Hourly Wages for Ghost Writing
- How many hours a ghostwriter will need to complete a project depends entirely on the project. Projects presented to a ghostwriter that are extremely well researched and outlined take less time for a ghostwriter to complete than projects presented to the ghostwriter only as a concept or idea. In that case, the ghostwriter has to do much more work, including researching, interviewing, fact-checking and possibly multiple drafts.
- Many authors hire ghostwriters thorough networking with book publishers and magazine editors. Many ghostwriters also maintain pages on professional networking sites, and advertise their services on blogs and social networks. Organizations such as the Editorial Freelancers Association and Washington Independent Writers may also provide leads.
- Depending on the project, a ghostwriter can finish a project in as little as one day. For example, an experienced ghostwriter would write an opinion article for a politician in just a few hours. A book based off a news event may take only several weeks or a few months. Longer or scholarly works may take from six months to over a year. Many ghostwriters have the ability to write several hours a day or even longer until the project is complete.
- The author and the ghostwriter must share the same philosophy about the project and communicate effectively to successfully complete the project within a reasonable number of hours. Frequent stops and starts result in more hours billed by the ghostwriter. Although that leads to more money for the ghostwriter, it can cause friction in the relationship with the author, especially if the author had unreasonable expectations about the project.
- Authors who want to limit their expenses can skip the hourly wage model and negotiate a flat rate with ghostwriters. Per-project rates on a nonfiction book vary widely, according to Writer’s Market. Rates begin at around $1,000 and can range up to $75,000 or more. It all depends on the project, the author and the commercial value of the idea.