Poor Price Expectations: 3 Key Insights into Ghostwriting Costs
Let’s talk about price expectations and ghostwriting.
Just had a chat with a client who had a lifelong dream of writing a book. Big ambitions. Bucket list kind of stuff. They hoped the book would be their ticket out of their current rut.
They wanted a book on technology and leadership. Fantastic! I’m all in. But when I quoted them a fair price for a 60,000-word book, their counter was a whopping…$5,000. 😲 My tea almost did a spit-take! ☕💦
Poor Price Expectations
Their price expectations were obviously not in line with reality. Sure, they could find low priced ghostwriters without a doubt, but would they get a good, quality book from that experience? Would they be happy with the relationship with their ghostwriter? Would they get a book that they’d be proud to show off to family, friends, and co-workers?
They would almost certainly be disappointed with the result.
To understand the need for resetting price expectations, let’s examine ghostwriting more closely.
Understanding Ghostwriting
Let’s break this down, shall we? 🧐
- Depth of Experience: I come with 33 years of technical services, having been at the helm as a VP and Director of Computer Operations. Cybersecurity, digital transformation, leadership – been there, done that.
- Authorship Prowess: I’ve ghostwritten a whopping 48+ books and penned 60+ of my own. That’s over a hundred stories, insights, and impactful content I’ve contributed to the literary world.
- Collaborative Essence: I don’t just write; I immerse. I collaborate deeply with my clients, ensuring the words on the page echo their voice, their passion, their very essence. It’s like I become a literary chameleon, adapting to your tone and style.
- Reputation and Portfolio: With every project, from startups to CEOs, I’ve added another success story to my portfolio, meticulously crafting each piece to resonate with the intended audience.
- Specialization: My niches span from memoirs to technical manuals. It’s the result of diverse experiences and constant learning. Depth and breadth – that’s my writing mantra.
For me, a premiere ghostwriter, this is my job. Like anyone earning a living, the income that I make from writing books goes to pay taxes, social security, rent, food, savings, and everything else that you’d normally expect.
Additionally, other expenses that go into the calculations for price expectations include:
- Research
- Interviews
- Administration
- Revisions
- Home office
- Plagiarism checkers
- Subscriptions to online services to aid in writing
- Insurance
- Marketing and promotion
So, yes, excellent, qualified ghostwriters must set their rates to take all these factors, and a few others, into account.
Why ghostwriting?
Ghostwriting is not easy. I don’t just write a bunch of words; I need to take the time to understand the author (the client): their motivations, style, viewpoints, goals, and personality. The books that I write are written as if I were standing in their shoes. After all, it’s their book, not mine. This is not a simple matter, as you can well imagine.
But let me hasten to add that I didn’t pick ghostwriting as my career primarily for the money. Of course, one of my goals was to make a good living as a freelancer. However, I also get immense satisfaction from helping others bring their stories to life. I love working on diverse projects, and the joy of seeing a book that I wrote for sale on Amazon, in libraries, and on bookstore shelves cannot be described.
Not ready for the full ghostwriting experience? No worries! I also have book coaching and book collaboration on the table. It’s like a writing jam session!
Still puzzled about the costs? 🤨 Dive deeper into the world of ghostwriting pricing right and learn more about why good and qualified ghostwriters can command those high rates.
Ready to have a chat without the sticker shock? 😅 Let’s discuss that dream book of yours.
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