This is an updated version of a 2009 post, with updated pricing/fees and other advice. I’m happy to add to the post, so send your feedback and ask more questions!
In a comment responding to one of last week’s posts, Jeannie asked several questions that I thought might be of interest to many followers of this blog:
1. I’ve been asked to ghostwrite a memoir. How much can I reasonably ask to be paid?
2. Can I expect royalties if the book is made into a movie (the author is already in talks with a producer)
3. Would you advise me to engage an entertainment lawyer?
4. Do you have any suggestions for getting an agent?
Here are my answers (updated as of 2020 to reflect the current market):
Ghostwriting Fees
1. Ghostwriting fees vary widely. Let’ s assume you are a beginner at ghostwriting. Ghostwriting fees in the range of $12,000 – $15,000 are usually the low end for a book of 200-300 pages and may be a competitive place to start if you do not have other projects under your belt and want to get the experience.
For a much shorter book or e-book (let’s say 80-100 pages) you might charge $8,000 – $12,000. There are folks out there who charge even less, but they generally don’t have much experience, and their products are unlikely to be of traditional publishing quality. For a book of 250-300 pages, an experienced book author, book editor or ghostwriter would commonly charge $40,000 – $75,000 and up.
If you are writing a book of traditional publishing quality and it will be 200 pages or more, a starting place might be around $15,000 – $25,000 (assuming you are a beginner, there is little or no research involved and you will get most of the information through interviews with the author). However, if you have already written books, I would suggest something more like $25,000 – $30,000. And if you are very experienced as an author or editor, yet new to ghostwriting, you might consider something more like $40,000 – $60,000 for a book in the 200-300 page range.
Do keep in mind that ghostwriting does require skills that are different from writing a book in your own voice, such as interview skills, capturing an author’s voice and communication skills. This last skill is vital as I have seen what happens when a ghostwriter does not set expectations with an author up front, or communicates poorly. The result can be disastrous and therefore I address this issue later in this post. For now, know that you may want to charge a bit less than top prices as you develop these skills.
If you will be doing extensive research, you can increase your fees to reflect research time. If you already have publishing credits to your name, you should also charge more.
Can I Expect (or Negotiate) Royalties as a Ghostwriter?
2. You may want to negotiate a modest royalty and see where it goes. I wouldn’t make it a deal breaker, but it’s worth pursuing as a possibility. Another negotiating point is whether your name is on the cover as a co-author or “as told to.” Depending on your goals, this may be worthwhile for you. In addition, you want to ask the author whether they are comfortable giving you credit as either writer or, if they don’t want to admit they hired a ghostwriter, would they credit you as editor. If not, will they allow you to mention the project at all to prospective clients? If not, this can be a negative for you when you are trying to land the next project.]
Should I Hire an Attorney to Write My Ghostwriting Contract?
3. Yes, I recommend hiring an intellectual property attorney. Do be careful. Try to find a person through personal referrals—someone who’s used this lawyer specifically for a ghostwriting contract. If you can’t find that, ask the lawyer for references who’ve used him or her for ghostwriting contracts.
I once hired a lawyer for a ghostwriting contract and the client ran out of money. The lawyer had not even written in anything about late fees, let alone anticipated the situation. Instead he told me, “If you need a lawyer to collect, just let me know.” I think he should have said, “I’m sorry I did a terrible job for you and didn’t deliver what you paid me for!”
The lawyer was my friend’s husband and I learned my lesson—don’t hire a friend unless you know they have experience in the exact area you are looking for and you know they are excellent at what they do.
An attorney who has written ghostwriting contracts can also help you in setting expectations. As promised, more about this crucial aspect of ghostwriting shortly!
Suggestions for Helping an Author Secure an Agent or Publisher
4. If the client is asking you to help find an agent and publisher, you will need to write a book proposal. In addition to the free articles and blog posts you’ll find on the link I just provided, I highly recommend Jody Rein and Michael Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal, 5th Edition (note: this edition is significantly different and updated; don’t purchase the older edition). Both agents and publishers love proposals written in Michael’s format—it’s thorough and marketing-oriented. A typical ghostwriting fee for a book proposal is $10,000 – $18,000, which includes sample chapters and chapter outlines or summaries, in addition to all the marketing-oriented information specific to a book proposal. However, if you are new to this, I would recommend a lower fee or hire an experienced book proposal coach or editor to help you fine tune the proposal.
It’s always great if you can meet agents in person and pitch a book, though a good query letter can do the job as well. Two of my favorite places to meet agents are Harvard Medical School’s CME Publishing Course (currently on hold due to COVID-19) and the International Women Writers Guild’s (IWWG) Meet the Agents during their Big Apple Conference, usually every April and October. IWWG also has regional workshops that may have agents present. The San Francisco Writers Conference, generally held in February, is another great place to meet agents, pitch and network. You may want to attend yourself and/or suggest it to your ghostwriting client.
CRUCIAL TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL GHOSTWRITING
Work with an Editor
Most of the best writers have editors review their work and provide feedback. It’s wise to get input from other writers or editors, particularly if you are new to ghostwriting. I suggest you hire an editor for a round of feedback and a copyeditor to polish the manuscript and correct any punctuation errors, etc.
While this can make a project less lucrative, it will help you create a high quality manuscript and you will learn a great deal in the process. Consider is an investment in your education in your new career. You may be able to raise the price a bit and sell yourself as a team, sharing the editor’s credentials as well, and explaining the value of the second set of experienced eyes (and being clear that most writers hire editors; this does not reflect poorly on you).
Set Clear Expectations Up Front
Your client is likely to be new to ghostwriting as well. Be sure they understand the process, what’s involved and what is and isn’t covered in the fees. Set very clear parameters. For example:
- How many iterations / rounds of editing by the client are included?
- How many hours of research are included? What is the hourly cost for additional research?
- Are you on the same page as to what kinds of research the client wants and, if so, do you have the background to do such research? If not, can you hire someone to your team who does?
- What are the costs for travel? Will the client pay travel expenses? If so, what are the limits or ranges per day for food, lodging, etc.?
- Be clear that voice is something you collaborate on. Give the client a sample early on so they can give you feedback on whether the voice fits for them or what would make it sound more like them. You can also ask them for examples of books that capture a voice they are after. But beware that sometimes they may give an example and that’s not really their voice or the voice for the book–continue to discuss and explore.
- Will the client provide written information for you? If so, how much material will they provide and in what shape (slide deck? course materials? draft of sections?)?
- What happens if the client changes major aspects of the project? For example, mid-way through the project, the client decides on a different target market? Or wants to add 3 chapters? Spell this out beforehand.
- How many words (approximately) will the book be? If longer, what are the costs to lengthen the book and add more material?
- What is the schedule for completion? Factor in extra time for unforeseen circumstances. Perhaps also make sure they understand that changes to the book can delay the completion.
Communication is Key
Get clear about your client’s goals ahead of time. If they want a traditional publishing deal and the book is a prescriptive book (business book, how-to book, self-help book), then they may just need a book proposal and query letter for now (rather than starting with the entire book), unless they want to have the entire book completed before querying agents and publishers. A book proposal includes marketing information, chapter outlines or summaries and sample chapters.
If the book is narrative in nature, they will likely need the entire book to be complete, in addition to a book proposal. Make sure they understand the process. You wouldn’t want to surprise a client after ghostwriting the book for them to suddenly spring it on them that they now need a book proposal!
The bottom line: no surprises! Spell everything out in your ghostwriting agreement or contract so that you’ve set clear expectations and anticipated issues that can arise. An intellectual property attorney or experienced ghostwriter can help you with this. While you may not be able to anticipate everything, you can do much to avoid misunderstandings.
Make sure you check in with your client regularly and get feedback to know that you are on the right track, the same page, and that they are happy with progress. If you anticipate a delay, let the client know immediately. Ideally, you’ll factor in extra time when you make your original schedule.
Join a Mastermind
My friend and colleague Dan Janal holds a twice monthly mastermind group for ghostwriters. This is a great opportunity to:
- Get expert advice from your peers.
- Learn how to avoid the biggest mistakes and problems.
- Discover how to market your services effectively.
Find out more here.
Have more questions? Ask away!
Thank you for recommending Michael Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal. Within the first few pages I realized I’d found the “Bible” on how to write a book proposal. It’s been my constant companion and guide throughout this first writing venture. I believe he’s provided us with a template from which we can create a great proposal and promotional plan that will get noticed. From how to incorporate “hooks” and tag lines, to identifying target markets, to the necessity of providing pertinent related statistics, to even choosing a good title, I have complete confidence in Michael’s recommendations. The case studies and “Hot Tips” he includes have also provided valuable assistance. I’ll pass on your recommendation!
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for your extremely helpful advice. Thank God for the Internet! I just didn’t know where to start and now I feel like I’m on more sure footing. I’m checking into the IWWG thing- I would love to go to that. I’m going to order the Michael Larsen book too.
I’ll let you know how it’s going as negotiations continue!
Thanks again,
Jeannie
Hi Maria,
I knew you’d love Michael Larsen’s book. I’ve recently been buying books about book proposal writing just to see what else is out there and even see if I could pick up a new idea or two on social networking, web 2.0 and other newer marketing techniques.
Disappointing…the new books just don’t cut it–they offer a much fluffier look at book proposals. Many seemed to copy the advice they did have right out of Larsen’s book. Even the sample proposals are generally weaker. In fact, I wondered if a few left out some of their “top secrets” because they didn’t seem to offer any eye popping marketing plans or powerful internet strategies. More of the same. Makes me think your statement about it being the Bible of the industry is quite accurate.
I have a question. Can you sell a memoir with a book proposal?
Yes, you can. Often, agents and publishers like to see the additional information in a book proposal, such as the promotion plan and author platform. However, you may need more sample pages (usually 50) than with other nonfiction/how-to books.
Hello, Lisa!
For the first time ever, I am negotiating my way into being someone’s ghostwriter. We are talking about a long term relationship, whereby I become that person’s writing voice for the duration of her career. She is looking for help with books, articles, maybe blogging, newsletters.
Although I have decades of writing experience (not publishing), I have never before officially done ghostwriting.
Prior to reading your blog or doing adequat research, I suggested to the prospective employer $10/hour April 15 to June 15 for research, writing articles,and we have not ironed out what all…then re negotiation in June.
I am not locked in with any contract, but rather than asking for more money I’m not sure I am worth yet, would I be best to set parameters about what the $10/hr or $1600.00 per month includes? OR should I say upon further reflection, I am worth $15.00/hour?
Should I agree to write x amount of research, writing articles and blogs, and exclude book fees to compensate for my low fees?
Am I shortchanging the person or myself by proving my merit to myself — as much as to the person, — then in mid June spike my costs to twice what I am asking ($3200.00 range per month) if the person is pleased (and more to the point a 3rd party publisher is pleased) with my work?
Please get me started.
Thank you.
Dear Toianna,
Congratulations on your foray into ghostwriting. It’s tricky to change your pricing once you have already suggested a lower price. However, it can be done. I think your question about what your work is worth is also a good one. Without seeing your writing and without knowing how fast or slowly you work, it’s hard for me to know. However, $10/hour does sound quite low to me. Many ghostwriters charge by the word or project.
While am I not an entertainment lawyer, so do not know what you should put in your contract, specifically, it seems to me that if you are paid by the month, you have some agreement about how many hours that is. I do think that if you’re planning on “Spiking” your fees, it’s best that you discuss this up front with the person and maybe even have that in the contract–that by the third month or fourth month your fees would increase to $20/hr.
If the person is looking for a traditional publisher, they will need a book proposal. Will you be writing book proposals? If so, I do suggest you get Michael Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal, as well as Terry Whalen’s Book Proposals That Sell. Publishers do not want to see the book, but rather a book proposal. Even with a good book, a book proposal can benefit from having someone experienced in book proposals looking it over and providing feedback. Perhaps you want to include some funds for that in the contract. It will probably increase your client’s chances of getting published.
Good luck!
Hi Lisa,
I’m grateful to have found your site, and found this post especialy helpful.
I’ve got a client interested in an eBook, and I’m not sure what to charge. No details have been decided yet — in fact, he hasn’t committed yet — but I’m assuming 12-point type, double-spaced and probably 10,000 words or less.
Thanks,
John Christensen
Hi John,
For a 40 page book, I’d say it depends partly on whether you need to do any research, but if he’s providing all the materials, or you’re interviewing him, I’d recommend charging around $2,500 – $3,000. If he’s not so focused on polish and quality, you might quote something lower. If there’s lots of research involved, you might want to charge more. For more pages, I would definitely charge more.
Freelance writers charge all kinds of numbers across the board, but generally, clients get what they pay for. They can find someone very cheap to write a book, but the quality won’t be there and it may have many errors or be fairly unreadable. Good luck with the project. Sometimes I am looking for freelance writers for projects that aren’t a fit for me personally. Do feel free to send me a resume and writing sample if you are interested in projects.
This is a very helpful blog Lisa – and I will pick up the book proposal publication you recommend.
I have been asked to quote on a 200 page health book. I am an experienced business and marketing writer with 15 years experience writing everything from PR articles and newsletters to ads and web content.
I was thinking of charging 10-12,000 – with 50% upfront. This would include content interviewing etc – the works. With 50% upfront. Or perhaps 3 equal payments
Should I ask for royalties? Is there wording to be worked into the quote.
Any other recommended resource for novice book writers?
Thanks
Candace
Hi Candace,
Given that the book requires research, I’d say you could charge $15-20K (or more) depending on your experience. If it’s your first book, then your pricing is probably good.
One third up front may be more customary, though the person may want to pay for a sample chapter first and make sure they are happy with the writing style. I often have the final payment be smaller than the others if it’s paid at the very end, so that you don’t have to “collect” after they have received services.
You could certainly ask for royalties, especially if you are charging at the lower end. Some people are comfortable with that and some are not. Best thing would be to get wording from an attorney or look online for a ghostwriting agreement.
I do have a course to complete a first draft of your book in 60 days (usually that does not include research). You can let me know if you are interested in that or in the book and workbook that comes with the course (I do sell that separately). It takes you through exercises that help you create a solid foundation for the book–a compelling concept that addresses your readers’ needs and wants. And it also walks you through some of the logistical issues like making the time and getting support and accountability.
Good luck with the project and enjoy.
Lisa
I have been asked to help an elderly businessman and entrepreneur organize, edit and write his memoirs. I’m not sure what to charge but considering the time I have to spend reviewing what he & his wife have already compiled, interviewing him and editing and writing — I’m figuring on spending at least 4 – 6 hours a week on the project — I am a freelance writer and retired educator — would $50.00 an hour be a reasonable fee to charge him?? Thank you. Judith Ann
Hi Judith Ann,
Generally, I would suggest a cost for the entire project, but I would create parameters around it. For instance, it might include x number of revisions and x number of hours research and would cost $15,000. Generally, $15,000 is a good starting place for a ghostwritten book, particularly if you haven’t ghostwritten a book before.
I’m a screenwriter by trade, but I’m about to undergo my first ghostwriting experience. Would it be reasonable to ask for exclusivity in writing the screenplay as part of the deal?
Hi PJ, It can’t hurt to ask. See what they say. Good luck.
Hi Lisa,
Your writing site is wonderful – so glad I stumbled upon it!
I have been asked to ghostwrite a self help book for a psychologist. He has written the book basically, but it needs a lot of work, especially reworking/rearranging chapters and then tying it altogether within a yet to be developed theme.
He had also talked to me about marketing.
This would be my first ghostwriting experience, however I have written multiple magazine articles and collaborated on a couple of books. He has told me to be fair to myself in what I charge, but with the numbers all over the place, hours vs pages, project vs time,…,I’m stumped.
Also is there a difference in cost expectations for someone writing in the Midwest rather than on the coasts?
Could you give me some advice?
Thanks – Molly 🙂
Hi Molly,
Congratulations on the ghostwriting job.
I would definitely separate the marketing and the writing parts of the project.
My guess is, since it’s your first ghostwriting experience, you might go a little lower on price than average, but not much, since you have collaborated on books before.
Every book takes a different amount of time. I would say, estimate how much time it will take you, add in some slack since it always takes longer, and think about how much you want to make per hour.
Then look at per page pricing and compare to see that they’re not light years apart.
Pricing for ghostwriting varies tremendously. Often, a starting figure is $15K and it goes up from there, but a shorter book (100 or 150 pages) or other circumstances, might mean you’re willing to charge less. I’ve also seen that many writers are charging less due to the economy.
Fortunately, your client has been clear not to short-change yourself.
One thing I suggest is to have the agreement include a certain number of phone conversations, a certain number of revisions, etc. and then a per hour charge should you go over that limit. This way, if the book changes dramatically, or there is some unforeseen additional work, you get paid for the additional time.
Every project is individual. I recently spoke with another ghostwriter and we came up with some ways to estimate her time and come up with a fee. Good luck!
Lisa,
Thanks so much for your expertise and quick turn-around on your response!
I also appreciate your personal email and additional advice and comments. Now I know I have a go-to person!
Molly 🙂
Thanks for all the great information!
I’m still trying to establish myself as a writer, and currently i’m the editor of two newsletters for non-profit agencies. I’m also in the the middle of ghostwriting a book with my father, which will probably be published by the non-profit he works for. I’ve also received a request to ghostwrite a book with another acquaintance.
Since I won’t be getting paid for any of these projects, (except for a percentage of any royalties), will they be viewed as valid experience? Can I claim to have “published” books if they are published by a small non-profit agency?
EG, yes, once these books are published, whether self-published or by a small non-profit agency, you can certainly call yourself a published author. Just be sure that they are well edited and represent you well, especially if you want to get more (paid) ghostwriting projects or wish to share them with potential writing clients.
This site is very interesting.
I have also received an invitation to Ghost write for an author who is writing a biography of her experiences. She would like 2 chapters and a marketing plan as well as choices to send it to. How much should I charge for this venture? Assuming that each chapter will contain approx 3000-4500 words and a marketing plan which will include a press release.
I appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks in advance.
Author Unknown
Ghostwriting fees vary considerably. Generally, for a full book, I would suggest not going below $15K as long as you have considerable writing experience. If you are a novice and want to do this for your portfolio, you might charge less. For determining agents to send to, maybe charge a couple hundred dollars, though you can certainly charge less. For marketing plan, if you have lots of experience, that is a very valuable part of a proposal and takes time and expertise, so you can charge anywhere from $500 to $1,500 for that depending on the ideas contained and how proven or fresh they are.
For the two chapters, I’d say $1,000-$2,000 a chapter, depending on your level of expertise, but you can charge more than that if you are a very experienced writer. Most agents and publishers will want to see 50 pages and then the whole memoir before they sign her, so you’ll probably need to write the whole thing and have a book proposal to interest publishers. See Mike Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal for your format. I assume this is a memoir (not famous person and about a period of the person’s life, not their whole life). If it is truly about their whole life, they’d better be pretty interesting and famous. Do be mindful whether you call this autobiography or memoir. You want to sound knowledgeable. Good luck!
I’m a self published author, and now I want to take my publishing to the next level. I self published with Iuniverse, but I want to public under my company Blondie’s Publications. Please help me.
You’ll have to look at your contract with I-Universe for any previously published books. For new books, you can call yourself a publisher and just get the books printed POD or offset. Indie Reader has some good publishing resources. You may try them.
Have you ever considered writing an e-book or guest authoring
on other sites? I have a blog based on the same subjects
you discuss and would love to have you share somje stories/information. I
know my readers would appreciate your work.
If you’re even remotely interested, feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
Thank you Caroline. Is the blog in Greek?
Thanks for sharing this awesome piece of info. It is really very helpful.Really i appreciate the effort you made to share the knowledge.for information regarding ghost writing please visit to the link.
I truly like you’re composing style, incredible data, thankyou for posting
Very nice piece, Lisa. I have a more delicate question. I have an elderly close family member who has been quite the mover and shaker in our state for all of his life, from elected office(s) to honors bestowed on him from governors, etc. Because I have written a nonfiction book (with the initial help of a ghostwriter turned editor) and because he trusts me, he asked me to write his biography. Clearly, he is family and the clock is ticking for him so we both want to get moving on things.
Do you have suggestions on how I respond to him on what I would charge? I envision 125-150 page book “as told to” (as I have some cache as well in the field) with photographs, some research needed but info also readily available. Do I charge a by page fee and royalties, just royalties, flat? In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have to charge him at all. But as a independent contractor, I can’t afford that option. Still, I want to be fair to all of us. I appreciate your insight.
I think royalties could make it complicated. This is just personal opinion, but I would just charge a flat fee with specifics laid out (x number of edits, x number of words or pages). And then $x for additional edits, $x for additional research beyond y, $x per additional page beyond y, etc. Hope that helps. And, yes, send him to my website or others to see what the fees are for experienced ghostwriters. You may need to let him know that elance is not exactly a place to find the most experienced ghostwriters, so if he wants quality, a book takes a long time to write and special skills and you need to be paid accordingly. My guess is he will understand and want to pay you fairly.
I would also suggest to him that it’s best for you to have a contract so that you can be sure you are on the same page. The relationship is important to you and you know how crucial it is to make sure everything is spelled out so that you’re both happy with the outcome.
Hello Lisa,
Thank you for being so forthcoming with your advice. Really good information!
I have a question regarding book proposals for nonfiction books. Is it best to write an entire book before submitting a book proposal to a potential publisher or agent? I ask because I’m ready to start my next book but I’m always keeping my eye on which book is most marketable. It takes a great time commitment to complete a book as you know. But a book proposal would involve less time and I could test the waters to identify any takers for publishing it. If they did state interest then I would complete the book. I would anticipate having the entire book outlined but not all the chapters written. I’ve written one non-fiction book and a children’s book and have self-published both. I’m trying to solicit interest from publishers and lit agents this time around.
Your thoughts are welcome and appreciated.
Best regards,
Anne
Thank you for your questions, Anne. In most cases I would suggest you write the book proposal first, for the very reasons you suggest. You can test the waters and make sure you get interest. Plus, if an agent or publisher suggests significant changes, you won’t have to rewrite the whole book, just the sample chapter(s) and revise the outline. With memoir, it can be helpful to have the whole book ready for agents and publishers, but it doesn’t sound like that is the case with your book. Good luck!
I am currently preparing myself to venture into ghostwriting. Although I have self-published several books and have a past as an online magazine columnist, I am uncertain about what my starting prices should be. I am interested in not only writing books but continuing to write articles as well. I tend to love articles more. I am also interested in blogging, but don’t know how to get going or at least how to truly blog and be great at it. I have a hard time finding people to write articles for. I’m thirsty for a good project. Any advice?
HI Lisa
Thanks for this informative article.
I have a book self-published and am working on other books of my own.
What do you recommend to figure out my fee for a non-fiction ebook (within my profession drawing on much of my clinical experience. The Ebook is over 8000 words and my name would be used. Also, would you negotiate royalties or not?
Secondly, for ghostwriting memoirs of 100 – 200 pages?
Lastly, is there benefit to joining the IWWG if I am outside of the US? The meet the agent that you mention is regional within the US?
Thanks for your help
Shoshanah
If you are outside the IWWG, I’m not sure. Check out their membership information and see if you think you’d benefit.
As to prices, it’s a little hard to say. I would say for an 8,000 word ebook maybe $3,000 – $5,000, though it’s very subjective. Is this your first ghostwriting gig? If so, you may want to charge a little less than going rate. For memoir, again it varies. Memoir is a challenging genre, so it would really depend on the quality of the writing. You might start your first ghoswriting project at $10,000 or $15,000 to get the experience, but you may be able to charge more if you are an excellent writer and can show that. Once you have significant experience, you can charge $25,000 – $40,000 or even more.
Hi Lisa! Thank you for this post. I am in talks to assist someone in writing a book and I’m wondering if you can help me think through scaling a bid based on how much of the work the client will do himself.
He will definitely provide a preliminary outline but wants me to provide multiple options (e.g. what it would cost if he just provides the outline vs. the outline plus substantial notes vs. a full rough draft). Also, how do you accommodate research time into a bid?
I have 10 years of full-time copywriting and editing experience but most of my work is short-form and I have only helped write one e-book. (This will be a full-length book though I’m not sure how long, and I don’t know how to scale based on potential page length.) I appreciate any thoughts you may have!
Thank you!
J.A.
Hi J.A.
Good luck with this ghostwriting (or co-authoring) project.
I would say there are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
1. Be very, very clear about what exactly comes with each package – how many hours of interviewing (max), how many revisions, etc. What happens if the book topic changes dramatically and you have all this extra work? Be clear about contingencies. There should also be a kill fee if one of you decides to cancel.
2. If you are not sure about hours of research, include a quote for x number of hours of research, indicating that additional research will be billed at $x/hour and that the client will be notified when they are close to the maximum research hours included in the bid.
3. You’ll need to guess at the time it will take for you in the different scenarios. You may want to ask the client more about their expectations (multiple edits to truly polish the book, including developmental edits and line-by-line edits). If the client is providing a rough draft, can they show you samples of other writing they’ve done so that you have some sense of the quality of their writing? (samples that have not been edited by someone else).
The most important thing is to make sure you are both on the same page with expectations.
Let me know if you have additional questions and good luck with the project.
Lisa
Thank you so much for your thorough and thoughtful response. I’m seeing numbers in the $12-$15K and up range elsewhere in this post; are you at all able to speak to how this might scale at the different levels I mentioned? Again, thank you—it’s so generous of you to be so responsive and forthcoming.
I would say $12,000 – $15,000 is at the lower end of the range and would generally not include research. It might be a good price for someone wanting to get a few books under their belt, but you would be working hard for the money. By the hour, it probably wouldn’t work out to much pay. As a first project, it may be worth it to you, but I’d consider adding research as a separate fee then.
That minimum applies even if he provides the outline and/or notes and/or a draft? (I apologize for the multiple follow-ups; you are of course under no obligation to respond!)
I wish I had known about this blog a bit earlier. I never knew that my writing skills could be charged for so much money. I probably underestimated ghostwriting as a career.
It is crucial that the writing be precise and punctuation correct, so you may want to start out hiring an editor the first few times you ghostwrite.
Lisa, thank you for providing a great resource for ghostwriters! I have worked in web content writing, public relations and other communication disciplines for about 15 years. One of my clients is finally ready for me to ghostwrite his book. This would be my first book, but I do other ongoing work for him on a retainer of $1000 a month. The book is going to be an additional workload. I think we are looking at 200 pages and I believe the genre is memoir/business advice. Would I be reasonable to propose a $10,000 fee, paid in increments monthly until completion? And what would a reasonable timeline be? Thank you so much for your wisdom and insights.
Hi Brook, That is on the low end for ghostwriting a 200 page book, but since it’s your first book, then that’s a reasonable price. You might also charge a bit more and put the extra money towards a developmental editor to help you polish and learn the craft of book writing, which is different from other writing. It would be worth it for your client and also help you if you want to do more ghostwriting in the future. Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Hi Lisa! Thanks for your insight! My situation seems unique given that few online sources have made me confident in how I should proceed. I’m a third year college student who was in the middle of an interview for a marketing internship when the interviewer asked if I would be interested in ghostwriting her book. The internship (for which I have been rejected) was listed as unpaid, but the suggested gig of ghostwriting seems like it would entail far more work than the internship would have. After consulting some of my previous English professors, it’s clear that I should pursue some compensation, but here’s the kicker…I have zero experience. I probably put more love and effort in my academic papers compared to most of my classmates; I founded and edited my improv troupe’s monthly newsletter this past year; I have a few small, personal creative projects under my belt; and I did win an essay contest on the topic of ethics last year; but I am without any actual, tangible experience to leverage in a negotiation. We have scheduled a meeting for this Friday to discuss the book and my prospective involvement, but I haven’t a clue what I can reasonably ask for in regards to compensation. Perhaps if I ask my potential client to prompt an example piece, I could demonstrate how my writing style would translate to the book’s subject, but even so I wouldn’t know where to begin in negotiating my fee. Can you offer me any further advice, or better yet a number? Thanks!
Hi Ari, I agree that you should be compensated. This could be a great opportunity for you but it takes a long time to write a book. What kind of book is it? Yes, I agree that it would be good to write a sample piece, something for the book, but charge for that as well. It can be modest due to your lack of experience but do charge. If it were me, I would also include in the budget money for an editor so that you get the experience of working with an editor to improve the book, she gets a better book, etc. Most experienced writers have editors because they add value. It’s harder to see the weaknesses and opportunities in your own work. An outside eye always helps. So this would be a reasonable request.
Thanks for the prompt response! What kind of book is it? That’s actually a fantastic question and one that I intend to solve at the very beginning of the meeting. From what I can tell so far, the book is meant to revolve around dreams, both psychologically and philosophically, and how they can be practically utilized for entrepreneurs to construct/market their businesses. It has me both interested and skeptical; as you may be inferring as well, it seems slightly ‘self-helpy’, but I intend to keep an open mind until I learn more. It’s also been made clear that I’ll be helping on the research side of things as well, seeing that neither of us are psychologists, we will likely be contacting psychology scholars and entrepreneurs. Some groundwork has apparently been laid, though it seems that there are still a few steps before a book’s worth of content will be transcribable. I’ve reached out to professors, mentors, and an evidently sage book writing coach, and I have gotten distinctly valuable advice from each of you, so the past few days have certainly substantiated the value of an editor. As for the cheese (I swear I’d articulate more professionally in a book), are you familiar with what a reasonable editor’s fee would be? Furthermore, what might I charge for a specialized sample and ghostwriting fee? I know this would all be dependent on her budget and the book’s own metrics, but given that I’m not even a proven/published writer, would it be offensive for me to even charge the low end of what The Writer’s Market (2014) suggests, that being $50 per page (i.e. 250 words)/$.50 per word (i.e. any confined amount of letters)? I’m not certain how long our exchange will be, so it’s possible that you’ll tire of my ‘thank yous’; consequently, whenever I want to express gratitude for your help and wisdom, I’ll write ‘Nabisco Ginger Snaps’, naturally due to their strict association with positive attitudes. Nabisco Ginger Snaps, Lisa!
That’s a fair fee to charge. However, if there is a lot of research involved, I would add that on as a separate fee. For research you can charge anywhere from $20-$30 per hour or more. You can estimate research up front and let her know if you are getting close to the estimate and need to revise it but be clear that this is likely to happen. Is she planning to self publish? If not, she might want to add a psychologist as a co-author and have them write something about the research or science/evidence as a sidebar in each chapter.
As to the price of an editor, first you’ll want to determine services. Do you want a developmental edit? Line by line editing? A copy edit? Proofreading? This page gives more information about types of editing. Feel free to email me to find an editor that meets your budget.
Nabisco Ginger Snaps! This has all been very helpful! I’ll be sure to bother you once I know more, but I definitely feel more well-equipped for my upcoming meeting!
Good luck and let us know how it goes. I’ll be rooting for you to get a nice agreement! Do make sure you put together a ghostwriter contract. This post includes a checklist for the ghostwriting contact. See if you can find something free online or talk to a lawyer if you want to be safest!
Hi Lisa!
I’m so glad I discovered this blog post of yours. Thanks so much for sharing all of this valuable information! I have a question in regards to ghostwriting cookbooks. Would you keep these charge amounts roughly the same for that type of project, or would it be increased due to costs for ingredients for multiple rounds of testing and development? Or, should ingredients be written into the contract and reimbursed separately? Lastly, does this vary when working with in-house editorial teams vs. an individual? For reference, I do have experience developing large quantities of recipes for companies, but it would be my first time compiling those for a cookbook. Thanks so much for your time and advice, Lisa!
Thank you for your question, Erin. I think you could add on expenses for testing and ingredients. I will ask a colleague who writes cookbooks to see if she has a definitive answer.
Hi Erin, I asked my colleague, Martha Watson Murphy, who has written several cookbooks. Here is what she says:
“When I’m hired to write a cookbook, I do negotiate a fee for ingredients and labor to test recipes. That fee depends on number of recipes, and whether the ingredients are readily available and relatively inexpensive, or not. For example, a cookbook on seafood would tend to require more expensive ingredients than a vegetarian cookbook, or a bread cookbook, and so on.
“The best practice standard for food writing of any kind is that the recipes be tested by “home cooks” in a home kitchen…
“The in-house editorial team does NOT get involved in the testing of recipes, nor reimbursement for ingredients and/or labor. The agent negotiating the contract should be discussing those expenses with the author and then using that info as part of the negotiations with publisher.”
Ghostwriting is a fantastic way for a subject matter expert with a book idea but no writing skills to get their message out there. You can make a decent life if there is adequate demand.
Hi Alexa, while having a ghostwriter write a book for you can be an excellent way to “get your message out there,” I would urge experts to be cautious about the financial aspects: it’s not necessarily about, “adequate demand.” While some people make money on book sales alone, the price of a high quality book is significant and, therefore, it’s often the business activities that the book support that actually make a significant enough financial impact to result in an ROI that supports the investment of a high quality ghostwriter. So, my advice to aspiring authors looking to hire a writer:
Your blogs are always interesting. Thank you for sharing helpful content with us.
Great article on ghostwriting advice and determining what to charge. The insights provided are invaluable for both seasoned ghostwriters and those new to the field. The author’s expertise shines through, offering practical tips on pricing strategies and the importance of valuing your work. Highly recommended for anyone looking to navigate the world of ghostwriting with confidence and professionalism.
I appreciate the positive and inclusive community you have built around your blog.
I can see that you are an expert at your field! I am launching a website soon, and your information will be very useful for me.. Thanks for all your help!
Best of luck with your website and business! Have you checked out this post: What to Put on An Author Website?
Thank you for this insightful article on ghostwriting rates. It’s crucial for ghostwriters to understand their worth and charge accordingly. Your advice is invaluable for those looking to establish themselves as true ghostwriters.
Your article on ghostwriting rates provides valuable insights. It emphasizes the importance of ghostwriters recognizing their value and setting appropriate charges. This guidance is priceless for those aiming to establish themselves as genuine professionals in the field of ghostwriting.
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Your article on ghostwriting rates provides valuable insights. It emphasizes the importance of ghostwriters recognizing their value and setting appropriate charges. This guidance is priceless for those aiming to establish themselves as genuine professionals in the field of ghostwriting.