How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Ghostwriter in 2025?

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Ghostwriter in 2025?

If you’ve been researching ghostwriters, you’ve probably noticed the pricing is… all over the place.

Some freelancers on Fiverr offer to write your book for $500. Others—such as Scribe Media or Kevin Anderson & Associates—quote prices ranging from $50,000 to $135,000 for premium ghostwriting services.

So what’s the real cost to hire a ghostwriter in 2025? And more importantly, what are you paying for?

Let’s break it down.

Ghostwriting Rates in 2025

In 2025, the cost of ghostwriting a professionally crafted, full-length book ranges from:

$5,000 to $135,000+

Where you fall on that scale depends on:

• Type of book (memoir, nonfiction, fiction, legacy story)

• Word count (short legacy memoir vs full-length novel)

• Depth and number of interviews

• Number of revisions and editing stages

• Whether publishing/design is included

• Privacy, anonymity, and ownership rights

• Timeline and delivery speed

Who you hire: freelancer vs boutique agency vs premium firm

Tier 1: Premium Firms

(Scribe Media, Kevin Anderson & Associates)💰 $50,000 – $135,000+

This tier is designed for high-net-worth individuals, executives, and public figures seeking a full-service, white-glove experience.

• What’s Included:

  • 30–60 hours of interviews

  • 50,000–80,000 word manuscript

  • Full developmental editing

  • Cover design, formatting, and publishing support

  • Legal contracts, privacy clauses, NDAs

  • Dedicated publishing strategist or team

    
    

  Examples:

  • Scribe Media:

    • “Scribe Professional” starts at $48,000

    • “Scribe Elite Ghostwriting” reaches $135,000+

  • Kevin Anderson & Associates:

    • Custom pricing from $50,000 – $120,000

      
      

  These services are excellent for thought leaders and legacy creators who want a hands-off experience and a professional publishing partner, but the price is out of reach for most authors.

Tier 2: Boutique Firms (Legacy Collection Press and comparable experts)

💰 $8,000 – $35,000

This tier offers authors professional, high-touch service without the inflated six-figure cost of premium agencies. Unlike marketplace platforms where you're left to vet and manage freelancers yourself, boutique firms like Legacy Collection Press deliver a start-to-finish experience with:

• One-on-one interviews with a dedicated ghostwriter

• Personalized story planning and emotional narrative development

• Developmental editing, revisions, and formatting

• Custom cover design and white-label publishing files

• Legal contracts, NDAs, and full IP ownership

• Concierge-level communication and project management

  
  

This is for people who care deeply about their story—and want a professional to help them tell it right, with warmth, structure, and style.

Tier 3: Freelancer Marketplaces (Fiverr, Upwork, Reedsy)

💰 $500 – $2,000

This is the entry-level tier—best suited for short, fast-turnaround content, not deeply crafted books.

On platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, most ghostwriting gigs fall between $500–$1,500, with a few outliers priced at $2,000. Writers at this level often juggle multiple clients, rely on AI-generated content, or utilize templated formats to deliver work efficiently

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What’s usually lacking at this tier:

• Deep interviews or narrative planning

• Professional developmental or line editing

• Voice-matching or emotional resonance

• Guaranteed privacy or ownership protections

• Formatting or publishing-ready files

  
  

🛠️ You’ll be responsible for outsourcing editing, cover design, formatting, and publishing support on your own—often to other freelancers, with no cohesive team or oversight.

Note: Some freelancers may offer NDAs or IP contracts, but they’re rarely included by default—and it's up to you to request, review, and enforce them.

Suppose you’re investing in a memoir, legacy story, or business-defining book. In that case, this tier may cost you more in the long run due to rewrites, editing gaps, or missed opportunities for impact.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Ghostwriter in 2025?

When you invest in high-end ghostwriting and publishing services, you’re not just paying for a quick rough draft turnaround (unless that's what you're looking for). You’re paying for:

Service	Description
Voice-Capture Interviews	In-depth, recorded conversations to extract your story and tone
Developmental Editing	Professional story shaping, pacing, and structure
Line Editing & Proofreading	Grammar, clarity, and polish
Custom Book Design	Typography, layout, materials, cover design
Printing & Production	Hardcover or gifting editions, slipcases, archival materials
Project Management	A dedicated guide managing every step for you
NDAs & Privacy Protection	Legal confidentiality so your name stays protected

So, it really depends on what you’re needing a ghostwriter for. If you just want a fast rough draft of a fiction project you’ve already outlined and plan to rewrite in your own voice, then Fiverr or Reedsy might be your best option.

But if you’re a busy business owner, or you work full-time and writing isn’t your thing, and you’re looking for a full-package, luxury service that takes your ideas, your memories, your voice, and turns it into something truly special like a literary nonfiction memoir, then you’ll want to be looking at the top two tiers.

Why Not Just Use AI?

AI tools like ChatGPT can generate content quickly. But that doesn’t mean they can write a good book, let alone your book.

Here’s why AI isn’t enough:

• No emotional intelligence – AI can’t understand the deeper why behind your story, and sometimes carries on in a tangent.

• No true voice matching – Your cadence, quirks, and language are unique. A human can capture them. AI is programmed to be overly melodramatic, with the same rhythm repeated for everyone. After a while, you'll be able to point out what's been written using ChatGPT. I see them on Facebook Ads all the time.

• No lived experience – AI takes from what's already been written, learns the experiences through the lens of well, AI, and sometimes gets the end result wrong. Even though you may correct it and steer it in the right direction, it can only go as far as its programming will allow. The next time you ask it to write something similar, it will default to its original setting, and you'll find yourself in a loop asking it to remember.

• No ethical discretion – AI doesn’t offer NDAs or privacy protections--at this time, ethical use of AI to publish one's work is of concern.

  
  
  
  

If you’re serious about your story and want something that feels meaningful, lasting, and beautifully crafted, AI can’t do that. But we can.

💳 How Do People Pay for Ghostwriting?

Most high-end ghostwriters and private publishers use one of the following models:

• Flat-fee packages (billed in milestones)

• Retainers (monthly payments for 6–12 months)

• Hybrid pricing with optional add-ons for design, printing, or travel

  
  

At Legacy Collection Press, we don’t leave you guessing. Every client gets a personalized roadmap outlining exactly what to expect: milestones, timelines, and when your book will be in your hands.

We take your story seriously. From our first interview to the final page, you're working with a dedicated expert who listens, shapes, and writes with your voice in mind.

You’re not just buying a book. You’re preserving your voice, your history, and your legacy.

Let’s Talk About What Your Legacy Could Become.

📩 Schedule a Legacy Consultation. We’ll walk you through every step and create a custom quote tailored to your goals, vision, and voice.