So writing a book has been on your to-do list, but don’t know how or have the time. The good news is you can pay someone to write it for you, but your name will still be on the book. This person is called a ghostwriter; if you’re a busy professional trying to increase your business, they can help you. I’ll explain the advantages and disadvantages of hiring one, some of the concerns people often have, and tell you how to get started if you’re interested in hiring me as a ghostwriter.
Reason #1: The book will get done.
Hiring a ghostwriter means the book will be completed. You won’t have to write it, but your name will still be on it, and when it’s published, you’ll receive any royalties from the book sales.
Reason #2: The ghostwriter can write it faster.
Because most ghostwriters only write books, they can complete your book project quicker than you would if you had made time to write it yourself. Experienced ghostwriters have systems in place to optimize the process, meaning that when your book ideas is born, they already know how to do your work.
Reason #3: It saves time for you.
How much time do you take to research and write a book? Authors spend between 100 and 500 hours researching, writing, and editing their books. Ghostwriters can reduce that considerably. Depending on the edits needed, most ghostwriters only need 10 to 30 hours from you.
Reason #4: Learning how to do it is unnecessary.
Many ghostwriters hear how people learned a lot from writing their books, which is true. It can be rewarding, but it also takes time. You have to try different things. The main work of writing a book often doesn’t begin until you start editing; when authors get professional book feedback. Ghostwriting skips that whole process.
What are the disadvantages to hiring a ghostwriter?
Despite the advantages, there are also some disadvantages to hiring a ghostwriter:
Downside #1: The price.
Most people think ghostwriting is expensive, and they’re correct. What’s the price for a good ghostwriter? The Writer’s Union of Canada says that ghostwriters cost between $40,000 and $60,000 at a minimum for a 60,000 to 90,000-word book, and the Australia Society of Writers reports a rate of .71 cents per word – that puts the book cost at $42,600 to $63,900.
Downside #2: There is no guarantee of quality.
When you hire a ghostwriter, you frequently pay a lot and don’t know the result. Find an excellent ghostwriter, and you might get an excellent book delivered on schedule. If not, you could pay a lot for a book that takes longer to write, throws you off schedule, or is poor quality. You can reduce the risk by looking for a ghostwriter that writes in your genre.
Downside #3: You must devote some time to the process.
I always tell my ghostwriting clients they should plan to work on the book during the process. Depending on the project, I may need to do interviews at the beginning, ask questions throughout, and review and provide feedback on drafts. I try to restrict the amount of time, but the quality of the book will suffer if customer doesn’t make themselves available. And time frames can blow out while waiting for the customer to provide feedback.
Downside #4: You only receive a manuscript
The ghostwriting process and fee usually only cover the cost of writing your book and basic editing. It doesn’t pay for other parts of the publishing process unless you work with a full-service provider who tells you they provide all those other services.
So, is a ghostwriter right for you?
Many common concerns arise when clients ask about ghostwriting services. They don’t all necessitate hiring a ghostwriter. You can work with a good writing coach or structural editor to address some of them.
“I’m not a writer.”
This is the concern most frequently heard by ghostwriters. Luckily, it’s not necessary to be a writer to write a good book. If you can share a lot of information, your first draft’s state doesn’t matter – a good structural editor can tear it apart, reassemble it, and turn your brain dump into a credible, coherent book.
“I’m not sure how to get all my ideas out of my head.”
A good writing coach can help with this. They can help you clarify your idea and map out your whole book in bullet points, leaving you with a blueprint for your first draft.
“I just want to get it done!”
So why don’t you? If you haven’t made the time or gotten around to it, make the time. Start waking up earlier to write, or take off a couple of weeks to start writing. If you can’t do it yourself, then consider hiring a ghostwriter. But remember, you must still answer questions and review drafts.
Consider whether you need a ghostwriter
In summary, having little time and not having a natural writing ability are not necessarily reasons to hire a ghostwriter. They might just be reasons to get more support around the writing process, like a coach, an excellent editor, or even a writing framework you can use; a ghostwriter is optional.
The main reason to consider hiring a ghostwriter is if you’ve wanted to write a book for years and aren’t getting it done. If you’ve always dreamed of writing a book but haven’t been able to make it happen, hiring a ghostwriter might be the answer for you. If you’ve realized that it’s not going to happen if you try to do it yourself, then a ghostwriter can turn your idea into something you can share with the world. If you’re in this situation and interested in hiring a ghostwriter, check out my Upwork profile.