Q: How much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter or co-writer?
That depends on several factors:
1. What’s the type of work (nonfiction, creative nonfiction, or fiction)? Each requires different skill sets and, in some cases, increased turnaround time. If your project is a memoir, is it a:
– Personal Life Journey
– Life & Career
– Personal Trauma Journey
– Other (or a mixture of the above)
Any details you can provide are helpful.
2. What’s the desired length of the book (or work)? Important Note: If you are thinking in terms of pages, please read this informative article: https://adducentcreative.com/the-right-size-book
3. How much (if any) planning, reference, or source material exists? This is important because the amount of front-end work required (before writing begins), including any ongoing research or story development, factors into cost.
4. How many and what type of interviews with the client or information sources are required? Again, important because if the book development is driven mainly by two-party interviews (the client, other parties, and me), which then need transcription and parsing for content development, that increases cost. An alternative we’ve developed that’s been helpful is for the client to dictate their book’s content. We then transcribe for editing, re-shaping, forming, and rewriting into their book content. See this for more information: https://adducentcreative.com/client-dictation/
5. How soon must the project be completed? Shorter (faster) turnaround–if the ghostwriter’s schedule can accommodate it–usually costs more than having more time.
Answers to questions 1-5 can lead to a rough quote for your project. If that fits your budget, you can schedule a call to discuss more details and have the ghostwriter answer any other questions you might have. Also, on that call, it should be determined whether there are any other factors specific to your project that would help refine that rough quote into a precise price, in the form of a project proposal with a milestone schedule.
Keep in mind, professional ghostwriters don’t work on a contingency or get paid from sales of the book after it is published. Fees can vary significantly among ghostwriters. We (Adducent) are not the cheapest nor the most expensive.
WRITER’S MARKET GUIDE RATES
(for reference).
Contact us for a quote.
Q: What can I expect for those fees? The client gets their manuscript and is credited as the author. The ghostwriter can remain completely anonymous or receive attribution such as ‘As told to’ or ‘With.’
Q: How long will it take? It depends on the project. Small books can take 3 to 5 months. A mid-sized to large or complex book takes 6 to 12 months or more to develop and ghostwrite. Very large or complex books that require extensive research, development, or other ‘hand-work’ (beyond just writing) can take longer. Working with complex, possibly disjointed source material can also make a project take longer. So, the scope of work dictates how long it will take, and each project delivery has to be evaluated based on workload when the project is quoted.
Q: Does the ghostwriter get any credit? As mentioned above, attribution or even co-author credit could be negotiated depending on the arrangement. If so, the fee structure is usually changed or reduced. Or the ghostwriter can remain completely anonymous.
Q: How much will I need to be involved? In most cases, you’ll only need to supply access to you and your information. A professional ghostwriter will determine a writing and development approach and plan for each project. A series of phone interviews, call-in dictation sessions, and occasional feedback and approvals are all required.
Q: What will I need to supply to the ghostwriter? Very simply: time, information, and feedback. A series of interviews may be all that is required. A professional ghostwriter will determine a writing and development approach and plan for each project.
Q: What should I look for in a ghostwriter? The best ghostwriters are professional, proven, dependable, discreet, collaborative, supportive, and deadline-oriented. Most importantly, the ideal writer understands your project and works well with you. Chemistry and a good ‘fit’ are essential.
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Q: How does the ghostwriting process typically start? Typically, the client and the ghostwriter hold an initial phone meeting to review the project scope. The ghostwriter then presents an overview or proposal to define and detail how things will work, including delivery and pricing. If all parties agree to proceed, the ghostwriter will provide a contract. A professional ghostwriter will determine a writing and development approach and plan for each project.
Q: I have a very hectic and demanding professional and/or personal schedule; how would that impact work on my project? Speaking for us, we’ve worked with many busy professionals. If needed, we create flexible timelines for them to accommodate the many demands on their time, yet are designed so that work on their project progresses at a steady pace. We also provide our clients with tools, such as our unique Client Dictation Services, that they can utilize anytime from anywhere. This is a tremendous resource for helping with their project.
Q: Will the ghostwriter help me find a publisher? Ghostwriters aren’t responsible for publishing the work, nor do they provide services typically offered by agents or publishers. But we might be able to help.
Q: I’m interested in your help; what is the first step? If you’ve also reviewed the information on the Ghostwriting Services page, you should schedule a conversation with Dennis Lowery.
AVAILABLE FOR ORDER
A veteran writer, ghostwriter (41 books as of this writing), and publisher (with over 100 titles), Dennis Lowery, president of Adducent, A Story & Book Development Firm, brings over two decades of professional story development expertise to memoir writers through a unique method that works no matter your level of writing experience. It breaks memoir paralysis so you can complete the compelling personal narrative within you that seemed impossible to share.
For those who choose NOT to hire a writer but need advice and guidance on writing, story development, and publishing or self-publishing, we offer consulting. We have a lot of experience you can benefit from affordably.
Here are some of our story and book covers (published, to be published, or for future publication), alt-cover designs, and concepts for stories in development:
