Independent · Not an agency
Everything you need before you hire a ghostwriter.
Real cost ranges, the questions that expose a bad writer, and 180+ guides written for the person paying — not the person selling. Then we match you with writers who actually fit your book.
60-second match
Where are you with your book?
Answer 5 questions. Get a shortlist and a realistic budget — no call needed.
The question everybody asks first
What does a ghostwriter actually cost in 2026?
A professional non-fiction ghostwriter charges $25,000–$85,000 for a full-length book of 50,000–80,000 words. Short memoirs and family legacy books run $12,000–$30,000. Business and thought-leadership books run $45,000–$150,000.
Anything under $10,000 for a full-length book is almost always an offshore content mill or AI-generated text with light human editing. Updated August 2026 from published association rate data and quotes collected from working ghostwriters.
| Book type | Length | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Family legacy / short memoir | 20–40k | $12k–$30k |
| Full-length memoir | 60–80k | $30k–$75k |
| Business / thought leadership | 45–70k | $45k–$150k |
| CEO biography | 60–90k | $60k–$200k |
| Self-help / how-to | 40–60k | $25k–$70k |
| Developmental edit only | any | $3k–$12k |
Start where you are
Four kinds of people hire ghostwriters
Each one needs a different writer, a different budget and a different process. Pick yours and we’ll show you only what’s relevant.
I want my life story written
Memoir, autobiography, or a book for your children and grandchildren.
See the memoir path →I need a book for my business
Thought leadership, a founder story, or the book that fills speaking slots.
See the business path →I’m capturing a parent’s story
Family history, a legacy book, or a gift for someone who won’t write it themselves.
See the legacy path →I’m stuck partway through
A half-finished draft, a stalled manuscript, or a book that needs an editor not a writer.
See the rescue path →The library
180+ guides, organised the way you’d actually look for them
Every article we’ve published, sorted into six paths. The first two are for people about to spend money — start there.
Hiring a Ghostwriter
How to find one, how to vet one, and how not to get burned.
- How to Hire a Ghostwriter and Bring Your Story to Life
- Best Ghostwriting Services, Compared Honestly
- Ghostwriter Contract Template & What to Watch For
- What Is a Ghostwriter, Really?
What It Costs
Real numbers, what drives them, and where the cheap quotes come from.
- How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Ghostwriter?
- Ghostwriter Rates by Book Type and Length
- Do Ghostwriters Get Royalties?
- Affordable Ghostwriting Without Getting Burned
Memoir & Life Story
Turning a life into a book somebody will actually read.
- How to Write a Memoir Outline
- Memoir Interview Questions That Get Real Answers
- What Makes a Good Memoir
- Writing a Trauma Memoir Safely
Business & Thought Leadership
The book as a business asset, not a vanity project.
- How to Write a Business Book Without Losing Your Mind
- CEO Biography Ghostwriter: Your Legacy Book Guide
- How to Write a Thought Leadership Book
- Company History Examples Worth Copying
Family History & Legacy
Capturing a parent or grandparent’s story before it’s gone.
- 10 Questions to Ask About Family History
- How to Make a Grandparent Memory Book
- Family History Book Template
- How to Turn Family Journals Into a Book
Writing & Publishing
Craft, structure and getting the finished thing into print.
- Mastering Structure in Writing
- Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing
- How to Format a Book
- How to Promote Your Book
Free, no signup
Tools that do the thinking for you
Built from our own research. Use them without giving us anything — the email box only shows up if you want the results sent to you.
Ghostwriter Cost Calculator
Your book’s realistic price range in 30 seconds.
FreeWriter Match Quiz
Five questions, then a shortlist that fits your project.
FreeVetting Checklist
22 questions to ask before you sign anything.
FreeBook Length Estimator
How many words your book actually needs to be.
FreeMemoir Interview Kit
120 questions to record with a parent this weekend.
FreeHow matching works
You stay anonymous until you decide otherwise
Tell us about the book
Five questions about what you have, what it’s for, and roughly what you’re willing to spend. Takes a minute.
We shortlist writers
We match against genre, format, budget and availability — and send you two or three real options with samples, not a directory dump.
You talk to whoever you want
Contact none, one or all of them. No fee, no pressure, and no writer gets your details until you say so.
- Guides published
- 180+Every stage of the process, free to read
- Cost data points
- 240+Collected from working ghostwriters and associations
- Cost to you
- $0Writers pay the referral fee, never you
Straight answers
Questions people ask before spending $40,000
How much does it cost to hire a ghostwriter?
$25,000 to $85,000 for a full-length non-fiction book of 50,000–80,000 words. Short memoirs and family legacy books run $12,000–$30,000. Business and thought-leadership books run $45,000–$150,000 because they need more interviews and research. Rates below roughly $10,000 for a full book almost always mean an offshore content mill rather than a professional ghostwriter. Price your specific book →
Do I still own the book if a ghostwriter writes it?
Yes. In a standard ghostwriting agreement you own the full copyright and you are named as the author. The ghostwriter works under a work-for-hire clause and signs an NDA. Get copyright ownership stated explicitly in the contract before any money changes hands — if a writer resists that, walk.
How long does it take to ghostwrite a book?
Six to twelve months from first interview to final manuscript for a full-length book. A short memoir or legacy book can be done in three to five months. Anyone promising a finished book in under eight weeks is either generating it with AI or cutting the interview process short.
How much of my own time will this take?
20 to 40 hours total, spread across the project. Mostly recorded interviews of one to two hours each, plus reading and marking up drafts. You supply the memories, opinions and stories. The ghostwriter does the structuring and the writing.
Is My Book Written a ghostwriting agency?
No. We’re an independent resource. We publish cost data, vetting guidance and free planning tools, and we match you with ghostwriters who fit your project. Matching is free to you — writers pay us, which is why we can stay independent.
What’s the difference between a ghostwriter and an editor?
A ghostwriter writes the book from your interviews, notes and recordings. An editor improves a manuscript you’ve already written. If you have more than about 30,000 words drafted, you probably want a developmental editor at $3,000–$12,000 rather than a ghostwriter at $40,000. Getting this wrong is the single most expensive mistake in the process.
No cost, no call
Get a shortlist of writers who fit your book
Five questions. We come back with two or three writers who work in your genre, at your budget, with availability — plus a realistic cost range for the project. You decide whether to talk to any of them.
Or just take the guide
The Ghostwriter Vetting Kit — 22 questions to ask, a red-flag checklist, and a sample contract with the clauses that matter highlighted.