice the pervasive voice inconsistency.
• You need to write the remaining chapters. That takes time and skill that you most likely lack.

Estimated Cost

$12,000 to $18,000.

3: Hybrid Writing

The ghostwriter writes a model chapter and provides limited editorial notes on the rest. A cheaper writer completes the manuscript.

Pros

• Minimizes the ghostwriter’s hours.
• Ditto for the overall out-of-pocket costs.

Cons

• A less experienced writer is unlikely to match the style of a professional nonfiction author and ghostwriter.
• Readers will quickly notice the tone inconsistency.

Estimated Cost

$9,000 to $13,500.

4: Complete Ghostwriter Rewrite

The ghostwriter takes the manuscript and makes it as professional as possible. The writing will be markedly better than it is in the current manuscript.

Pros

• Consistent voice and quality throughout the book.
• You can focus most of your time on being a mother, running your firm, etc.
• Best final product.
• This is the most likely approach if you really want the book to help you achieve your professional goals. Ditto for realizing other long-term benefits.

Cons

• Expensive.
• The ghost will still require your input at key points.

Estimated Cost

$35,000 to $45,000.

6: AI-Driven Rewrite

You use AI to rewrite the manuscript.

Pros

• Much cheaper than hiring a ghost to do a complete teardown job.
• Your book will probably be better than its prior incarnation.

Cons

• At present, Claude, ChatGPT, and other AI tools cannot ingest an entire 50,000-word manuscript and rewrite it. You'll quickly face context rot.
• AI quality and accuracy are unpredictable.
• Still requires heavy review to be usable.
• You can’t copyright AI-generated work.
• Extensive fact-checking is required.
• Reputable hybrid outfits focus on human-centered publishing, including Racket. You'll have to find an agnostic publishing services company.

Estimated Cost

$2,000—depending on how many tokens you'll need.

6: Proceed Anyway

Do nothing with the problematic manuscript.

Pros

• You will limit or eliminate any ghostwriting expenses.
• At least you get your book out there.

Cons

• The book is unlikely to meet your goals. In fact, readers who discover the final product will leave with a negative impression of your professional credibility. In other words, you will have written a fundamentally flawed book—not a serious one.
• You don't get another bite at the apple.

7: Inaction

Do nothing with the manuscript. In other words, wait.

Pros

• No more immediate expenses.
• You don't release an incoherent mess and diminish your brand.
• This option avoids putting out a book just for the sake of it.
• You can return to the book when your schedule and budget let you.
• You may realize that ghosts are worth their money.

Major Cons

• Opportunity cost of not acting now.
• Much of your manuscript may be less relevant or irrelevant when you return to it. AI is just one topic that changes by the day.

What AI Thinks of Your Writing

It’s never been easier to run your prose through the wringer.

Racket PublishingPhil Simon

What You Need to Know

Based on your schedule, skills, other priorities, and budget, I cannot recommend the appropriate course of action for you. Just remember, though, that you're better off releasing no book than a decidedly disjointed and amateur effort.