Ghostwriting is when a professional writer creates a written work for you. This could include books, articles, blogs, scripts, screenplays, speeches, and so forth. Any written work where someone writes it on your behalf, but you retain full ownership (rights) to the work is ghostwriting.

A skilled ghostwriter is more than an expert wordsmith. He will guide you along in the writing process to ensure you understand industry standards within your target market. In addition, highly sought after and talented ghostwriters will coach you, and also tend to offer additional services with their ghostwriting. Another way to tell a pro from a novice is the process. Does the ghostwriter have a clear method in place that has worked for many clients before, or do they require you to do all of the work?

According to the Writer's Market & Writer's Digest, you can expect to spend anywhere from $35,000 to $100,000+ for a highly skilled and experienced ghostwriter. You know all of those books you see written by well-known celebrities, politicians, or business leaders? Those were most likely ghostwritten by a professional ghostwriter. And while the industry average is $35,000 for only the ghostwriting of one book, these ghostwriters command more respect and notoriety. For this reason, they tend to negotiate a share of royalties (up to 50%), be given credit, and so forth. It's worthing noting, everything is negotiable, but expect an experienced ghostwriter to demand a pretty penny, and at least half upfront. This is not a time to look for the lowest bidder. With ghostwriting, you truly do get what you pay for.

This ranges from ghostwriter to ghostwriter. However, a good industry standard is six to twelve months. The best ghostwriters manage a busy schedule and several clients all year. If you have an opportunity to partner with one, lock them in as quickly as you can, or you may find yourself on their waitlist for six months to a year out. It's worth noting, some of the best ghostwriters will quote you at three to six months, but always overdeliver. Meaning, you can expect to receive your polished and bestselling manuscript in three months or less. This is a nice surprise and the mark of a professional.

Like any service or product, there is always risk involved. However, if you partner with a reputable ghostwriter, you need not worry about their integrity. The best way to ensure you're working with reputable a ghostwriter is to request testimonials or references of their previous clients. With that said, most ghostwriting projects fall under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), which means the ghostwriter cannot disclose any information about their previous clients or the work they've done. This acts as a Catch 22 sometimes, but the most experienced ghostwriters will be able to direct you to their portfolio or testimonials their previous clients allowed for them to share. If the ghostwriter still declines, then it's up to your discretion whether to move forward.  Always look at their track record, past jobs, amount of income earned, any ratings from reputable freelance sites like Upwork, and so on. These will give you a good idea of whether they're the real deal and worth your time.