Let me preface this post by stating that ghostwriting isn’t “bad,” and there’s nothing “wrong” with doing it. However, it may not be for everyone, so being aware of what it is and determining whether or not you want to do it is an important step in your freelance career.

Ghostwriting is when something you write or produce is credited to another author. For example, though you, Jane Doe, may write the blog post, it may be published on the client’s website under the CEO’s name “John Smith.”

Pros

• It’s experience.
• You can gain experience in a variety of industries and niches, some of which you wouldn’t get if you were credited.
• You can write about topics that you aren’t necessarily an “expert” in and aren’t your primary focus. You can also write about new topics without having to worry about public perceptions tied to your name attached to them.
• You can work on a secret passion.

Cons

• You don’t get credit for writing a piece.
• In most cases, you can’t include ghostwritten pieces in a portfolio or on a resume. You may even be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and can’t claim or share involvement with the project or client.
• You give up ownership of the work.

In some cases, it doesn’t matter if your name is attached to work. For example, perhaps you write press releases, copy for client websites and landing pages, or social media posts. The important thing here (if it’s important to you) is to understand if you can list the client as a client in your portfolio, and reference the work you complete.

However, in most cases, if you’re contributing to a book, writing blog pieces, articles or other content, producing art or graphics, etc., it can be beneficial to have your name in the byline. This way you can list or link to those pieces in your portfolio, share them with prospective future clients, and build your brand and reputation around your name.

If you ask some freelancers, or do a quick internet search, many consider ghostwriting to be a form of plagiarism because someone is claiming someone else’s work as their own.

If you sign up to be a ghostwriter, this shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you don’t, it could be.

Personally I don’t bid for or accept ghostwriting jobs because it’s important to me to be able to build my portfolio, brand and company. (There are exceptions, of course, for jobs in which I can reference the client and work, such as running a company’s social media account.)

However, I recently realized some of my work for clients is being published under other names – turns out, I was hired as a ghostwriter. This wasn’t disclosed up front. But this isn’t illegal.

Clients don’t have to tell you that you’re ghostwriting for them, and that’s fine.

Moving forward, it will become part of my regular practice to ask up front:

• Can I list you as a client in my portfolio?
• Will I be getting credit for this work?
• Can I link to this work in my portfolio/share it in the future?

I used to do this when I first started. I worked with some amazing clients, and became lax with my clarification. No longer, because as proud as I am of the work I’m producing, I can’t claim it and I can’t use it.

Again, if you don’t mind not having your name attached to something, or perhaps you prefer anonymity, ghostwriting can be a great opportunity.

TIP: If those things are important to you, be sure to clarify with the client up front what your relationship can be with the work you produce. Don’t be afraid to ask if you’ll be getting credit, or how you can use the work in the future. If you’re working with clients outside of a freelancer service (like Upwork) always include copyright, future use and client relationship information in your contract. Or, be sure to understand what the client’s contract states about these before entering the agreement.