Do you want to hire a ghostwriter but are unsure what to expect from them? A ghost writer can help you write a book, blog post or article while you can supervise them and focus on other tasks. A ghostwriting service can turn your ideas into words if you lack the time and expertise to write.
In this article, we'll discuss how ghostwriters work, how to hire one, and how much they charge. We’ll also talk about how you can choose ghost writing as a profession and how much you can earn as a ghostwriter.
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who writes content like books, blogs, posts, and articles on behalf of another person (mostly famous personalities). The best thing about ghostwriters is that they work without getting public credit. In terms of book publishing, a ghostwriter collaborates with authors, interviews them, and writes their stories.
However, it is not mandatory that only an author can work with a ghostwriter; anyone with a good story or concept can get ghostwriting services. They interview you, research, and gather notes to make your story shine. You can get a ghostwriter to write from scratch only to refine your drafts. It all depends on you as an author.
What Does a Ghost Writer Do In Compare to Book Writers
Many authors hire ghostwriters or book writers for the same purpose: to write for them. However, both services are different and you have to choose the one that fits your needs. Let's discuss what does a ghostwriter do in detail.
Ghostwriters
As we talked about it, ghost writers are those who write on behalf of someone else and give the author full ownership of their work. They interview their clients and understand your story. Most of the authors hire ghostwriters because they work anonymously and do not ask for public recognition. If you want to write memoirs or self-help books, then it is the best choice. However, they are not restricted to these genres. A ghostwriter can write any book, like fiction, romance, or comedy, depending on their expertise.
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Book Writers
On the other hand, a book writer is someone who writes their own books and takes full public credit for their work. They are the owners of original ideas, creating plots and characters by themselves. If you hire a book writer, then you have to include their name on your book cover and give them full credit. If you need someone to write for you then ghostwriters are the best option.
How Does Ghostwriting Work?
Let's see how do ghost writers work so you can easily work with them.
Consultation & Planning
A ghost book writers will first try to understand your story, perspective and target audience. They will interview you several times and ask multiple questions. You don't have to worry about their questions, they ask them so they write like you want.
Research
After interviewing you, they will gather information and research related to your genre. If it's a simple romance, comedy, or children's book story, then they will not need much research. However, in fantasy, self-help, and mystery books, they need details to write facts and with accuracy.
Writing & Drafting
Now, they will start drafting your book story. It can be a chapter, or if your ghostwriter is an expert, then they might even write the book's full story in a few weeks.
Revisions & Feedback
After writing, they ask you to review it and give feedback. You can feel free to change any part or chapter of the book. The client reviews drafts and provides feedback for revisions.
Finalization
Once you select the best draft for your book, you can now edit and publish it through self publishing companies like Ace Book Publishers.
How to Hire a Ghostwriter: Different Ways to Find the Right Writer
Looking for the right ghostwriter for your book is a challenging task. Like, if you are not comfortable with ghostwriters you won't be able to tell them about your story. So you need to hire a ghostwriter wisely. Here’s how you can find the right ghostwriter for stress-free writing.
Ghostwriting Agencies
A lot of companies provide ghostwriting services like Universal Book Publications, NYC Book Publishers, Estorytellers, and Content Whale.
Freelance Platforms
You can find a ghostwriter from freelance platforms like American Association of Ghostwriters, Toptal, Scripted, Mediabistro, Writers.work, Upwork, Reedsy, and more. Some good ghostwriters on these platforms are:
- Kym D ($40 per hour, 4.9 Rating)
- Muhammad Naeem S ( $100 per hour, 5.0 Rating)
- Nandini R (₹35 per hour, 4.9 Rating)
- Seabit Media ($20 per hour, 4.9 Rating)
- colorgraphicz ($10 per hour, 4.8 Rating)
- SYNET ($66 per hour, 4.7 Rating)
- eTranslators ($30 per hour, 4.9 Rating)
Publishing & Writing Companies
You can also hire ghostwriters from publishing and writing companies like Ace Book Publishers. They have a full package of services that can publish your book from scratch to bestseller.
Networking & Referrals
You can also connect with different authors to get recommendations for hiring a ghostwriter. For that, you can join communities, social media, or email authors directly through their websites.
How to Be a Ghostwriter
Working as a ghost writer for hire can be hard. You will not get credit, it will be hard to find you until you work with famous authors, and you don't have consent to modify book stories your way. However, many people choose this career to work behind the scenes for people who have a story or experience to tell. Let's see how you can become a ghostwriter.
Develop Strong Writing Skills
A good ghostwriter always needs expertise in writing skills. You should be able to write in different tones, genres, and styles. You can take courses for that or join writing competitions to check how others perceive your writing.
Gain Experience in Writing & Editing
You can begin your career by writing blogs and articles. Also, write some samples or self publish short stories online through Ace Book Publishers.
Learn to Adapt to Different Voices
Many clients want their books to sound like them, not the ghostwriter. Learn how to write in different tones and try to mimic other authors' writing skills.
Build a Portfolio & Network
You can also build a website and publish samples there. You can also launch your writing amoles on freelance platforms to get good reviews from clients.
Set Rates & Start Small
You should be humble at the start of your ghostwriting career. So remember to start small. If you set normal prices for work then many authors will hire you. You can change it when you have reached a certain position.
How Much Does a Ghost Writer Make
You must be curious about how much ghostwriters make. The simple answer is that it all depends on their expertise. If someone has worked on their skills, they can earn more money because of their expertise. Let's see what ghostwriters earn in this section:
Average Earnings
If we talk about the average pay of ghostwriters then it will be $53,000 per year. This includes normal to top-tier ghostwriters. However, this can be impacted if a ghostwriter charges more than $100 or less than $20 per hour.
Project-Based Fees
Many ghostwrites earn project wise. Like, they will make money differently on multiple platforms. If they are working freelance, then their pay will be between $5,000 and $15,000. If they are working with a company like Ace Book Publishers then their pay will be $50,000 per year.
Special Projects
If a ghostwriter is working with famous personalities or writing a memoir for celebrities, then their pay will be almost $100,000 or more.
Usually, ghostwriters’ rates are fixed. Like some take $1 per word so if they are writing 50,000 words for a book then they earn $50,000.
How Much Does a Ghostwriter Cost?
Ghostwriters' cost depends on their skills. It's just like if you want high quality stuff, you need to pay more. You can hire a ghostwriter according to your budget using the breakdown of their cost in this section.
Short-Form Content (Articles, Blogs, Essays)
Usually, ghost writers for hire charge $1 per word or some charge $0.05 as well. For short form content, like articles, blogs, essays, and short stories, they will charge $50 to $500.
Business Books, Memoirs, and Non-Fiction
Books like memoirs, nonfiction, and business ones need more word count. You can hire a ghostwriter accordingly for that, like a beginner one will cost $5,000 to $15,000, a mid level one $20,000 to $50,000 and an expert one $100,000+ per book.
Fiction & Creative Writing
Fiction books require a good story and don't need a lot of research. So you can get a ghostwriter in the price range of $10,000 to $60,000 for novels, novelette, and novellas.
If you need a ghostwriter for hire, consider Ace Book Publishers. Their expertise and reputation in the book industry show how much they prefer quality and client satisfaction with affordable prices.
Wrapping Up
To summarize, ghostwriters are best for writing content if you want quality without overpressuring yourself. You can expect expert writing, anonymity, and confidentiality from a ghostwriter. So choose one wisely and be an expert ghostwriter with this detailed guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can hire a ghostwriter from online platforms, book publishing companies, ghostwriting agencies, writing groups, and social media. You can read reviews, see their samples, and get feedback from other authors about a ghostwriter. Before you hire, you can interview them and see if they are compatible with your genre or not.
You can find a ghostwriter for a book on freelance platforms and book publishing companies. You can ask email authors and recommendations on ghostwriting services.
You can become a ghostwriter by building writing skills and gaining experience in multiple genres like romance, mystery, and fantasy, or you can get professional for one specific genre to keep the quality of your work. Make a good website, upload samples, and market it through social media.
Ghost Writers charge according to their expertise. Some charge $5,000, some charge $100,000+. You can choose the one that fits your budget and your project type.