How Long Does It Take to Ghostwrite a Book?

Many authors want to know how soon a ghostwriter will have their book ready. Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy answer to that question. Each project is unique and thus takes a different amount of time. However, you can pinpoint a few factors that will speed up or slow down the writing of your book. I even came up with a handy acronym—PACE. Preparedness, availability, complexity, and expectations.

1.     Preparedness. Say you have all of your notes, audiotapes, files, interviews, case studies, and outlines ready and raring to go (properly organized and synthesized of course). If so, you’re a ghostwriter’s dream—they can immediately get to work on writing your book. But if you’re struggling to put together your layout and materials when you hire your writer, it may take some time for the two of you to collect and work through the information that you have.

2.     Availability. This goes for both parties. The more often that you and your ghostwriter can connect, the faster the book will come to fruition. But if you are a busy executive or your writer is juggling several projects at once, expect a slower turnaround time. Try to email, meet, or talk on the phone at least once a week to check in on the status of the book.

3.     Complexity. By nature, some books are straightforward and others can be Pandora’s boxes of intricacy. It stands to reason that the more complex your book, the longer it will take to write. To help expedite the process, look at your project and your materials as if you were a stranger to them, like your writer will be at first. Try to anticipate possible questions, tricky spots in the narrative, or confusing parts of your concept. The better you understand your book, the more helpful you will be to your writer.

4.     Expectations. Ghostwriters are happy to work with a deadline in mind, but try not to place them under the gun. Expecting a perfect, polished manuscript in a month simply isn’t reasonable. In any situation, you will want to give your writer at least 3 – 6 months to complete the project. This time frame gives you two enough time to get to know one another, transfer materials, and go through at least two drafts of the book. Don’t fall for the ghostwriting services that promise you a completed book in 90 days—even if you get your book back in that time frame, it is unlikely that you’ll be happy with the final product.

Some authors spend years slaving over manuscripts, while others are able to write 100,000 words in a month. Project goals and deadlines are important, but keep in mind that it is not the physical book that is important, but the words on the page. The more time and care you spend working with your writer to get your draft to its best possible state, the more successful your book will be.

Contact the Jenkins Group and tell us about your project