How much do ghostwriters charge?

The cost of co-writing, or ghostwriting, services can vary dramatically. They tend to depend upon the level of the client (celebrity, professional etc), experience and location of the writer, affiliations with publishing agencies, the length of the book and the overall value having the book creates. Writers associated with publishing companies charge significantly more than those who write independently. Here are some of the different ways co-writers and ghostwriters charge:

Per word

This is fairly common, with writers in the UK charging between £0.03 - £2 per word. This is more practical as a way of charging for marketing content. Depending on the platform, marketing content pieces have a relatively small word count. Books have tens of thousands of words, so this method could get overly expensive. A per word rate can also incentivise writers to write more words, rather than be concise and focus on value.

Hourly

A typical hourly rate for a writer is £10-£70. Again, a good book will focus on the target market and the message, but with an hourly rate, the overall amount you’re billed may not necessarily reflect the actual level of effort and passion that have gone into the book.

A book manuscript of 50-200 pages

This can range from £5,000 to £8,000. This is usually just for the manuscript, and can be up to five times this amount or more, when you add on editing, proof-reading, illustrations, interior design, front cover design, back cover blurb, title creation and publishing.

A book manuscript of 200-400 pages

This can range from £8,000 to £15,000. Again, this doesn’t include any other additional services.

Packages by publishing houses

Some writers work alongside you or coach you as part of a package offered by a publisher. This may include some or all of the extra services listed above, and depending on the length of the book can cost between £20,000 and £60,000.

Writers usually require a deposit of 50-75% upfront, then the remaining either on completion, or they’ll agree a payment plan where you pay installments over the course of the project.

How much will your book cost?

As you can see pricing can vary widely. All in all you're better off working with a writer who keeps their prices consistent and charge per book rather than per word or hour. Typically speaking, in the book writing industry, you get what you pay for and different writers offer different services so it’s best to get clear on what you’re being asked to pay for. It’s also important to feel comfortable working with your writer, so be sure to have a conversation before agreeing to the project.

Write Business Results' prices reflect our mission to make unique, quality business books accessible to business owners who care about building long-lasting relationships with their clients and prospects, and want to share their knowledge and expertise. This is why we refer to ourselves as co-writers more than ghostwriters. We don’t just ghostwrite your book, we eliminate the hassle from idea conception right through to publishing. We care about simplifying the book writing process and eliminating stress and worry, and take great pride in delivering a first class product that you can continue to reap the benefits from time and time again.

We are unique in the sense that while we work with you to make sure your needs are met, our overall directive is to create fun, easy to read books that respect your prospects’ time. They include stylish illustrations to accompany the text, and are typically 50-80 pages long. The end result is an eye-catching, easy to market, value-led read with a call to action that will impress your connections and peers.

We’d love to hear more about your book and provide a quote. Contact us to schedule a free consultation and find out more about our book writing and book marketing services