by Laura Sherman

How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Ghostwriter?

“I’d like to hire a ghostwriter! How much does it cost?”

People routinely ask me this question, so I  like to address it upfront. Why leave people wondering? No need to dance around the subject.

The cost to hire a ghostwriter really depends upon a few factors:

  • What do you want written?
  • What is your deadline?
  • How long is the piece?
  • How much do you value the quality of the writing?

The cost fluctuates greatly from person to person, but I can promise you, you get what you pay for!

It’s a good idea to propose a trial when working with a ghostwriter for the first time. Plan to pay for the service, but you’ll own the rights to the piece and can use it anytime.

I charge anywhere from eighty cents to a dollar per word to ghostwrite. In the trial phase I allow my client to pick the word count then I charge accordingly. If someone is writing  their memoirs, I might select a story from their lives and write it for them. Some clients ask me to write an essay or a blog article. Those few pages give a new client a good idea of what he or she can expect. And it allows me to gauge what pricing will make sense for the whole project.

WARNING: A lowball offer to write your book may sound attractive, but rarely works out for you in the end. I have met a number of prospective clients who made “excellent” deals hoping to save money, only to find they had to shell out a lot more cash to have everything re-written. It’s frustrating for them and the ghostwriter who has to take over the project. The client is usually not a happy camper. Every now and then you can luck out and find a writer who doesn’t know their true worth, but for the most part, you will get poor writing when you pay cheap rates.

Writers for hire fall into three main categories: cheap writers, mid-range professional writers, and high-end celebrity writers. The following is the best detailed answer I can give about the cost to hire a ghostwriter to write a full-length book:

  • Cheap writers can be found who will write a 100 to 200 page book for as little as $2,000. If this is your budget (and you’re a gambler by nature), your best bet is to find a student new to the industry. Please be careful that he or she is actually writing your book and not plagiarizing another writer’s work (yes, that does happen).
  • Professional writers will usually charge between $12,000 and $90,000 to write a 100 to 300 page book. This price varies depending on the writer’s level of expertise and the amount of work required for the project.
  • High-end celebrity writers are usually hired by actors, politicians, musicians and other famous personalities who will sell books just by virtue of their name. The writers for these celebrities are well-established authors with a lot of experience. They can charge $150,000 to $750,000 for a book. Sometimes more.

Most people recognize that they would like a mid-ranged professional writer. It’s a reasonable budget range for most people when they want to hire a ghostwriter. A lot of time, energy and hard work goes into writing a book, which accounts for the price tag. An excellent professional writer will often spend up to a year researching, writing and editing a book for you. If you’re paying a fraction of the usual price, you often get a fraction of the quality.

If you have questions and need help, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

Additional articles you might find helpful:

It’s Good Business to Write a Book!

Four Different Ghostwriting Methods

Eight Reasons Why You Should Write A Book

What You Need in a Ghostwriting Contract

What Is the Difference Between a Ghostwriter, an Editor, a Proofreader and a Publisher

 

“When my partner and I decided to write a book, we interviewed many ghost writers. Some were very inexpensive, while others were too pricey for our budget. Laura wasn’t the least expensive writer, but we chose her because she was so passionate about writing. Laura went above and beyond our expectations. I am very pleased with all her work and will continue to use her for my future writing needs.” Edwin Carrion

Laura Sherman (99 Posts)

Laura Sherman, a.k.a. “Laura the Friendly Ghostwriter,” is a professional ghostwriter and author. She enjoys writing fiction and nonfiction and is happiest when juggling multiple projects. She recently authored “Chess Is Child’s Play” to introduce the next generation to the game of kings and queens. As a parent of three, and one of the top 50 women chess players in the United States, Laura wrote this book to teach any parent to teach any child, of any age, to play chess.


in Business Tips for Writers / Tips from a Ghost Writer 134 comments