How Much Does a Ghostwriter Cost?
Ghostwriters are hired by celebrities and everyday folks. So how much do they cost?
I recently went shopping online for a pair of pants.
“Want 25% off your first purchase? Enter your email address,” the pop-up prompted me.
Sure, who doesn’t want to save 25%? I comply.
The next pop-up says, “Enter your cell phone number to activate your discount.”
Certainly! I love nothing more than receiving endless streams of irrelevant messages prompting me to buy things I neither want nor need.
Then I find the item I want. But before I can learn the price, I have to choose the color, waist, and inseam. Fine.
Another pop-up appears, titillating me with an exciting promise: “Are you ready to experience the pants that will change your life? Click here to add to cart.”
Of course I want to change my life, and my heart pounds with anticipation of ordering a pair of life-changing pantaloons.
But wait a minute. How much are these &*^$%@# pants? I can change my life by sticking my leg under a spinning bandsaw, and that won’t cost me a penny. Hell, it would also help drop a few pounds.
To quote every dad who’s ever lived, “That’s how they get ya.”
After investing so much time adding my personal information onto what I’m sure is the most hacker-proof website ever invented, selecting the perfect color and fit, and receiving a promise of a transcendent experience, how could I back out now?
Easily. I’m not paying $120 for a !@#&9# pair of pants.
Nor should you start your search for your ideal ghostwriter without doing a little research on price. If the sticker-shock doesn’t put you into an immediate coma—full of permanent discouragement and the death of your dream to tell your story—the too-good-to-be-true offer will lull you into making a shortsighted decision.
Okay, so what’s the real cost of a ghostwriter? As in many things in life, it depends.
But First, What Is a Ghostwriter?
A ghostwriter is a paid professional who gives each client their time, expertise, and talent to complete a writing project to the best of their ability in exchange for compensation for their skills. Ghostwriters are paid in money; clients get to have their story told in the most engaging way possible.
Of Course. But How Much Does a Ghostwriter Cost?
Well, first consider the length of a manuscript. For a novel or memoir/autobiography (50,000 to 100,000 words), business book (35,000 to 75,000 words…for the love of everything that is holy, don’t write a 100,000 word business book), cost increases with the length, since longer books require more hours required for interviews, research, and writing. (For more on ideal book length, see our post.)
Second, not all ghostwriters hanging a shingle have the same level of experience, success, and expertise. And that’s what I’m going to address in this blog.
Entry-Level
Entry-level doesn’t mean no skills. Most entry-level jobs have minimum requirements, such as the right college coursework/degree and work experience. Everyone starts somewhere, right? When a ghostwriter is relatively new and lacking a long track record, you might expect to pay $5,000 to $15,000.
Caution: Unless you can read samples of their writing for yourself, you can’t be certain if they have the skills to write your book. Caveat emptor.
Experienced (Mid-Tier)
These folks have written many books, so they know what they’re doing. That experience increases the fee range to $20,000 to $40,000.
Caution: You’ll want to read writing samples from these ghostwriters within your genre. I can write memoirs, nonfiction, and leadership books. Ask me to write a poem, and my writing looks like a dog ate a dictionary and vomited out word scraps. Find a writing partner who fits your genre.
Top-Tier (Bestsellers)
Now you’re looking at elite ghostwriters. These folks possess deep skills and writing success. Many of these writers are versatile in multiple genres. These aren’t your TJ Maxx version of ghostwriters, and their fees reflect it. Expect to pay $50,000 to $100,000+.
Caution: It’s a given that these writers have skills. You should be able to read a variety of books they’ve had a hand in (even if they can’t divulge which ones they ghostwrote). What’s most important, if you’re looking for a ghostwriter of this caliber (and cost), is that you find a perfect fit. By fit, I mean someone who matches you stylistically and even philosophically. I often tell potential clients that the ghostwriter/author relationship is like a marriage, albeit without sex or a tax break. When you invest so much time with a ghostwriter, you should expect to find someone who feels like an old friend. (For more about fit, see my past post.)
Celebrity Writers
I’ve written books for celebrities (professional athletes, those at the top of their professions, and even billionaire entrepreneurs). But I don’t write their books because of their celebrity status. This might not be true of most ghostwriters, but for me, someone being a celebrity makes me less interested in writing their story. Why? Because many celebrities want a vanity book, one that highlights their awesomeness. Sure, they deserve the best, just like everyone else. But I choose my projects based on a client’s story, not their fame. If I find a story redemptive and inspiring, I’ll write for anyone. Ghostwriters who write primarily for the famous range from $100,000 to $250,000+.
Caution
If you have money for a celebrity writer, go for it. Will their work quality justify the extra cost? Not necessarily. A Subaru Outback will take you anyplace a Range Rover Evoque can, but the Subaru will cost you about $180,000 less. But hey, it’s your money.
At the same time, don’t expect a free jalopy to get you across the country without a lot of unplanned stops and expenses. Invest enough into your ghostwriter that you feel confident they will get you to your desired destination, enjoying the ride along the way.
Happy writing!
