Ghostwriting: some say it's free, who stands around the 2.400 euros and those who reach 10,000… who will be right? Here you will find all the answers
We are in the 2025, the era of generative AI at your fingertips, free and increasingly efficient.
Many self-styled editorial professionals (we want to call them “bullshit guru”? Let's do it) they recommend writing a book with the help of this or that artificial intelligence. It doesn't take long, very little and you spend little, very little. How much? Be’, se usi Chat GPT, you feed it some prompts and then assemble everything in a Word sheet, without a logical thread and without any possibility of being attractive to your readers… the answer to the question “How much does it cost to have a book written?” it can also be 0 euro.
If instead you want to have your book written by a human being who listens to your story, internalize your tone of voice, directs you at every stage, solves your doubts, empathize with you and create the best possible version of your work, capable of attracting the right audience and making them emotional… the price goes up.
I don't want to make you want more than the information you are looking for, so I'll answer right away: Let's assume your text is the length of 200 folders and that the topic is not too complicated. A professional ghostwriter (not improvised) he will ask at least 12 euros per folder. So we're talking about 2.400 euros for writing ONLY.
Your book, But, it won't be ready yet: other editorial processes will need to be added. What are they? You will find all the answers by continuing to read.
How much does it cost to have a book written ready for publication?
In the 2025, as we have seen, we are too used to finding botched books on Amazon, coupled with Chat GPT, which say a lot about their communication skills “authors”. People in the hands of the rubbish gurus, who unfortunately burns his reputation by putting these pseudo-texts on the market. Well, This is the trend that must be avoided at all costs.
It is very important that your work gives the right idea of you: a professional person, reliable, that inspires trust.
If you want to get a REAL book, packaged to fully satisfy your target, the processes to take into account are the following:
- writing on commission;
- macro-editing;
- micro-editing;
- proof-reading;
- layout of the paper file on PDF;
- digital file layout optimized for Amazon;
- professional cover, in line with the genre of the book;
- purchase of the ISBN code;
- sending the copies required by law for legal deposit;
- writing paratexts (back cover and Amazon description);
- keyword research for Amazon;
- uploading to the platform Kindle Direct Publishing.
Depending on the complexity of the text, the length and type of layout, the global cost for all these services come on 4.000 and can reach the 10.000 euro (in some cases even beyond). To understand how much you could spend on your work, all you have to do is look for serious professionals who work as ghostwriters, correctors, editors and graphic designers and ask for a personalized quote, tailored to your needs.
My final advice
Now that you have a clearer idea of how much it costs to have a book written my suggestion is to rely on an editorial team and not on individual professionals.
Why? Why, Is it a revolution? 4/5 different people, you have to ask 4/5 different quotes, coordinate all the freelancers and waste time instructing them on what the person before them did and what the person coming after them will do. With a team available, Instead, you will save time, money e (above all) mental health.
This is why I joined with my colleagues to create the path Scrivantes: after many years of independent work, we understood that together we are a force, able to facilitate the work of our authors and maximize the final result.
If you want one free consultation on your editorial project, don't hesitate to write to me!
