How Much Does a Ghostwriter Cost?
By Jim Morris ยท Updated
Short answer: anywhere from a few thousand dollars to well over $100,000 for a full-length book. The spread is that wide because "ghostwriter" covers everything from a freelancer polishing your notes to a senior writer who interviews you for months and delivers a finished, edited manuscript. For book writing and publishing, a ghostwriter's scope matters as much as the quote.
The better question is what you get for the money. Here's how to read a quote.
What affects ghostwriter costs in book writing and publishing?
A handful of things move the number more than anything else:
- Length. A 25,000-word business book is a different job than an 80,000-word memoir.
- How much material you already have. Recorded talks, blog posts, or a rough draft cut the work down. Starting from nothing takes longer.
- Research. A personal story needs interviews. A book with history, data, or other people's stories needs research on top of that.
- The writer's experience. You're paying for judgment about structure and voice, not just word count.
- What's included. Some quotes cover a first draft only. Others include editing, cover design, and publishing.
What are you actually paying for?
Mostly time and thinking. Interviews, transcription review, outlining, drafting, revising after your notes. The typing is the smallest part.
Ask whether editing is included. A draft that hasn't been through developmental, line, and copy editing and proofreading isn't a finished book, and paying for those separately adds up.
Rough price tiers
These are broad market ranges, not quotes, and plenty of writers sit outside them:
- Editing or rewriting a draft you've already written: often a few thousand dollars.
- Coaching you while you write it yourself: usually priced monthly or per session.
- A full book written from interviews: commonly tens of thousands of dollars.
- High-profile writers on big publishing deals: six figures and up.
What does Human Touch Publishing charge?
Every package is scoped to your book, so book a free call to get a custom quote. Before you commit, you get one fixed figure that covers writing, editing, design, and publishing. You keep ownership of the book and all of the royalties.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Is the price fixed, or can it grow?
- Is editing included, and how many rounds?
- Who owns the finished book and the royalties?
- How will you capture my voice?
- Can I see books you've written?
- What happens after the manuscript is done?
Straight answers
Why do some ghostwriters charge per word?
It's simple to quote, but it rewards length over quality. A flat project fee with a clear scope is usually easier to plan around.
Do I pay royalties to a ghostwriter?
Sometimes, if the contract says so. At Human Touch Publishing, you keep all of your royalties.
About Human Touch Publishing
Every project we take on is scoped to the book itself, so we talk through your goals before we ever talk about a plan. Human Touch Publishing is a book writing and publishing company in Nashville, and we work with experts all over the country. Real writers and editors help you take your book from idea through writing, editing, design, publishing and launch, and you keep all your rights and royalties. If you want to talk through your book, book a call with Jim.