How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Ghostwriter: Ghostwriting Fees

Are you thinking about hiring a ghostwriter but don’t have any idea of ghostwriting fees?

We’re here to help.

Content marketing is a sustainable marketing strategy that businesses these days prefer to use to increase their brand reach, gain customer trust, convert visitors into customers, and generate sales.

To leverage your content marketing game amidst the huge competition, it’s important to create unique, original, and effective content that visitors search for to be educated, solve problems, or be entertained.

For this reason, hiring a ghostwriter can be a wise decision. However, before starting the hiring process, you must know how much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter.

In this article, you will get a detailed idea of the charges of a ghostwriter, their cost-determining criteria, cost-influencing factors, 

nd a lot more. 

So without further ado, let’s get straight into our discussion.

What Does a GhostWriter Do for Your Business?

In straight talk, a ghostwriter frees up your workload and helps to structure your expectations for content marketing. Moreover, a ghostwriter writes different literary volumes or journalistic pieces that work for your business and provides credit to the client or claims collaboration.

But what does a ghostwriter do?

• Ghostwriters write books, posts, articles, blogs, memoirs, and more without taking any credit
• Ghostwriters conduct thorough research to create original and effective content
• Ghostwriters interview clients bring their thoughts to reality
• Ghostwriters work with collaboration with clients 
• Ghostwriters take client feedback and revise the content if necessary

What are the Factors Affecting the Cost of Hiring a Ghostwriter?

Are you considering hiring a business ghostwriter to help bring your writing project to life but don’t know how to determine their cost? 

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back.

In this section, we have listed 6 important factors that affect in the cost of hiring a professional ghostwriter.

1. Ghostwriter’s experience and skill level

Unlocking the secret to hiring a great ghostwriter: Why “Experience and Skill Level” matter for your budget.

Here are some important points to keep in mind:

• Experienced and skilled ghostwriters may charge higher rates due to their expertise.
• Ghostwriters who specialize in certain industries or niches may have higher rates due to their specialized knowledge.
• The length and complexity of the project can also affect the cost, as well as the deadline for completion.

2. Type of content you need

Discover the secret sauce to budget-friendly ghostwriting: How content type affects hiring costs.

Check out these key points to consider:

• Different types of content may require different levels of research, expertise, and time to write.
• Some common types of content include blog posts, articles, e-books, and whitepapers.
• Content that requires specialized knowledge, such as technical writing or medical writing, may also cost more due to the writer’s expertise.

3. Word count and length of the project

The word count and length of a project are also important factors that can impact the cost of hiring a ghostwriter.

Check out these key points to consider:

• Ghostwriters may charge per word, per page, or per project, so it’s important to clarify pricing upfront.
• The level of research required for a longer project may also impact the cost.
• Complex projects, such as technical content, may require additional time and resources, which can increase the cost.

4. Research requirements

The research requirements for a project are an important factor that can affect the cost of hiring a ghostwriter.

Check out these key points to consider when hiring a ghostwriter:

• Projects that require extensive research will generally cost more than those that don’t.
• Ghostwriters may charge extra for research time and materials.
• The level of research required will depend on the type of content and the depth of information needed.

5. Deadline for completion

The deadline for completion is a critical factor that can impact the cost of hiring a freelance ghostwriter.

Check out these key points to consider to get the most out of your ghostwriting budget:

• Tighter deadlines may cost more due to the additional time and resources required to complete the project on time.
• Ghostwriters may charge extra fees or rates for urgent projects.
• Longer deadlines may be less expensive since the writer can allocate more time to the project.

6. Additional content services required

Additional services, such as editing and proofreading, can impact the cost of hiring the best ghostwriter.

Check out these key points to consider when hiring a ghostwriter and requesting additional services such as editing and proofreading:

• Ghostwriters may charge extra for editing or proofreading services, depending on the scope of work involved.
• The cost may vary depending on the level of editing required, such as developing the content, copyediting, or proofreading.
• Hiring an experienced ghostwriter who offers a full range of writing and editing services may be less content cost in the long run.

How Much Does a GhostWriter Cost: GhostWriting Fees?

One of the major factors determining a ghostwriter’s fee is their level of expertise. Because their level of expertise has an impact on the quality of their work.

Let’s try to find out the ghostwriters’ quality in the following:

1. Entry-level freelance content writer

There are many beginner ghostwriters you can hire at a low cost. They nearly charge you between $0.06 and $0.13 per word, which is quite affordable and costs you less. But as you get these ghosts with less money, they are less reliable as well compared to experienced average ones.

Also, look out for these facts while hiring newcomer ghostwriters:

• Have a keen look at the prices they offer as there are many scammers
• Have good plagiarism checking and AI-detecting software to make sure the writer’s script is unique, such as Grammarly, Copyleaks, etc.

2. Intermediate content writers

This catagory of ghostwriters costs you more as they are very experienced in writing. These intermediate writers are hard to find, and you will learn a lot about the ghostwriting process, which ensures you high-quality results simultaneously. Depending on your workload or project, they usually charge you $0.10 to $20.

Also, writers’ expertise matters here, so consider these three factors:

• Writer’s level of experience
• The workload you have for writing
• Project work you provide to the writers

3. Top quality and experienced writer

These ghostwriter categories are very rare, and there aren’t many top-quality ghostwriters available on the market.

They will charge you around six or seven figures as they usually work with famous publishers, musicians, or politicians.

So, check the points below when you face a ghostwriter’s demands:

• Check if the ghostwriter has a track record of writing bestsellers
• Check if they have authored famous books with their names

Let’s overview the ghostwriters’ fees in the following table:

Classes	Per Word	Per Hour
Beginners Writer	$0.06 to $0.13	$7.5 to $16.50
Intermediate Writers	$0.10 to $0.20	$12.5 to $25
Top Quality/Experience	$0.12 to $0.22	$15 to $27.5

A GhostWriter’s Rate and How a Writer Makes Charge?

Ghostwriters’ rates and charges depend on their demand and work credentials. Some charges per word, hourly or project basis, and per page rate. Their rate may increases or decrease depending on the project you provide to your ghostwriters.

Let’s see the brief details of the ghostwriter’s charges in the following section:

1. Per word rate

Per word rate is one of the most suitable methods to count ghostwriters’ work. As a client, you can observe what to expect from different types of ghostwriters.

Also, per word method helps you quickly calculate the exact cost of your book writing project.

So, how much do ghostwriters charge on a per-word basis?

Depending on your experience level and the type of book you have, pricing varies. Some mid to high-level professionals charge $0.50 to $2.00 per word or more.

Look at some of the rates of writing types below:

• Blog posts. 0.06 per word
• Technical Content. 0.09 per word
• Website’s Service Page Content. 0.09 per word
• eBook Content. $0.05 per word

2. Hourly rate

Paying hourly rates has mixed feelings among clients. Most of the clients are hesitant to pay the hourly rate to professional ghostwriters.

The hourly rate depends on the time a writer takes to complete content. An average full-length content takes 16 to 24 hours to complete.

Also, comprehensive research and analysis might take more time.

• Ghostwriters take $7.5 to $16.50 per hour
• Depending on experience, some ghostwriters take $20 to $45 per hour

3. Per project basis rate

Project-based payment depends on the ghostwriters’ expertise level, memoirs, novels, business books, and more categories.

Also, the fee is determined by the amount of time ghostwriters spend on the project, the project deadline, and whether ghostwriters work alone or with the client on a regular basis.

Here are per project pricing structures below:

• A higher-level ghostwriter can make around $5000; it sounds huge, but very few writers make such amounts
• The experienced ghostwriter will make for a project would make $2000
• Beginner ghostwriters would make around $3000

Project-based work usually has a timeframe of several months. Ghostwriters get paid half the project’s payment after signing the contract. The total amount is paid after the project’s completion.

4. Per page rate

The per-page rate is not the most common type for ghostwriters. But some writers charge per page rate, which also depends on the word count and font sizes.

As fonts and styles take up much space per page, the rate depends on the factors below:

• Different fonts and sizes
• Line spacing, margins
• Text spacing

A single page with dialogue-driven write-ups with a font like 12-sized’ Courier’ may take 150 words, while different topics with long paragraphs may exceed 350 words.

So, the pricing structure for an average of 250 words per page would be $12.5 to $32.5 or less.

Other Costs for Hiring GhostWriters: GhostWriting Prices

By far you have learned how much ghostwriters charge, However, there are other cost issues related to the content writing hiring process for instance you must find the right candidate, self-publishing, and traditional publishing to recruit a suitable candidate.

1. Finding the right candidate

When you want to hire a professional ghostwriter for your project, the hiring process includes negotiating, finding, and vetting many candidates.

You need to follow the procedure mentioned here:

• Evaluate the portfolios of hundreds of candidates
• You may have to know content writer interview questions for 5 to 10 candidates within the huge cue
• You need to check their references
• You may have to spend at least 30 to 50 hours in the hiring process
• You need to communicate through emails and calls

All of these steps require investment of time and money. Try to stay focused on the whole process, as it takes your energy, time, and money.

You can always hunt down the candidates again from your previous selection. This way, you don’t need to start the interview process all over again.

2. Standard or traditional publishing

In traditional publishing, you sell the rights to the agency and get a few royalties, and you don’t need to pay for the publication cost. This publishing model mainly works with an agent who does the publicity work for your publication.

Once your content gets a publisher, you will be signed on and get an advance payment.

You start earning royalties when your content starts to sell.

3. Self-publishing

Ghostwriters aren’t involved with the publishing process; they only help you to write the book. However, if you want to self-publish your content on the website, there will be costs that include.

The whole process of self-publishing can cost you $30.

How do Ghostwriters Maintain Their Payments?

Ghostwriters typically handle payment in a variety of ways depending on their individual preferences and the agreements made with their clients.

Here are some common ways in which ghostwriters may handle payment:

• Reasonable fee. Many ghostwriters charge a flat fee for their services, which is based on the length and complexity of the project. 
• Hourly payment system. Some ghostwriters charge an hourly rate for their services. This can be beneficial for clients who have a shorter project or for ghostwriters who work quickly and efficiently.
• Per-word payment system. Per-word payment is a common method of payment in Ghost content writing. Many content writers prefer per-word payment because it allows them to easily estimate their earnings based on the number of words they produce. It can also be beneficial for clients because they only pay for the exact amount of content they need.
• Royalties. If a ghostwriter doesn’t want royalties, they may opt for one of the other payment methods, such as a flat fee, hourly rate, or per word. There could be a variety of reasons why a ghostwriter may not want to receive royalties.

Ghostwriters should follow the simple and direct rules for writing, and on the other hand, while charging by the hour, you should set the maximum time they can take for a project. While charging by the word or hour, you should vet them carefully.

Make a Legally Valid Contract So It will be Enforceable

While outsourcing a quality content writer, make sure the written agreement is in effect. If you don’t have reliable and firm contracts in hand, it will create misunderstandings between you and the ghostwriter.

Make a contract for the ghostwriter and ensure that they sign it and agree to your terms.

Keep these points on the contract paper:

• Projects each milestone needs to have deadlines. Smaller projects have only one date; on the other hand, full-length books can have more deadlines.
• The contract should mention the price. The contract should include the ghostwriter’s fee and the whole payment procedure for the ghostwriter. You can have the cost separated into several payments for different milestones.
• The book-length. Mention the word count or page count. In some cases, you can mention both word count and page count. For example, 70,000 words and 400 pages.
• Expect services from writers. Find out what services ghostwriters can provide for you. For example, will the writer be available for detailed correction after the project’s work? If not available, including the inquiry in the paper.
• The number of revisions permitted. Set the number of revisions allowed for the ghostwriter. Make one set per segment or milestone a mandatory task for a ghostwriter.
• Copyrights and non-disclosure agreement. Make sure after the project’s work, you retain the rights. Also, add a non-disclosure agreement to the contract.

While adding some valid and understandable agreements to the contract, you can make a good and informed choice to find a better ghostwriter for you.

FAQs About How Much Does Ghostwriter Make

Conclusion

Hiring ghostwriters requires gathering information, a ghostwriter’s background, and creating a contract that will be the only procedure a ghostwriter follows to maintain better write-ups.

There’s no hard and fast rule on how much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter. You can always negotiate your pricing with the ghostwriter to fix their pricing.

So, make sure you choose the right one according to your budget, type, length, and the timeframe your project requires finishing.