How can I raise my rates as a ghostwriter without scaring off good clients?
Raising your rates as a ghostwriter can feel like trying to tune a guitar while riding a bike – tricky, requires balance, and you’re worried about crashing. It can be challenging, especially now with AI changing the game. Businesses are wondering if they still need human writers.
This puts pressure on you, makes you question your value, maybe even tempts you to lower your prices just to compete.
But here's the truth I've learned: Underselling yourself helps no one. It doesn't help you pay the bills, and it doesn't help the industry. Blaming AI or cheap clients won't change anything either.
What works, in my experience, is figuring out your value and learning how to communicate it clearly and fairly. Let’s talk about how you can raise your rates without scaring off the clients you actually want to keep.
Know What You're Worth (and What Others Charge)
Before you even think about asking for more, you need to know where you stand.
What's the Going Rate?
Look, rates are all over the place. Some folks starting out might charge 5-10 cents a word, maybe 75 for a 1,000-word post. More experienced writers? They can get 20 cents a word or more, maybe up to $250 for that same post. These aren't hard rules, just benchmarks to give you an idea.
Where Do You Fit In?
Are you still charging what you did when you first started? I made that mistake early on in different roles – kept my head down, did the work, and forgot to adjust for my growing skills. Take an honest look.
Are you providing way more value than your current rate reflects? Maybe it's time to think about pricing based on the results you deliver for the client, not just the words.
Check out what others with similar experience are charging. If you're way below market rate, asking for more is pretty straightforward. Even if you decide to charge more than average, you can do it if you clearly show why you're worth it.
Raising Rates with People You Already Work With
This is delicate. You've built relationships. Here’s how I’ve seen it work without burning bridges:
Go Slow and Steady
Instead of a huge jump, maybe increase rates a little bit over time. It’s less of a shock. For clients you've worked with for ages, give them a heads-up way in advance so they can plan for it.
Offer a Middle Ground
Maybe you decide your new rate is $125, up from $105. For your loyal clients, perhaps you offer them $115 for a while. It shows you value their business while still moving towards your goal.
Give Them Time
Always, always give existing clients notice – 2 or 3 months is fair. It gives them time to adjust their budget or, if they really can't swing it, find someone else. It’s just professional courtesy.
Setting Prices for New Clients
With new folks, you have a clean slate.
Think About the Job
Not all blog posts are the same, right? A simple opinion piece takes less effort than a deep dive into tech that needs tons of research and interviews. Factor in the complexity, the research, the turnaround time when you quote a price.
Charge Extra for Rushes
If someone needs something yesterday, that means pushing other work aside. It's standard practice to charge a rush fee for that. Your time is valuable.
Don't Race to the Bottom
Seriously, don't take jobs paying pennies ($0.05/word or less is just exploitative, honestly). I know it’s tempting when you need the work, but accepting super low rates just hurts you and every other writer out there. You're better than that.
How to Have the "Money Talk"
The way you talk about raising rates matters a lot.
Focus on the Value
Don't just say "My price is going up." Explain why it's worth more. Have you gotten faster? Learned new skills like SEO that get them better results? Focused on a specific niche where you have deep knowledge? Frame it around the extra value you bring.
Be Clear About Why
Maybe your own costs went up, or you took a course, or you're aligning with market rates. Be ready to explain calmly and clearly. Honesty builds trust.
Pick Your Moment
Timing can help. Right after you've delivered great work they loved? Or when they mention how happy they are? That can be a good time to bring it up.
Show Them You're Worth It
The best way to justify higher rates is to constantly add value.
Become an Expert
If you can specialize in something tricky like tech, healthcare, or finance, businesses will often pay more for that expertise. Build up proof you know what you're talking about.
Get Good at SEO
Writers who understand Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can help clients get found online. That's a concrete result beyond just writing, and it's worth paying for.
Offer More Than Just Writing
Can you help with content strategy? Figure out their audience better? Help promote the posts you write? When you become more of a partner than just a writer, you can charge like one.
Asking for more money doesn't have to feel like walking a tightrope. It’s more like adjusting your training plan when you get stronger in the gym – you increase the weights because you can lift more, because you've put in the work.
Know your value, be strategic about how you increase rates, communicate honestly, and keep showing your clients why your human touch and expertise are worth paying for.
You can raise your income and keep the good clients – the ones who see you as a valuable partner.