How to Determine Ghostwriting Rates
Following are the major factors on the basis of which ghostwriters should determine their ghostwriting rates.
Content
The kind of content ghostwriters write has the biggest influence on the rates they command. The content in the form of article, blog posts, books, SEO-friendly articles, movie scripts, song lyrics, etc., command different rates. For instance, while writing content for a website, an SEO-friendly article deserves a greater rate than an article with some innovative title. Also, you may be hired by academic institutions, websites or a film producer. Your ghostwriting fees may vary for each of them depending on the content you are expected to write.
Quality
The quality of content is another major factor. If the client is not satisfied with the quality of your work, then it may have adverse impact on your future assignments. Remember, in this field, most of the work a ghostwriter gets depends on the recommendations and referrals from earlier clients. If the quality is unsatisfactory, then you may have to negotiate your ghostwriting rates, and ultimately, lower them for future clients.
Research
The time taken to complete the work may range from a few hours for an article to months for a book. An article written with, say, five hours of research, is surely going to be easier than an article finished in a couple of hours on the same topic. Here, the research done, which is the effort taken by the ghostwriter, is being paid for. Also, if it is an autobiography of the client, it is mandatory that the ghostwriter and client decide in conjunction the timings and places where they will meet to discuss about the book. Of course, it goes without saying that the client will need to bore the expenses of their meetings.
Experience
As in any job, experienced ghostwriters are bound to get a head start over beginners or inexperienced ghostwriters, in not just in the number of offers they get, but also in the remuneration they receive. Simply put, experience matters a great deal in this industry!
Method of Payment
The decision whether the ghostwriter will receive his payment one-time or per hour or per day or per page, should be taken while formulating the ghostwriting contract itself. Some ghostwriters accept their payments in this way – ⅓ at the start, ⅓ at the halfway point, ⅓ on completion. The method of payment impacts the fees you get, as the number of words or pages you write in a day, definitely, varies. How to receive the payment can be at an experienced ghostwriter’s discretion, but the same cannot be said for a beginner.
Manuscript Changes
When you have finished your work, it may so happen that after going through the manuscript, the client may suggest wholesale changes or even some minor changes thought after the contract formulation, which may require an extra effort. This can be taxing for you. So, to face such an eventuality, the required clause needs to be mentioned in the contract beforehand, wherein you can get paid for the extra effort you put in for the changes made at the behest of the client.
Royalties
At the contract stage itself, it should be decided whether you will get the royalties or not, in case the book you have written turns out to be a money-spinner. In such a scenario, what percentage of revenues generated you will get should be stipulated in the contract.
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