If I have learned anything about the ghostwriting business, it’s that costs vary. A recent WSJ article delves deeper into the topic. In this post, I’ll shed some light on the subject.

Exploring the Range of Ghostwriting Fees

At the upper end of the scale are ghosts who’ve consistently penned New York Times bestsellers—often for celebrities, CEOs, and other über-wealthy folks. Hiring one of these rockstars requires a six-figure commitment, even if you intend to write a relatively short book.

You and your ghost will probably spend a good deal of time together. You’ll spend beaucoup bucks, but there’s no guarantee that your book will sell oodles of copies.

As is always the case, you’ll get what you pay for.

Let’s move to the bottom. Plenty of quickie ghostwriters will spend about three months or so with their clients. Expect weekly interviews for an hour to write each chapter. After this relatively short period of time, clients receive a completed manuscript. For $15,000 to $20,000, you’ll spend a fraction of what you would with the first group. As is always the case, though, you’ll get what you pay for.¹

Somewhere in the middle are professional scribes such as myself. I’m talking about people whose starting points fall in between $100,000 and $20,000. Let’s split the difference and land on $60,000. Even then, the cost of completing the manuscript will vary, but there’s actually a pretty consistent way to determine what you’re going to spend.

The Algebra of Ghostwriting

Based on my own ghostwriting experience and the conversations I’ve had with my peers over the years, I’ve landed on what I call the algebra of ghostwriting.

Minimum Cost to Write a Quality Manuscript

The manuscript’s price cannot fall below a certain threshold. Ever. The rise of generative AI doesn’t change that fact one bit.

As for why, the reason is obvious: Writing an interesting, original, and professional non-fiction book requires research. Lots and lots of research. Now toss in ideation, planning, and all of the other tasks involved.

You’re talking about months of intense involvement with your ghostwriter before he or she has written word number one. For amount of critical work, the client is looking at anywhere from $20,000 to $25,000 out of pocket. Assuming that research, planning, and ideation all go well, the writing begin in earnest. That doesn’t mean, though, that the cost is fixed.

It isn’t.

Variables

All else being equal, the longer the book, the more the manuscript will cost. Unless the parties agree at the beginning that the manuscript will not exceed, say, 50,000 words, the book’s ultimate length will vary. Most ghosts working on a flat rate won’t carp over a 51,000-word manuscript. Change the scenario, though, and you’ll change the outcome: A ghostwriter won’t shrug her shoulders when her client requests adding another 15,000 words. The good news: If you’re working with an experienced ghost, you won’t need a developmental edit.

Speaking of money matters, consider two authors:

• Ambivalent Amber: Wants a 45,000-word manuscript but keeps vacillating on her book’s audience.
• Decisive Denise: Aims for a 60,000-word one but knows exactly what she wants. She sticks to her decisions.

Amber will pay her ghostwriter much more—maybe even twice as much.

Word Counts Matter. Pages Don’t.

As a general rule, let’s say that each word costs you 50 cents. A longer, 70,000-word manusctip will run you about $60,000. (And, yes, words matter more than pages. Any designer worth her salt can add or remove 100 words from a page. Trim size, font size, leading, kerning, and margins all drastically affect page count. Words are absolute.)

Why Writers Abandon Their Books

What You Need to Know

Brass tacks: The amount of money you’ll pay your ghostwriter is a direct function of your manuscript’s length—among other factors. If you’re vetting a ghost who promises you otherwise, run.

1. I can tell you from personal experience that you don’t write a quality chapter for a client by effectively transcribing a one-hour interview. On my current project, I average about 11 hours of writing for each 5,000-word, near-final chapter with proper citations, endnotes, and foonotes.