How Much Does a Ghost Cost
Tuesday, June 7, 2011 @ 1:05 PM
Unless you are a professional writer your copy will need to be re-written to publishable standards; if it is not it will go straight in the bin. It’s the real world; sorry. Horrified at mistakes in a concert organiser’s press release I offered to tidy up their next one. My kindness was accepted. Before long my free input was selling an extra one hundred €20 tickets every month, which was clear profit. Not surprisingly they were thrilled and I was now being asked to write several press releases each week. I mutinied and suggested they pay me €250 a month, which they declined. That business today is no longer viable. It is called spoiling a ship for a ha’porth of tar. No wonder many businesses fail.
A good copywriter / ghost-writer will increase sales of products, services and books. A professional writer will spend 2 – 3 hours on each 1,000 words titivating and correcting your work until you are so pleased you write as did this author: “I never really thought it possible for anyone to bring to life my biography as you have done. I don’t exaggerate when I say you far exceeded my expectations.”
At just €20 per 1,000 words that is value for money. I invite all who contact me to browse ghost-writing companies; I am confident that I cannot be beaten on price or quality. Typically, the ghost-writing company of London charges £120 per 1,000 words. I contacted a professional ghost-writer to ask his opinion. He wrote to say my fees were far too low. I was undermining the market.
Lesson learned; I will increase my prices when I have an office, sub-contract staff; overheads, and work is coming in faster than I can handle it. If in the meantime you can get yours professionally ghost-written for €20 per 1,000 words don’t look a gift horse in the mouth; you have a bargain.
The copywriter or ghost-writer’s fees are returnable because they increase sales. Companies with products and services to sell; household name authors like Jeffrey Archer, employ copywriters and co-authors. A well written book will have an enhanced cover price so the author’s investment in a co-author is returned.