Ghostwriting: What Is It And How Much Does It Cost?

Writing is a skill that can be applied to multiple fields, so it’s no surprise that there are different types of writers. 

The type most people think about first is the novelist, but there are also other categories like journalists, non-fiction authors, and even ghostwriters. If you’re interested in learning more about ghostwriting and how much it costs per word or page, keep reading!

Takeaways
Understand what ghostwriting is and its significance.
Explore the factors influencing ghostwriting costs.
Learn about different pricing models for ghostwriting.
Determine if ghostwriting aligns with your project.
Plan your budget and expectations for ghostwriting.

What Is Ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting is a type of writing that involves hiring someone to write something for you. Ghostwriters can be hired to write books, speeches, articles, and other texts. They’re not authors; they don’t take credit for their work in the finished product. 

A book with ghostwritten content has no title page listing an author. Instead it will simply say “as told to…” or “with…” followed by the name of a person who did not actually write it the ghostwriter!

Ghostwriters are also different from editors or publishers because they do not have any role in editing or publishing their work once it has been written (though some will offer editing services). 

Ghostwriting can even involve multiple ghostwriters working on materials created by one individual, for example, a cookbook written by multiple chefs but presented under one name as though all were responsible for its contents.

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Why Do People Hire Ghostwriters?

There are many reasons why individuals hire ghostwriters, but here are our top five:

To get a book published. Whether you want to write your book or have someone else write it for you, hiring a ghostwriter can help ensure that your manuscript is ready to be published without taking up too much of your time. 

Hiring a freelance writer also ensures that your story will be told in the most compelling way possible and that it stays true to its original intent.

To get a book written quickly. If you’re running out of time and need something completed as soon as possible, hiring an experienced ghostwriter can help take some of the pressure off so that all those deadlines won’t seem so daunting anymore!

To get a book edited well before publication time rolls around again (or whenever). Hiring an expert editor who knows what he or she is doing is always going to improve any piece of writing no matter how good it already was before editing began; 

This means fewer rewrites later on down the line when corrections need fixing because there weren’t any problems left unaddressed at first glance during initial editing sessions!

How Much Should You Pay A Ghostwriter?

How much you should pay a ghostwriter depends on the length and complexity of your book. In general, it’s recommended that self-published authors budget between $50 and $200 per hour. 

If you have a shorter text (20,000 words or less), then you should expect to pay between $2,000 and $10,000 for a book of 100,000 words. 

You may also need help with marketing your finished product; this can cost anywhere from around $1,500 to tens of thousands of dollars depending on how much help you need with marketing efforts like social media advertising campaigns, email lists, and other things like that

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Where To Find Ghostwriters

In the past, finding a ghostwriter was difficult. There were very few options and they were usually expensive. You could hire someone on Craigslist or another online marketplace, but most of the time you’d end up with unprofessional content that didn’t fit your brand.

Nowadays, there are several different ways to find the perfect ghostwriter for your project:

Online marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr and People Per Hour offer a large pool of writers who specialize in various fields and genres. 

They’re easy to use because you can search based on specific criteria (such as location) or browse through their job boards for ideas about what type of writing is needed for your company. Some freelancers even offer packages that include revisions until both parties are satisfied with the final product!

Professional ghostwriting agencies exist specifically to connect clients with experts who can provide quality work at reasonable prices and they usually have hundreds or thousands of clients across multiple industries! 

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in learning more about then check out our article on how much does it cost?

What’s The Difference Between Self-Publishing And Traditional Publishing?

Many people choose to self-publish their books because it’s less expensive, more flexible, and gives them complete control over their writing. However, self-publishing also requires more time and effort than traditional publishing:

Self-publishing is less expensive because you’re paying for only one service the editor instead of two: the editor and an agent or publisher.

You can publish your book whenever you want; there’s no need to wait for approval from an editor or publisher. That said, many authors find that doing all the work themselves becomes overwhelming. If this sounds like you, perhaps consider hiring a ghostwriter instead.

Self-publishing gives you total freedom over how your book looks but leaves it up to you (or someone else) to market it effectively without any help from a publisher’s marketing team or budget.*

How Long Does It Take To Get A Book Published?

You can have a book published in as little as a few months, but it might take longer. This depends on the publisher and the type of book you’re writing. If you’re self-publishing, it’s much easier to get your work out there quickly. 

Kindle publishing is very easy to use, and it doesn’t cost anything for readers to download your book on their devices (unless they want to pay for an upgrade). 

However, if you want custom cover art for your book covers or want high quality printing options, then expect this process to take several months longer than just uploading each chapter after another into Amazon’s KDP platform. 

And no matter how good your story may be, if you don’t have a great cover designer working with you on creating something that stands out from all other books out there (like myself), then people will probably never know about what they’ve been missing!

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How Much Does It Cost To Self-Publish A Book?

The cost of self-publishing a book varies depending on the route you choose. The cheapest way to publish a paperback is by using CreateSpace, which is Amazon’s self-publishing arm and doesn’t charge any setup fees. You’ll pay $40 for each copy of your book. 

If you want to use IngramSpark instead (which has fewer options), they charge $50 per title plus shipping costs.

When it comes to ebooks, Amazon and Barnes & Noble each have their own ebook publishing platforms as well as apps and websites where readers can access them. 

Ebooks also come with different prices: while Kindle versions are cheaper at $2.99 or less, Apple iBooks charges higher rates starting at 9.99 USD per title (though the content isn’t subject to territorial restrictions). 

See what your competition is charging before deciding on an amount; then make sure yours is competitive enough so readers will buy it!

What Are The Best Resources For Self-Publishing Authors?

After you’ve finished writing your book, it’s time to publish. If you’re going the traditional publishing route, you’ll need a literary agent (and then a publisher) to help get your work in front of an audience. 

But if self-publishing is more your style and budget, there are some great resources available to help guide you through the process. Here are the best ones:

Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): If you want to publish on Amazon but aren’t interested in waiting for approval from an editor or publisher and don’t have money for an editor yourself, this service is for you. 

It allows authors to upload their manuscripts and sell them digitally through Kindle readers on Amazon devices or apps. You can also use KDP Print the company’s print-on-demand arm to make physical copies of your book available at cost (you pay only for printing plus shipping).

Author Central: Once your book has been published by KDP and appears on its website, register it under your name here so that customers can find out more about who wrote it! 

From this page they can read blurbs about other titles written by similar authors as well as reviews and ratings left by other readers so they know whether or not they’ll enjoy reading yours before making a purchase decision.*

How Do I Get My Book On Amazon?

To get your book on Amazon, you’ll need to do a few things. First, create an account on Amazon. Then, upload your book and choose a category for it in the Kindle Direct Publishing platform. 

After that, choose a price (you can either go with the suggested price or set one of your own). You’ll also need to select a cover image and title; make sure they’re in line with Amazon requirements for covers and titles!

Once all of these steps are complete, you can select whether or not other authors have already written books in this series if so, include them as part of yours by choosing “Yes” from the dropdown menu labeled “Is this part of a series?” 

At last, comes selecting language settings if applicable (for example English), publishing format (eBook), preview length (between 5%–30%), etcetera before clicking “Save & Publish.”

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How Do I Publish A Paperback On Amazon?

You can publish a paperback version of your book by going to Amazon.com and navigating to the “Your Account” button on the right side of your screen. From here, select “Manage your Kindle.” 

On the left side, click on “Actions” and then go down to “Create a paperback.” This will take you to a page where you can upload your manuscript as well as add author information such as name and bio. 

Once this is done, click on “Save & Continue” at the bottom of each page until it tells you that copies have been created and ordered for publishing!

How Do I Publish My Book On Kindle Direct Publishing?

Sign Up For KDP

If you haven’t already, sign up for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and select the “Book” option. You’ll need to supply an author name, a book title and subtitle, as well as your email address, phone number and tax information.

Then fill out the required fields: description (this is where you’ll sell your book), keywords (this is where you’ll tell Amazon what people will search when they’re looking for it), categories (these are optional but can be helpful).

And copyright page details you can also add additional books if they’re part of a series or other works by the same author.

Write Your Book

For this step, I recommend downloading one of those free writing programs like Google Docs or Microsoft Word so that you have access anywhere on any device; though really anything that lets us type quickly would do well enough here! Just remember not overthink things too much; 

Just keep writing until it feels right; don’t worry about grammar mistakes or spelling errors at this point because once everything’s been uploaded we’ll have time then too go back through everything one final time before publication!

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Conclusion

If you’re still on the fence about ghostwriting, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s an incredibly rewarding experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything else in this world. 

If you want to learn more about how ghostwriting works and why it’s such a great opportunity for people who want to get published but don’t have time (or energy!) 

For all the work involved in traditional publishing routes, check out my blog post on “The Evolution of Ghostwriting.” 

The bottom line is this: whether or not your book succeeds depends on how much effort you put into marketing it. Don’t forget that!

Further Reading

How Much Does It Cost to Ghostwrite a Book?: Learn about the factors that influence ghostwriting costs and get insights into the pricing structure for book ghostwriting services.

The Cost of Ghostwriting for Business Writing: Discover the average costs of hiring a ghostwriter for business-related content and how it can benefit your marketing efforts.

Ghostwriting Fees: What You Need to Know: Get an in-depth understanding of various ghostwriting fees, payment models, and considerations to ensure a successful collaboration with a ghostwriter.

FAQs

How much does ghostwriting a book typically cost?

Ghostwriting a book’s cost can vary significantly based on factors like the length, complexity, and experience of the ghostwriter. Generally, prices can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands, depending on the project’s scope.

What factors influence the cost of business writing ghostwriting?

The cost of hiring a ghostwriter for business writing depends on the type of content, word count, research involved, and the writer’s expertise. Additional factors like project deadlines and exclusivity rights may also impact the price.

Are there any hidden costs in ghostwriting fees?

Transparent ghostwriting services will provide a breakdown of their fees and any additional charges, such as revisions or rush delivery. Ensure you have a clear agreement to avoid unexpected costs during the ghostwriting process.

How can I ensure the quality of the ghostwritten content?

To ensure top-notch quality, thoroughly discuss your expectations with the ghostwriter beforehand. Review their portfolio and request writing samples. A well-defined brief and open communication throughout the project will help maintain quality.

What payment models do ghostwriters typically use?

Ghostwriters commonly use fixed fees or hourly rates for their services. Some may require upfront payments, while others might structure payments in installments based on project milestones. Choose a payment model that aligns with your budget and project requirements.