Search
How do Ghostwriters Get Paid

How Do Ghostwriters Get Paid? A Real-World Guide for Authors and Thought Leaders

I was approached to help someone finish their book project. They had a partial manuscript but needed support getting to the finish line. When we got to pricing, I explained my process, my milestones, and my flat fee.

Their response?

“I was hoping you’d just do the book without an upfront cost and take royalties on the back end.”

That’s not how ghostwriting works. I don’t blame this person for not knowing – Ghostwriting isn’t exactly a common profession and we are, by definition, hidden in the background.

In his bestselling guide Build a Better Business Book, ghostwriter Josh Bernoff is crystal clear: he doesn’t work for free. Not to review a manuscript. Not to provide feedback. If you want his thoughts, that’s an editorial assessment—and he charges for it.

At Connected Ghostwriting, we start every coaching or co-writing engagement with that same approach, especially when an author comes to us with a first draft. Because high-quality ghostwriting services require more than editing—they require vision, structure, storytelling, and strategy.

Ghostwriters don’t work for exposure. We’re not here for a handshake deal or a slice of speculative royalties. The book is not our ideas, so our name isn’t on the cover and we like it that way. We can’t control how well an author markets their book, so taking royalties doesn’t make much sense.

Here’s the reality: ghostwriting is a professional service, and like any high-level writing service, it comes with structure, strategy, and a clear payment schedule.

If you’ve ever wondered how ghostwriters charge, or if you’re budgeting for a ghostwriting project of your own, this guide breaks it down.

How Do Ghostwriters Get Paid?

1. Flat Fee: The Most Common Model

Most experienced ghostwriters charge a flat fee for the entire book. This includes planning, interviews, writing, revisions, and project management. The flat rate is often broken into milestones (like outline approval, sample chapters, full draft, final delivery, etc) and is outlined clearly in the ghostwriting contract.

Typical flat fees for full-length nonfiction books range from $25,000 to $100,000+, depending on the scope, word count, and timeline.

Why authors love it: predictable costs, clear deliverables, and no hourly surprises.

2. Payment Schedules and Upfront Deposits

Professional ghostwriters usually require an upfront payment (sometimes called a retainer or deposit) before starting the project. This shows commitment and secures time on the ghostwriter’s calendar—most are booked months in advance.

A common payment schedule might look like:

  • 33% upfront
  • 33% at the halfway point (e.g., after sample chapters)
  • 34% upon delivery of the final manuscript

Some ghostwriters offer monthly installments depending on the project timeline and whether ongoing coaching or book proposal development is part of the deal.

3. Hourly Rates (Less Common for Full Books)

While hourly rates may work for smaller freelance writing tasks (like blog posts or social media content), full-length ghostwritten books almost never run on an hourly model. There’s too much strategy, research, and back-and-forth.

Hourly ghostwriting services are more common for:

Pro tip: You’ll save money by being organized and having a clear vision before hiring.

4. Royalties and Revenue Share (Rare, But Possible)

Can you pay a ghostwriter with royalties? Technically, yes—but don’t expect a professional ghostwriter to say yes unless:

  • You’re a high-profile individual with guaranteed bestsellers
  • You have a strong book publishing track record
  • You’re offering significant royalty payments or co-author credit

Dr. Benjamin Hardy cowrote many of Dan Sullivan’s books, and while I am not privy to their agreement, I can imagine there is a royalty split of some kind that made sense for both of them, given Dan’s enormous influence in the business world. Even then, most ghostwriters still require some upfront fee. Writing a book is months of full-time work—few are willing to take that risk without financial security.

5. Hybrid or Custom Models

Some ghostwriters offer custom structures based on client needs:

  • Co-author agreements with partial credit and profit share
  • Retainer models for executives writing books alongside newsletters, speeches, and white papers. I’ve had clients put me on retainer for writing services at an agreed upon monthly rate to include blogs, articles, and one book a year.
  • A mix of ghostwriting and coaching services, especially in personal memoirs or children’s books

The key: everything is defined in writing in a ghostwriting contract with clear terms, expectations, and NDA protection.

The Bottom Line: Ghostwriting Is an Investment

If you’re serious about writing books, especially nonfiction books or business books tied to your brand, speaking, or consulting work—ghostwriting isn’t just a cost. It’s a multiplier. In A Comprehensive Study of Business Book ROI the authors found

  • Ghostwritten books showed a median gross profit of $43,250—outperforming traditionally published, hybrid, and self-published titles (Amplify Publishing Group et al., 2024, p. 25).
  • ROI: For every dollar spent on a book, authors earned $1.24 in return (p. 26).
  • Why though?: ghostwriters don’t just write—they strategize, clarify positioning, and translate expertise into influence.

Ghostwriters help you:

Whether you’re exploring traditional publishing, self-publishing, or building a content empire on LinkedIn—a professional ghostwriter can make it happen. And they deserve to be paid like the expert they are. Because we work with many nonprofits at Connected Ghostwriting, my hope is that one day we can offer a book a year to a nonprofit at no charge, though I still have to pay my writers and editors. If you see a pile of money laying around for that purpose, let me know. 

If you’re curious how ghostwriting can work for you, schedule a free consultation to learn about all the ways we help authors succeed.

Amplify Publishing Group, Gotham Ghostwriters, Smith Publicity, & Thought Leadership Leverage. (2024). A comprehensive study of business book ROI. Retrieved from AuthorROI.com