The ghostwriting industry is worth over a billion dollars, but few people know. A recent study shows that the global books market is expected to generate $94.94 billion in revenue by 2025, highlighting the growing demand for high-quality written content. Another study showed that 81% of people in the USA want to write a book, but only a few do it. This indicates the need for ghostwriters.
But a lot of writers don't get high-paying jobs because they don't know how to advertise themselves or believe their skills are valuable. Make yourself known as an expert that people can trust, improve your image, and network well to get high prices.
In this detailed article, we'll show you how to get ghostwriting jobs that pay well.
Building a Strong Foundation: Your Portfolio & Expertise
Before you can attract high-paying clients, you must prove you can deliver results. Think of your portfolio as your resume—it should showcase your expertise and writing style in a way that attracts premium clients.
How to Build an Impressive Portfolio:
● Create Sample Projects: If you don’t have previous work to showcase, write a few high-quality samples that reflect the kind of work you want to do (e.g., business books, blog posts, whitepapers).
● Leverage Past Experience: If you’ve worked in a specific field (e.g., healthcare, finance, tech), position yourself as a niche expert ghostwriter. Industry expertise is a major advantage.
● Showcase Testimonials: If previous clients have praised your work, display their testimonials on your website. If you’re just starting, offer free or discounted work to build credibility.
Pro Tip: Your portfolio should be strategic, meaning it should appeal to the clients you want to attract. If you want to write books for CEOs, your samples should be in that domain—not random blog posts.
Finding High-Paying Clients: The Best Strategies
Many writers struggle to find clients who pay well because they are looking in the wrong places. High-paying clients are not browsing Upwork for $0.01 per word offers—they are business leaders, publishers, and agencies looking for reliable talent.
Best Ways to Find Premium Ghostwriting Clients:
Networking & Referrals:
● Join business clubs, book groups, and events in your field.
● Ask around PR companies, book publishers, and editors; they need ghostwriters for their clients all the time.
● Make friends with other ghostwriters. If they're busy, they may send clients your way.
Cold Outreach (Done Right!):
● Research business leaders, authors, and executives who may need ghostwriting.
● Follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn, interact with their posts, and give them something of value before you pitch them.
● Try something like this instead of a basic sales pitch: "Hey [Name], I loved your latest post on [Topic]." No strings attached, I'd love to redo a small part to make it clearer and more interesting if that's okay with you. Inform me!"
Freelance Platforms (Only Premium Ones!):
● Avoid Fiverr and Upwork with their cheap wages. Instead, try:
○ Reedsy – For high-paying book ghostwriting gigs.
○ Gotham Ghostwriters – A premium agency connecting ghostwriters with established clients.
○ The Urban Writers – A reliable fiction and nonfiction ghostwriter platform.
Marketing Yourself as a High-Value Ghostwriter
Even the most talented writers have a difficult time finding clients if no one is aware that they exist. Marketing is not a nice-to-have; rather, it
is necessary.
How to Market Yourself as a Premium Ghostwriter:
Create a Professional Website
● Bio, portfolio, testimonials, and straightforward contact page.
● Add a writing, book, or industry trend blog to increase your reputation.
Optimize Your LinkedIn & Social Media
● Change your LinkedIn headline to “Ghostwriter for CEOs & Entrepreneurs” or “Business Book Ghostwriter.”
● Post content marketing, storytelling, and book publishing tips to attract leads.
Use Paid Advertising (Optional for Advanced Writers)
● Running a Google Ads campaign for “ghostwriting services for CEOs” can bring in serious leads.
● If you have a budget, LinkedIn ads targeting business professionals can work well.
Pro Tip: Paying clients want people who they can trust, so market yourself as an expert ghostwriter instead of just a writer-for-hire.
Pricing & Contracts: Charge What You’re Worth
Many ghostwriters undervalue themselves and struggle with pricing. High-paying clients are not looking for the cheapest writer—they want the best writer.
How to Set Your Rates:
Per Word/Project Pricing:
● Articles and blog posts cost $0.25 to $1 per word.
● Trade and business books cost between $15,000 and $50,000 each.
● White papers and ebook ghostwriting services for $2,000 to $10,000
Protect Yourself Using Contracts:
● Always require a 50% upfront deposit for larger projects.
● Clearly outline the scope, deadlines, and revisions in the contract.
Pro Tip: High-paying clients expect higher prices. If your rates are too low, they may assume you’re inexperienced.
Leveraging Free Work to Secure High-Paying Clients (Strategically)
One of the common misconceptions about ghostwriters is that you must always charge beforehand to get high-paying clients. Strategic free work can change the game, but you shouldn't do it forever. Free work has helped several successful ghostwriters, notably Nicolas Cole, gain trust with premium clientele.
Why Free Work (When Used Correctly) Can Secure High-Paying Clients
Eliminates Skeptical Client Risk
● High-level entrepreneurs, executives, and authors typically hesitate to engage a ghostwriter because they doubt anybody can capture their voice and ideas.
Provides a Live Demonstration of Your Expertise
● Instead of telling clients that you're a great writer, you show them. People are far more likely to trust and hire someone who has already proven their value.
Sets You Apart from Competitors
● Most writers pitch their services with generic sales messages. Instead, offering a small piece of valuable work for free makes your approach stand out and leaves a lasting impression.
How to Offer Free Work Without Getting Exploited
Rewrite a Small Section of Their Existing Content
● Example: If a CEO shares LinkedIn posts, offer to rewrite one post to enhance clarity and engagement.
● Message Template:
● "Hi [Name], Just saw your LinkedIn post on [subject]. It was great to read, but I think I know why it wasn't popular. May I offer a short rewrite?"
Offer a Complimentary Content Audit
● If a potential client has a blog, book, or website, do a quick evaluation and offer suggestions.
● Example:
○ Highlight weak sections, missing storytelling elements, or engagement issues in their content.
○ Offer one actionable improvement to demonstrate your expertise.
Use Free Work to Lead to a Paid Engagement
● After delivering value, pivot the conversation into a paid opportunity:
○ "I’d love to work with you on refining your next article/book. Would you be open to discussing a full project?"
○ "If you liked the rewrite, I’d be happy to provide ongoing content at [your rate]."
Scaling Your Ghostwriting Business for Long-Term Success
After landing high-paying clients, grow your company by turning them into long-term income streams. Ghostwriters often focus on finding new clients rather than optimizing their present ones.
1. Get repeat business from high-value clients
You should keep the people you already have and do more work with them instead of always looking for new ones.
How to Increase Repeat Business:
● Offer additional services (e.g., content strategy, social media writing, or book coaching).
● Deliver exceptional results so that clients naturally want to continue working with you.
● Follow up professionally with past clients to check if they need more content.
2. Get More Clients Through Referrals & Testimonials
Referrals = The Easiest Way to Land New Clients
Happy clients often know other high-value clients who also need a ghostwriter. But they won’t refer you unless you ask.
How to Ask for a Referral:
● "Hi [Name of Client], It was fun to work on your book. If you know anyone else looking for a ghostwriter, I’d love an introduction!"
Collect & Showcase Testimonials
● Testimonials serve as social proof that builds credibility and attracts premium clients.
● Display them on your website, LinkedIn profile, and sales materials.
3. Offer Premium Packages Instead of One-Off Projects
One major difference between average ghostwriters and high-earning ghostwriters is pricing strategy. Instead of charging per project, shift to higher-value packages.
Examples of Premium Ghostwriting Packages:
LinkedIn Thought Leadership Package ($3,000/month) – 4 articles per month, personal branding strategy, and engagement tracking.
Book & Marketing Package ($10,000-$20,000) **– Full manuscript ghostwriting + social media promotions + book launch strategy.
**Retainer Model ($5,000-$10,000/month) – Ongoing content creation for CEOs and entrepreneurs.
Why This Works:
● Clients prefer bundled services over hiring multiple freelancers.
● You increase your earning potential while providing better long-term value to clients.
4. Delegate & Automate to Scale Beyond One-Person Work
At some point, your client base will grow, and you’ll need to scale without burning out.
How to Expand Your Ghostwriting Business:
● Hire an assistant to handle research, proofreading, or admin work.
● Use AI tools (like Grammarly and ChatGPT) to speed updrafts of
material while keeping the quality of a real writer.
● Outsource small tasks (such as data entry and typing) to writers so that you can focus on more valuable writing.
Example:
A successful ghostwriter managing multiple book projects might hire a junior writer to help with first drafts, allowing them to scale revenue while maintaining quality.
5. Continue Learning & Evolving as a High-End Ghostwriter
The best ghostwriters never stop improving. As AI-generated content grows, premium clients want human expertise, deep storytelling, and strategic thinking.
Ways to Stay Competitive:
● Read industry books like "The Art & Business of Ghostwriting" by Nicolas Cole.
● Take storytelling and personal branding courses to enhance your writing style.
● Stay updated with publishing industry trends to offer strategic advice to clients.
Final Thoughts: Get Moving Right Away!
You don't need luck to get high-paying ghostwriter jobs. You need a plan, to be consistent, and to show that you are an expert.
What to do next:
● Optimize your LinkedIn & website.
● Identify 3 high-potential clients and send value-first messages.
● Set premium rates & start marketing yourself as an expert.
With persistence and the right approach, you can build a six-figure ghostwriting business and work with premium clients who value your expertise. Start today!
Top comments (0)