How to Choose a Ghostwriter (in 4 Steps)

You want to write a business book, but you need some help. That’s why ghostwriters exist. Ghostwriters help you get your ideas out of your head and onto the page in a polished manuscript.

If done well, it’s a magical process:

You do what feels like babbling incoherently during phone interviews, and the ghostwriter spins it into a polished book.

But I’ve been around enough ghostwriting clients and ghosts (as we call ourselves) to know how these relationship can go awry. These are the four steps to choosing the right ghostwriter for you:

1. Set a realistic budget
2. Find 5 ghosts in your budget
3. Pick a ghost who knows nothing about your industry
4. Test the X-factor: the vibe check

1. Set a Realistic Budget

Sticker shock isn't uncommon in the ghostwriting industry. When you hear the quote to ghostwrite your book, you think, "That's so expensive!"

The question to ask yourself in response is: "Expensive compared to what?"

Perhaps compared to getting blog posts or emails ghostwritten, yes a book is more expensive. Because a book is much more valuable and much more difficult. You can use a book to get new clients, higher paying speaking engagements, and consulting gigs. Most of my authors make their investment back in the first 6 months-1 year after publishing. For some authors, writing a book is the best investment they've ever made.

[For testimonials and case studies from these authors, check out my first-time author mistakes guide .]

Here's a breakdown of ghostwriting fees, taken from personal experience and Writer's Market research.

Cheap Book Ghostwriting Fees:

$15,000-$35,000

Basic Book Ghostwriting Fees:

$35,000-$65,000

Premium Book Ghostwriting Fees:

$65,000-$100,000

If anyone charges you less than $15,000 to ghostwrite a book, they'll likely give you slipshod work. If someone charges more than $65,000, they better have the experience (meaning bestseller list credits, major publishing credits, and a track record of successful clients) to back it up. My take: most first-time business book authors don’t need to go above the basic fee range.

Note:

These fees are for ghostwriting the manuscript only. Cover design, interior layout, proofreading, etc. require separate investments.

2. Find 5 Ghosts in Your Budget

Once you decide on your realistic budget, you want to find the best ghostwriters you can afford. Choosing 5 gives you several options to move forward without getting inundated with choices.

First, a few things to keep in mind while you search:

Experience by Price Level

• $15,000-$35,000––Quite frankly, you won't find someone with a proven track record below the $35,000 price level.
• $35,000-$45,000––You can absolutely find a good ghostwriter in the range of $35,000-$45,000, but they will likely be inexperienced. Choosing a ghost at this level may be ideal for you, because they might be talented and hungry to build their client list. Just make sure you get a strong sample from them before you sign anything.
• $45,000-$65,000––In this price range, you will find a lot of experienced ghosts with good credits, good track records, and a proven process to get your best content out of your head and onto the page in your voice. There is a lot of competition at this level, so if you hunt, you can find really qualified ghosts.
• $65,000-$100,000––At this level you’re paying for the best. You likely can’t even get access to these ghosts without a literary agent and a book deal already in hand. One workaround to get access to these elite ghosts is to hire them to write your book proposal, which you will then use to get a book deal. But that's only if you go the traditional publishing route. This article is focused on self-publishing authors.

A Note about Cheap "Too Good to Be True" Ghostwriting Agencies

Some ghostwriting agencies offer low-priced ghostwriting packages, often promising you a bestselling ghost, fast turnaround, and full publishing service included. I used to work in one of these agencies. This route is ideal for some people, just know that with speed and cheap services comes a sacrifice in quality. Even if you're lucky enough to get one of their best writers, they're usually so inundated with projects that they can't give your book the attention it deserves.

Ghost Hunting: A Few Places to Find Ghostwriters

• Gotham Ghostwriters ––This is a network of highly-vetted independent ghostwriters with tons of experience. Their process is simple: you contact the agency and tell them about your project, they put out a call for proposals from their list of several thousand ghosts, they select a few to send your way, and you interview and sign whoever you see fit. You pay a small fee if you sign with a ghost in their network, but you pay nothing if you don't. [Full disclosure, I'm represented by Gotham.]
• Reedsy ––You can find a lot ghostwriters on Reedsy, all with huge variations in talent and experience levels. There's a much less strict vetting process here, so be sure to look at the ghost's credits to make sure they can follow through on what they promise.
• Upwork ––Here you post a free job, ghosts apply, and you compare their bids to choose the best. This is the Craigslist of hiring a ghost. You should only use it if you're going the cheapest route possible.
• Literary Agents ––Each literary agent has a stable of ghosts they refer clients to. This will often lead you to the $65,000+ ghosts who won't take on anyone without a book deal. But if you're willing to put in the money, this is a great backdoor avenue to find the best of the best. You can find a list of AAR certified literary agents here: https://aaronline.org/Find
• Referral––If you're a business leader, someone in your network has published a book. Even if they didn't get it ghostwritten, they likely got it edited. If they had a good experience, ask them to put you in touch with their editor. That editor either does ghostwriting or knows people who do.

3. Pick a Ghost Who Knows Nothing About Your Industry

A lot of other ghostwriters and editors disagree with me on this one. Hard. But I stand by it: I believe the best ghost for you is the one who is clueless about your subject matter.

To my point, here's what can happen if your ghost is too familiar with your industry:

A fellow ghost and colleague of mine, Mike, was writing a book with a politician. The politician chose my colleague because they had similar political views and Mike had experience in local politics.

Their interviews were fantastic. They were on the same page the whole way. The politician hardly had to explain complicated concepts because Mike was already familiar with politics.

They completed the interviews in record time, both thrilled with the results. Mike went off to write the manuscript, but once he started, he realized he had huge gaps in content. Gaps that were supposedly filled with his working knowledge of politics. “No worries,” he thought, “I know what he meant. I'll just fill in the gaps for him.”

Fast forward to 10 weeks later. Mike delivered the manuscript to his politician client. And the client was furious. The book was nothing like what he wanted. Mike had filled in the gaps in content incorrectly.

When he told me about this, I had to break it to him: “You weren’t dumb enough during the interviews, Mike.”

This whole ordeal set their project behind by several months, which not only angered Mike's client, but also their publisher, who had to push everything back.

Now, the nuts and bolts of ghostwriting likely don’t matter to you, but Mike’s mistake does underscore an important point for you as you choose a ghost, and it's why I advise you to choose a ghost with no knowledge of your subject matter:

Shared experience between an author and ghostwriter can be an advantage, but more often it’s a handicap.

Why? Because a ghost with no knowledge of your industry will act as a better advocate for your reader, who is also a neophyte.

Their expertise inhibits your odds of getting great interview content. A ghostwriter who has no experience in your industry will ask the "stupid" questions to get all of the content out of your head.

By forcing you to explain your concepts in simple enough terms for them to understand, they force you to be more explicit (and therefore more helpful) for your reader.

4. The X-Factor: Vibe Check

At this point, you should have your list winnowed down to a select few ghosts. Now's the time to make your big decision.

When you hire a ghost, you're entering a serious relationship with them, one that will last a long time––several months at the very least, and many years at the most. (It’s not uncommon for ghostwriters and authors to form deep friendships.) There’s really no set rubric to see if you vibe with someone. On this one, you have to follow your gut, and treat it like going on first dates:

1. Stalk them on social media to see what they stand for, their personality, and the kind of content they post.
2. If possible, have your first few calls over video.
3. Ask for a sample (even they don’t offer), so you both have similar expectations.

After you follow these steps, you should have a ghost you can trust. And if you don't find someone you vibe with, then maybe it's best not to hire anyone at all.

You Don’t Need a Ghostwriter

A ghostwriter isn’t for everyone. If you find the price or challenge of finding a ghost prohibitive, you can write your book yourself. But it helps to have a good coach to help you along the way. If you'd like to work with a ghost or a book coach, I can help you find the best option for you: schedule a time and let's talk .