Ghostwriting companies (or self-publishing businesses that provide ghostwriting services) use the following business model: they charge outrageous rates or a small part of their pricing to write the book. The agency giving ghostwriting services may offer a wide range of writers from which to choose, or you may be assigned an anonymous writer. While some agencies pay their ghostwriters well, others pay quite slightly. By hiring a freelancer, you "cut out the middleman" and work directly with the author. As a result, you receive the same level of service as you would from an agency but at a much lower cost.