Ghostwriting jobs – What you need to know

The amount of the earnings of a ghostwriter relies on various aspects. Essential are the processing time, the scope of work, and the level of the work.

Projects with short processing times and tight deadlines are usually accompanied by higher remuneration than projects with longer processing times. The reason: In the first case, there is less leeway for time management, which is why activities on weekends, holidays and nights may also be required.

As far as the scope of work is concerned, the number of pages or words is usually decisive. Those who write more also earn more. How much the ghostwriter is paid per page or word depends, among other things, on the ghostwriting agency or freelancer platform for which the ghostwriter works, but also on the level of the project.

The higher the level of the project, the higher the remuneration. For example, the pay for writing the text for a bachelor's thesis is lower than for a doctoral thesis template, where the amount of research and work is significantly higher.

Of course, the ghostwriter's experience and qualifications also pay off. Someone who occasionally works as a ghostwriter alongside his or her studies must expect lower earnings than a university graduate with years of successful writing experience as a professional ghostwriter. On average, an experienced ghostwriter in Germany earns 58,500 euros per year, while entry-level ghostwriters earn 47,531 euros.

No special training is required to become a ghostwriter. The basic requirements for a ghostwriter job are a very good knowledge of the respective written language, a distinct talent for writing, sufficient EDP skills, reliability and punctual work, absolute discretion as well as optimal time management.

Those who are specifically seeking an academic ghostwriting job must also have a university degree. As a rule, people in academic ghostwriting jobs are master's-level graduates and PhDs. Without proof of advanced skills in academic writing, it is hardly realistic to successfully pursue a career as an academic ghostwriter. This is because, in addition to considerable written and technical skills, a profound methodological understanding is required. A versatile academic ghostwriter not only masters the various literature research methods, but is also sufficiently familiar with empirical methodology.

Interested in a ghostwriting job at ghostwriting.com?

We are looking for you if you

✔ Have at least one university degree

✔ Are proficient in academic writing

✔ Have sufficient methodological knowledge

✔ Are communicative and a team player

✔ Work reliably and meet deadlines

✔ Maintain discretion

You can become an academic ghostwriter in a direct or indirect way. The direct way is through your own website, where you offer your ghostwriting services yourself. Since constant self-promotion and direct contact with clients comes with extra work time and stress, many choose the indirect route through a freelancer platform or ghostwriting agency like ghostwriting.com.

Are you looking for a ghostwriting job in a ghostwriting agency? Apply with us in just a few steps. Simply upload your resumé, certificates and work sample and sign up as a freelancer.

No. Both regular ghostwriting and academic ghostwriting are legal services. As an academic ghostwriter, you write sample scientific texts that serve only for orientation purposes. The purpose of such text templates is to outline a possible solution path for the client in compliance with all the criteria of scientific writing. Although the client usually receives the rights to use the work, these apply exclusively within legal limits. Since university papers must be written independently as examination papers, the sample texts of a ghostwriter must not be submitted under one's own name. In this respect, the texts of academic ghostwriters are just like any study papers that are accessible online for free or for a fee: they function as sample texts that can be used for inspiration and assistance for independent text creation. Accordingly, anyone who performs an academic ghostwriting job is not committing any illegal acts. Learn more in our blog und FAQs.

The order situation for academic ghostwriting jobs is better than ever. This has several reasons:

1. Bologna reform: Since the introduction of bachelor's and master's degree programs, students have increasingly complained about excessive workloads and stress levels. Quite a few students have to struggle with exam nerves, depression, burnout and other psychological stresses. As a result of the increased pressure to perform and workload from the student's perspective, there is an increased need for relief and support through professionals. This applies in particular to time-intensive tasks during the already stressful examination phases, such as the preparation of term papers or seminar papers and theses.
2. Skills shortage & underfunded education: Demographic change is also making itself felt in the education sector. Universities are finding it increasingly difficult to replace retiring professors with the next generation, which has a low birth rate. Furthermore, more and more qualified personnel are moving from universities to the private sector. Closely linked to this is the problem of chronic underfunding of teaching: the often more attractive salaries in industry and business are luring more than a few academic employees away from universities. The result: reduced educational and support services at universities. These developments endanger in particular the teaching formats that are important for learning the scientific tools of the trade, notably tutorials and propaedeutics. As a result, students are increasingly seeking their writing consultants, learning coaches, and mentors from academic ghostwriting agencies.
3. Increased student numbers: This trend is reinforced by the overall increase in the number of students in recent decades. Between 1983 and 2013 alone, the number of students in Germany rose from 1.3 million to 2.6 million. In the winter semester of 2021, around 2.9 million students were enrolled at German universities. These include an increasing number of foreign students. Between 2006 and 2022, the proportion of international students rose from 12.5% to 15%. For academic ghostwriting, this increase in students bodes well for the future: More students with a supposedly greater workload on the one hand, and less academic support from universities on the other, mean more need for advice and support from external academic experts.