Why are ghostwriters so expensive?

You decide you want to write a book. 

You don’t have a lot of extra time, so you start looking into ghostwriters. You ask around, get referrals, and eventually reach out to someone you think would be great to work with.

You meet with them, and you’re super impressed. They seem knowledgeable, caring, and genuinely invested in your work. 

They send you a quote so you can make a final decision on working together. You open up the quote.

And your eyes promptly fall out of your head.

If you’re unfamiliar with the world of ghostwriting, the first quote you receive might bring some sticker shock, especially if you’re working with an experienced ghostwriter. Beginning ghostwriters typically charge in the $5,000-$10,000 range, but experienced ghostwriters can charge upwards of $50,000, sometimes even $100,000 and above. (You can learn more about my services and rates here.)

That’s a large amount of money to take in all at once. But there are some good reasons for why ghostwriting—good ghostwriting, at least—is priced the way it is.

Let’s talk through a few of them. But first…

A word of warning

Let’s talk about Fiverr. (And Upwork.)

Right now, you could go on Fiverr and find people advertising their ghostwriting services for under $100. 

I’ll talk about this more later in this post, but if someone is taking on projects for $100, imagine how many projects they have to take on to make ends meet. Are they going to have much time to devote to any of those projects? Or is it more likely they’ll dash through as quickly as possible to get to the next one?

Can you find a ghostwriter on a freelance job board like Fiverr or Upwork? Sure. Will they be talented? Maybe.

But if you’re looking for someone to write in a way that will support your mission and help you make an impact—if you’re looking for a partner, an expert to guide your process, more than just words on a page—you won’t find them at a content factory where bidding on jobs becomes a race to the bottom.

Am I biased on this? Obviously! 

But let me say this: if you’re looking for a ghostwriter, and you’ve poked around my website, and you’ve decided that I’m not the right fit for you, please don’t go to Fiverr or Upwork next. Go find another independent ghostwriter. (You can even reach out to me and I can refer you to someone else. I know lots of ghostwriters!)

I want to see your story in capable, experienced hands, even if those hands belong to somebody who’s not me.

Now—let’s talk about a few reasons why quality ghostwriters charge what they do.

Time

The first reason is pretty simple: writing a book takes a lot of time.

Writing a book that’s tens of thousands of words long takes a long time in itself. But when you’re working with a ghostwriter, their job goes beyond that. 

Most people come to a ghostwriter with ideas that are not yet formed into anything resembling a book. Maybe you have a blog, or a newsletter, or a podcast. Maybe you have journal entries from over the years, or even a rough outline. All of that content is great and helpful!

But no matter how many ideas or how much content you have, every book starts with a blank page. A big part of being a ghostwriter is listening to you, learning about your message, and helping you form it into a book.

If you come to a ghostwriter with little to no content, putting the content together is going to take time. And if you come to a ghostwriter with a lot of content, culling through it to determine how to put together a compelling, easy-to-read manuscript is going to take time.

It’s important to remember, though, that this is one of the biggest ways a ghostwriter adds value to your life. A quality ghostwriter takes the 100+ hours it can take to put a book together off your shoulders and onto theirs. 

When you work with me, your time investment in the content-gathering part of the project will probably be around 15 hours or so, including our initial conversations about the book and outline, plus our interviews where we’ll talk through the content of your book. 

That’s it. Around 15 hours, and boom!

You’re an author. You’ll be reading your book, and all you had to do was have a few conversations.

Expertise and Experience

Let’s be honest, though—lots of people have time to write your book, but not everyone should. Anyone could tell you they want to write your book, interview you a few times, and email you a bunch of words slapped down in a Google doc. That doesn’t mean you should hire them.

The second reason ghostwriting costs what it does—and the second way ghostwriters bring value to your book—is the ghostwriter’s expertise and experience.

You might have produced a lot of content through your weekly newsletter, blog, LinkedIn feed, podcast, or another medium, but there’s really nothing like writing a book. That’s where having a competent ghostwriter on your side can pay off in a big way.

Being able to write well should be a non-negotiable for a ghostwriter. But the value they bring to your project goes so far beyond that. For example, a good ghostwriter…

• Structures your message in a way that will be compelling, digestible, and impactful for your readers.

• Guides you on what to include and what to leave out of your book to give readers everything they want without overwhelming them.

• Knows how to structure a book in a way that makes logical sense and flows in a way your reader can follow.

• Keeps you accountable to this project that means so much to you.

• Digs deep to understand your message so they can help you articulate it in ways that your audience will connect with.

• Communicates in your voice so your book will read authentically, like your readers are experiencing the best version of you all the way through.

I’m not saying that a brand new ghostwriter won’t do a good job on your book, or that they can’t do any of these things. But these skills are learned over time and honed with experience. 

The more experience a ghostwriter has, the more value they can bring to your project.

Focus

This one is really just simple math.

The less a ghostwriter charges, the more projects they have to take on. And the more projects they take on, the less focus they’ll be able to devote to each of those projects. 

That means if you work with a cheap ghostwriter, you might be getting a bargain. But you’ll also be working with someone who needs to take on lots of other projects to meet their income goals.

But the inverse is also true. When a ghostwriter charges more money, they can afford to take on fewer projects. And if they take on fewer projects, they’re able to give much more time, attention, and energy to each one—including yours.

In ghostwriting, just like basically everywhere else, you get what you pay for. This doesn’t mean a ghostwriter with a lower rate doesn’t have any talent or writing ability.

But when you ask a ghostwriter to compromise on price, there’s a chance you’ll need to be willing to compromise in other areas. Your project may take longer. Your ghostwriter may not be able to be as responsive to you as you (and they) might like. And they won’t have as much capacity to give your project the thought and focus it deserves.

You still need to do your research. Just because a ghostwriter charges a higher rate doesn’t mean they’re the right fit for you. 

But when they share a price that ends in more zeros than you would have expected, know that the value you’re paying for goes far beyond the words on the page that will become your book.

If you’re looking for a ghostwriter, I’d love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have. Reach out today to set up a free consultation.