What do you get when you poll 269 professional secret keepers about their craft?
The survey emerged as an action item from the Gathering of the Ghosts, a one-day convention held earlier this year in Manhattan, where the nation’s working ghosts emerged from their shadows to convene for the first time. Awards were bestowed, speeches were delivered, and secrets were spilled — including an answer to that most sensitive of questions: “How much do you charge?”
The answer to that question was revealed by the first-ever survey of professional ghostwriters, undertaken by Gotham Ghostwriters, the nation’s premier ghostwriting agency, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), the professional association for independent nonfiction writers.
Findings
Here’s what the data revealed: 1 in 3 ghostwriters make more than $100,000 in annual ghostwriting income. “That so many ghosts command a 6-figure salary testifies to the growing demand for an increasingly premium service,” said Dan Gerstein, Gotham’s founder and chief executive.
The survey’s other key findings bear out this trend — ghostwriting is a premium service:
- 25 percent of ghostwriters charged at least $100,000 for their last nonfiction manuscript
- 8 percent of ghostwriters charged more than $150,000 for their last nonfiction manuscript
- 50 percent of ghostwriters charged $10,000 – $20,000 for their last nonfiction proposal
- 11 percent of ghostwriters charged more than $20,000 for their last nonfiction proposal
To be sure, these ranges reflect the cost of high-quality writing. These are not the low-ball rates dangled on platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr by folks who market themselves as ghostwriters but, in truth, lack credentials and experience.
By contrast, for executives and entrepreneurs, celebrities and companies, politicians and pundits who need help unlocking the right words, professional work costs money.
Indeed, ghostwriting fees reflect how credentialed a writer is, including how many New York Times bestsellers – the gold standard for book success – to their name. The nexus between bestselling credits and writing fees was measured by the survey:
- 30 percent of ghostwriters have written at least 1 NYT bestseller
- 51 percent of ghostwriters who have at least 1 NYT bestseller credit reported earning over $100,000 in annual income
- 2 percent of ghostwriters have written 10 or more NYT bestsellers and charge upwards of $150,000 for a nonfiction manuscript, with 1 percent indicating that they charge over $300,000
“The survey results pull back the proverbial curtain on the true worth of professional writers in general, ghostwriters in particular,” said Emily Paulsen, president of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. “Writers who have the chops to write a best-selling book-length manuscript should feel confident in their worth to authors.”
The Book as a Prestige Brand Extension
Indeed, among first-time authors, the key question — “How much?” — is usually one of the first topics for discussion. And because of the industry’s shadow-shrouded past, the price often surprises them.
Why is quality ghostwriting expensive? Put simply, because writing a book takes more than a good story; it takes excellent storytelling. And, a well-executed book extends an author’s brand into realms where presentations, op-eds, and speeches can’t compete. Writing a book establishes the author as a thought leader and expert.
At the same time, authorship has never been more accessible, thanks to the democratization of the publishing sector. It’s never been easier to bring a book into the world. Authors-to-be now have alternatives to the traditional route that includes a proposal, an agent, and a contact at a big publishing house. Now, they can self-publish or hire a “hybrid” publisher, which offers more control and speed in return for a higher upfront investment. Options abound for aspiring authors, and accomplished, experienced ghostwriters are in high demand.
The bottom line: If you’ve ever wanted to turn your big idea into a big-think book, now’s the time. Just be prepared to pay for it.
