I'm sorry to raise the vulgar subject of money. However, we are going to have to discuss it at some point.
There are two ways I can get paid:
I am happy to work either way (or perhaps even have a mixture of the two). Equally, I am happy to look at other payment options that you might want to suggest. However, do check out my comments below about fiction.
The amount I expect to be paid is very much dependent on the time it will take me to complete the task. Until I have got a reasonable idea of the scope of the project, I am unable to give offer any suggestions as to my charges.
If I am working for a fee, my normal terms are 50% at start of project, 40% on turning in the manuscript, with the balance then being paid on completion of any changes you want. I am happy to be paid by cheque, direct credit transfer, credit card, PayPal, or any other legal form of money transfer. With a share of earnings agreement, I would usually expect to receive my share of the income directly from the publisher (or a literary agent).
I am happy to consider projects where the budget has already been agreed. If you have a fixed budget, then it would be useful if you mention this at the outset. If the budget is tight then we can look at ways to control the scope of the project and to keep the costs down.
One thing that I do need to make clear is that I will need to be paid some how. Writing is what I do for a living, and what puts food on the table and keeps a roof over my head.
This means that if your book is not intended as a commercial project (for instance, it may be a family history) or if it has little commercial potential (which may well be the case even if your book is interesting, worthy, or important), then I will want a fee and will not consider a share of the earnings (as there will be no earnings to share).
As far as my fees go, I will never be the cheapest ghostwriter you can find; however, I think my fees are quite reasonable in the context of what other ghostwriters charge and in relation to the income that can be generated on the back of my work.
As a matter of principle I decline all potential projects where the commissioning criteria is driven by budgetary constraints. If you want cheap, then your results will be cheap. I am proud of the quality of my work and that is the basis on which I promote my services.
I am happy to get involved in fiction projects, however, there are a few additional considerations for this sort of work.
First off, it is important to understand that just because you have a good idea, that does not mean you will have a successful book. There are thousands (literally, if not millions) of good works of fiction that do not have any commercial success.
Due to the additional risk associated with fiction, I am more cautious about what I charge. Therefore, unless you have a "platform" to market a work of fiction (for instance you are an established fiction writer looking to work with a collaborator, or you have a media profile) then I will always look for a fee in addition to any share of earnings. If you do not have an established marketing base, then (to give you an indication) this fee will usually be around $50,000 as a minimum.
I work on the logic that if you are not happy to consider paying this fee, then you don't have confidence in your concept. If you don't have the confidence in your concept, then I am not sure that there would be any reason why I would want to get involved.