How to build a ghostwriting portfolio as a beginner | create a ghost writer portfolio for more jobs
Summary
TLDRIn this informative video, Alma from elnicane.com tackles the challenge of building a ghostwriting portfolio without violating non-disclosure agreements. She offers practical tips on sharing work internally, obtaining client permission for external sharing, and using project descriptions and testimonials to showcase capabilities. Alma also provides strategies for marketing ghostwriting services ethically, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and leveraging social media platforms like LinkedIn.
Takeaways
- ๐ Building a ghostwriting portfolio can be challenging due to the nature of ghostwriting where the writer's name is not credited for the work.
- ๐ Ghostwriters write various content like articles, speeches, books, blog posts, and web copy, but the credit goes to the client or their company.
- ๐ซ Ghostwriters cannot publicly share their client's writing unless given permission, which creates a dilemma in showcasing their work.
- ๐ผ One way to build a portfolio is by sharing ghostwritten work internally, which might require clients to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
- ๐ Some clients may allow sharing ghostwritten work externally, such as on LinkedIn, but not on other platforms like Twitter or Instagram.
- ๐ Describing projects in detail can help showcase a ghostwriter's skills and experience without revealing the client's identity or the specific work.
- ๐ฌ Collecting testimonials from ghostwriting clients can serve as a powerful endorsement and can be shared on platforms like LinkedIn.
- ๐ Providing references from past clients can help establish credibility and trustworthiness in the ghostwriting field.
- ๐ Marketing ghostwriting services involves using titles with 'Ghostwriter' in them on platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and personal websites.
- ๐ข Sharing descriptions of ghostwriting projects and offering more information upon request can help attract potential clients interested in similar work.
- ๐ Actively participating in discussions about writing tips and ghostwriting on platforms like podcasts and Medium can increase visibility and attract potential clients.
Q & A
What is the main challenge faced by ghostwriters when building a portfolio?
-The main challenge ghostwriters face is the inability to publicly share their work due to the nature of ghostwriting, which requires anonymity and confidentiality, making it difficult to showcase their skills and experience.
What is ghostwriting and what types of content can a ghostwriter create?
-Ghostwriting is the process of writing content for others without receiving public credit for the work. Ghostwriters can create a variety of content including articles, speeches, books, blog posts, email newsletters, and web copy.
Why can't ghostwriters publicly share their work?
-Ghostwriters can't publicly share their work because the credit goes to the client or the hiring company or business. Sharing the work publicly without permission would violate the terms of ghostwriting and potentially breach non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
How can a ghostwriter share their work internally without violating NDAs?
-Ghostwriters can share their work internally by having third parties, such as prospects, sign an NDA ensuring they will not distribute the material or reveal that it was ghostwritten.
What is an example of how a ghostwriter can share their work externally with permission?
-An example is sharing ghostwritten work on LinkedIn, as some clients may be okay with external sharing on specific platforms like LinkedIn but not on others like Twitter, Instagram, or personal websites.
How can ghostwriters describe their projects without revealing client identities?
-Ghostwriters can describe their projects by providing in-depth details about the work, such as the genre, the nature of the project, word count, and the process involved, without mentioning the client's name or any identifying information.
What is the importance of collecting testimonials in a ghostwriting portfolio?
-Collecting testimonials is important as it provides social proof of the ghostwriter's skills and reliability. Testimonials can be used in place of direct links to work, offering assurance to potential clients.
How can a ghostwriter use a reference to showcase their work?
-A ghostwriter can provide potential clients with the contact information of past or current clients who are willing to act as references. This allows new clients to speak directly with those who have experienced the ghostwriter's work.
What marketing strategies can a ghostwriter employ to promote their services?
-Ghostwriters can market their services by creating a title with 'Ghostwriter' in it on platforms like LinkedIn and Medium, sharing their expertise in writing and ghostwriting, and offering more information about their ghostwriting upon request.
How can a ghostwriter demonstrate their legitimacy and adherence to rules in their portfolio?
-A ghostwriter can demonstrate legitimacy by including a blurb on their portfolio indicating their ethical approach and willingness to share more information about their ghostwriting upon request, as well as showcasing their expertise through posts, podcasts, and other content.
Outlines
๐ Building a Ghostwriting Portfolio
In this paragraph, Alma from elnicane.com introduces the concept of ghostwriting and the challenges faced by ghostwriters in building a portfolio. Ghostwriters are individuals who create content such as articles, speeches, books, and web copy without receiving public credit. The dilemma arises when they need to showcase their work to secure new clients but cannot do so due to the nature of ghostwriting. Alma offers tips on how to build a ghostwriting portfolio ethically, such as sharing work internally, obtaining client permission to share specific pieces, and describing projects without revealing client identities. She also suggests collecting testimonials from clients as a way to demonstrate credibility.
๐ Marketing Ghostwriting Services
This paragraph delves into strategies for marketing ghostwriting services. Alma discusses the importance of obtaining client testimonials and using them to enhance a ghostwriter's portfolio. She shares her personal experience of writing ghost content for a tech blog and how she managed to secure a testimonial from the editor, which she could share on LinkedIn. Alma also emphasizes the value of having a clear title that identifies one as a ghostwriter on platforms like LinkedIn and Medium. She suggests creating a portfolio that includes project descriptions and testimonials, and being ready to provide more detailed information upon request. Additionally, she advises ghostwriters to actively market themselves by participating in relevant discussions, writing posts, and appearing on podcasts to establish their expertise in ghostwriting.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กGhostwriting
๐กPortfolio
๐กByline
๐กFreelancer
๐กNon-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
๐กInternal Sharing
๐กExternal Sharing
๐กTestimonials
๐กCold Pitching
๐กReferences
๐กMarketing
Highlights
Alma from elnicane.com shares tips on building a ghostwriting portfolio without violating NDAs.
Ghostwriting involves writing content without bylines, creating a catch-22 for freelancers needing to showcase their work.
One can share ghostwritten work internally, with third parties potentially signing NDAs to maintain confidentiality.
Some clients may give permission to share ghostwritten work externally, such as on LinkedIn.
Describing ghostwriting projects in detail can help showcase a writer's capabilities without revealing client identities.
Hannah Sandoval uses project descriptions and word counts to demonstrate her ghostwriting experience.
Collecting testimonials from ghostwriting clients can serve as a form of portfolio evidence.
Testimonials can be shared on social media or included with project descriptions in a portfolio.
If unable to share work externally, providing references from past clients can validate a ghostwriter's expertise.
Cold pitching and landing jobs can lead to opportunities where clients are willing to act as references.
Market ghostwriting services by including a clear title with 'Ghostwriter' on platforms like LinkedIn and Medium.
Sharing writing tips and ghostwriting insights on blogs and podcasts can attract potential clients.
Alma suggests creating a title with 'Ghostwriter' to establish identity and credibility in the field.
Providing more information about ghostwriting upon request can help maintain client confidentiality.
The video includes a discussion on the ethical considerations of marketing ghostwriting services.
Alma offers additional resources, including a video on ghostwriting 101 for those interested in the topic.
The importance of maintaining client confidentiality while still being able to market ghostwriting services is emphasized.
Viewers are encouraged to subscribe to the channel for more content on freelance writing, marketing, and ghostwriting.
Transcripts
hi my name is Alma from elnicane.com and
for today's video I'm going to share
with you how to build a ghostwriting
portfolio alright so let's look at this
now what happens if you landed a first
gig you're totally thrilled but then you
realize oh no there's no byline for your
work oh my goodness when job two rolls
around you're back at the beginning of
getting your first gig right because
you're a ghost writing and it feels like
a catch-22 as a freelancer hmm you can't
tell this New Prospect of your writing
job because it's ghost written so what
do you do right now with violating any
rules or crossing NDA lines you can
still build a ghostwriting portfolio
I'll share my best tips for creating
that Ghostwriter portfolio and how to
Market your ghostwriting business
alright but if you're just sort of you
know not sure what it actually is let's
look at what ghost writing is a
Ghostwriter is someone who writes copy
like articles they write speeches books
fiction books they do blog posts they do
email newsletters web copy but it isn't
credited for that work now the credit
goes to your client or someone in that
company or business that hired you note
that none of your work is credited to
you and this means you cannot publicly
share your client writing anywhere
unless your ghostwriting client gives
you permission this is where the whole
Catch 22 comes into play you need work
so you need to Market your work but you
can't Market your work because it's
ghost written so how are you going to
build this portfolio let's look at ways
you can do this without getting in
trouble from your clients so the first
is to just share it internally now this
might mean you're not going to get a lot
of work or it might mean you need to
hustle and cold pitch a lot to get that
first hit so people can email you and
then you can share your ghostwriting
work internally so the third party is
the prospect that you're negotiating
with may have to sign an NDA for this to
work and this means that they will never
distribute your material or reveal that
it was Ghost written in other formats in
other ways now your ghost writing client
may not care and give you permission
Mission regardless to share your ghost
writing work so in your email to your
incline you can just say hey just wanted
to ask you know I'm looking for some
more ghost writing work but I can't
share my ghostwriting work publicly is
it all right if I share a link of what I
wrote to any prospects that ask for it
and then you can see what they say they
can say well sure or they can say they
need to sign an NDA in the years that
I've done ghost writing I haven't had
someone sign an NDA so it was an issue
the client was more than happy to say
sure go ahead you can share it
internally but not online you can also
share it externally though that's
another option so I do have ghost
writing clients that are totally okay
with me sharing it on LinkedIn in
particular but not share it all over
Twitter and Instagram or even on my
writer website so I have at least two or
three in the past that have said it's
fine on LinkedIn and only on LinkedIn so
this is an example of my LinkedIn little
resume and one one of the most recent
ones is for WordPress writing it's all
under the owner of the business Emily
and so I wrote These under her brand
voice she gave me a style guide so that
I can write under her voice she
specifically hired me for copywriting
but it was under ghost writing now
another popular way to build a ghost
writing portfolio is to just describe
your projects so if you aren't allowed
to include a link or the business name
in your pitches or online you can talk
about the project and describe what you
did so Hannah Sandoval is a fiction
ghost writer and she often shares
descriptions of her work so let's just
take a look what this looks like so here
she is she here is one project so she
has healing fairy tales collection and
she describes all of this it is fantasy
fiction and self-help the project is a
collection of fairy tale short stories
designed to help readers deal with
trauma and the stories were the client's
therapeutic way of working through her
own childhood trauma and she framed the
stories with a guide to help others use
this method so she really talked in
depth depth about this whole project and
she also gives some details here that
it's 12 short stories it's approximately
35 000 words the genre that she worked
from the client outlines and all of this
can help with a prospect who is looking
at her portfolio here clicks on this and
says okay so she's able to do this semi
big project for this client well I need
you know 20 short stories and I need 60
000 words maybe I can call on her to do
this for me right so this is a nice way
to demonstrate on your portfolio these
descriptions another way you can frame
this idea of building your ghost writing
portfolio is to collect testimonials
from your ghost writing clients you can
instead of having like a portfolio
filled with links you can have a short
description and underneath that
description you can have a testimonial
or you can pepper these testimonials on
social media so this is what I did I
mean I had a client who asked asked me
to write ghost writing content for their
product a universal iot remote kind of
thing so for example what I did is I
wrote the content for their blog for
sure Universal and gave it to the editor
and so here is this is no longer on
their website but I do have what I gave
them which is a Google doc with an image
and I gave them a zip file of all the
images that I used and I wrote this for
their Tech blog here there is no
attribution the blog has no name to it
if it does it would just say the team at
sure Universal so it was my writing but
it was under them and so I was able to
get the editor to write a testimonial
for me here she is now the VP of
marketing but she was the content lead
that I spoke to the most and so she
wrote a little description of my work
she did not say that it was Ghost
writing but I was more than happy to you
know publish this because she liked my
my actual will work my ethics and all
that and that was a good testimonial
from her and I was able to also share
this on LinkedIn I asked her
specifically if I can share those posts
on LinkedIn and say that it was Ghost
written and she said that was fine so I
was able to get a testimonial which just
strengthened my ability to provide
valuable work to clients as well as get
that portfolio item so like I said for
you if you don't have that able to share
externally then just write a project
description and then have the
testimonial underneath that could work
now if all else fails the best resort is
to actually get a reference you know you
might not be able to have a really
in-depth ghost writing portfolio online
but if you are good at Cold pitching if
you're good at Landing jobs then you can
have past clients act as a reference to
help you get new ghost writing work so
if someone is interested in your writing
you can let them know you would be happy
to provide them with a past or current
client's contact information upon Quest
so you can have them sit here talk to my
you know my ghost writing client that I
had six months ago I wrote a book for
her yada yada you can talk to her and
then let me know if that's something
that you want me to do for you right you
can do something like that as long as
your previous or past client is more
than happy to act as a reference for you
this is very similar to you know when
you need a job working somewhere right
you have numbers of your references all
right so how do you Market your ghost
writing services now you can do as
Hannah has done on her portfolio Page by
sharing a description of your work now
at the bottom or at the top of your
portfolio page you can like add a little
blurb and mention that you can give them
the prospects that's okay now your
portfolio you can give them more work
information about your ghost writing
upon request so they look at your
portfolio they see that you do ghost
writing they see that you're not sharing
the links that you know you're very
ethical and all that they are interested
in your writing because it's in the same
genre this same Niche and then they ask
more about your ghostwriting work that's
when you can divulge your clients if
they allow you that's where you can give
them Links at that time I would also on
top of doing that I would also create a
title with Ghostwriter in it so you know
expert book Ghost Writer fiction Ghost
Writer whatever type of ghost writing
you want to do put that in your title on
LinkedIn on medium on your where to
website when you do a podcast or when
you do other things to let people know
who you are right because that's the
next thing once you have that title you
need to share it all over you need to
mark it on Twitter you try to get some
podcasts that talk about writing tips
and ghost writing write a post on medium
about your topic about ghost writing all
of this will just send signals online on
the internet from people that are
reading your post that you are a
Ghostwriter that you write about ghost
writing that you have some good tips
about ghost writing they look at your
LinkedIn and they see that your goes
ready for you know for books and then
these are your projects if you're
allowed to share them externally if not
you have a little blurb saying you know
if you want some information about my
ghost writing then you know contact me
here right like you can do ways to show
that you are a legit Ghost Writer that
you're following the rules but that you
can still Market your business in these
manners so hopefully that helped you if
you're interested I do have a video on
ghost riding 101 so make sure you check
out that video after this one and for
more freelance writing marketing ghost
writing AI content for Freelancers make
sure you subscribe to my channel and
like this video I'll see you in the next
video
[Music]
thank you
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