What does a ghostwriter charge?

How can you know what a ghostwriter charges for their work?

Recently, you may have been thinking of your New Year’s Resolutions, looking at your bucket list, or rewriting your goal list for 2020. One of your goals may be to write a book and become an author because of the many benefits of becoming an author can bring to the table.

If you work a full-time job, don’t like to write, or would like to write but have writer’s block consistently, you may want to consider hiring a ghostwriter. See my previous post about what a good ghostwriter can do for you and your new book.

Before you tie the knot about hiring a ghostwriter, you’ll want to know how much they are going to charge. There are several different options to pay a ghostwriter - and each ghostwriter will have their preferred payment available to you in a proposal after you speak with them about what jobs you would like them to perform to get your book finished.

By the Project
Ghostwriters can give you a project cost for the entire book. They should have a detailed list of what will be involved in writing your book, how much each part

---

of their work is going to cost, and a ghostwriting contract for you to review before you sign on the dotted line.

By the Word
Other ghostwriters will charge you by the word for their work. For example, if a ghostwriter is charging $1 per word and your book has 50,000 words (which is an average book of 150 pages), then your ghostwriter will cost you $50,000. This amount may seem pricey, but remember, your ghostwriter is going to be your writing BFF for six months to a year or maybe longer. Your project should be the primary focus of their work, and, where much of their week is spent.

By the Hour
You may agree to pay for your ghostwriter by the hour. Estimating the number of hours a ghostwriter will work on your book can be tricky as you won’t know how long your ghostwriter will take to write your book. The good news is that you could walk away if you feel that your book is taking too long and you will have paid for the work you have received.

However, your ghostwriter decides to charge, be very clear about what services are offered with their cost. Is editing involved? Will they charge more for an index or table of contents? These are the items you will have to look for when pricing out a ghostwriter. Do your research and make sure you have a list of what services you will need to receive a price on the work you need to have done, and not the work you are willing to do on your own.

If you’re not sure about hiring a ghostwriter, or what your book would cost, you can contact me at Write For You by making an appointment on my online calendar for a free 15-minute consultation. I’d be glad to answer your questions to see if hiring a ghostwriter is right for you!