The American Society of Journalists and Authors and Gotham Ghostwriters have released the findings from their joint compensation survey of ghostwriters. According to the survey of 269 working ghostwriters and collaborators, one-third of respondents reported that they earn over $100,000 in annual income from ghostwriting books. The report did not specify the salary breakdown for the other two-thirds of respondents. Other findings include:
- 25% of ghostwriters charged at least $100,000 for their last nonfiction manuscript
- 8% of ghostwriters charged more than $150,000 for their last nonfiction manuscript
- 50% of ghostwriters charged $10,000 to $20,000 for their last nonfiction proposal
- 11% of ghostwriters charged more than $20,000 for their last nonfiction proposal
- 2% of ghostwriters have written 10 or more New York Times bestsellers and charge upwards of $150,000 for a nonfiction manuscript, with 1% indicating that they charge over $300,000
"Contrary to widespread assumption that AI is putting writers out of work, we are seeing the opposite," said Gotham Ghostwriters CEO Dan Gerstein in a statement. "Aspiring authors recognize that a well-executed book can extend their brand into realms where presentations, op-eds, and speeches cannot compete. At the same time, authorship has never been more accessible, thanks to the democratization of the publishing sector. Options abound for would-be authors—and as a result, accomplished collaborators are in high demand."
