Comments on: When You Ghostwrite, Who Owns It?

By: Sebrieanna

Sebrieanna — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:51:47 +0000

What about this scenario:

I was working at a small company as an editor, and was given the project of writing articles for their magazine. The assignment was to take the material presented at our conference and turn it into the articles (with collaboration from the presenters of the material). I wrote the articles, and then ended up having to leave the job, but did so on amicable terms. The magazine came out and the samples I have been using do not have my byline. I have no contract with the company as a ghostwriter, I was not paid as a ghostwriter, so I’m wondering what the protocol is. Do I have to take these samples down from my portfolio? Or can I simply say that I was the ghostwriter and leave them? I am looking for jobs, but am not pursuing further ghostwriting work, if that makes a difference.

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:28:50 +0000

Apple guy, with the net there’s no such thing as a going rate per se… what do you figure you’re worth an hour?

By: Appleguy

Appleguy — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:51:51 +0000

I am in the South. Can anybody tell me what the “going rates” may be for projects like brochures, newsletters, articles, etc? THANKS!

By: John Clausen

John Clausen — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:10:19 +0000

Baldchemist,
I didn’t say nobody knows that I wrote it. The agent who represents me knows it, the people who publish the ghostwritten book (and often recommend ghostwriters to other folks in need of such services) know it, and the people who appear as the authors of ghostwritten books know who wrote their books and pass that information along to others interested in similar deals. In the direct mail business, news of a winning package travels even faster. I used to advertise in MagazineWeek magazine, but since they ceased publishing, I’ve relied on consultants and circulation directors who are familiar with my subscription marketing work. If you keep writing winners, you’ll have no trouble drumming up additional work.

By: The Baldchemist

The Baldchemist — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:23:43 +0000

So John, how do you get business if no-one knows who wrote it? You must have credits. The Baldchemist

By: John Clausen

John Clausen — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:43:58 +0000

Baldchemist,
As I understand your post, you’re saying that if you write something you own it forever. I do a lot of ghostwriting and commercial copywriting and I can tell you that none of my clients would hold still for a deal in which I am paid to ghostwrite something and then still claim it as my own. I sell all those rights; it’s why I charge a lot for my services. Same way with commercial copywriting. If a company pays a writer $10-20K to write a direct mail package, they certainly want to own it, especially if it’s a winner. They will want to run versions of it (different prices, or terms, or premiums) whenever they wish, so it’s vital for them to own the creative. One way around that for the writer is to make a contract that pays you based on the number of pieces that are mailed, or based on the response over a certain period of time.

By: The Baldchemist

The Baldchemist — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:48:40 +0000

You write it- you own it. when you buy a book it doesn’t give you right to claim the content.
Give and take credits where they are due.
Design and write a site for someone( and its your original copy) then you ALWAYs own the rights to it.
The reason peole contact you is often because they have seen your work elsewhere.
Take care . The Baldchemist

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:42:10 +0000

You’re more than welcome.

By: lornadoone

lornadoone — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 04:32:03 +0000

Thanks so much, Anne. This is great information, and I like the idea of adding that bit in to the contract.

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:43:27 +0000

Lorna, ideally you’d get permission from the bloodhound client… just ask if they are available. Usually they’ll say yes. If you can’t reach them or don’t want to for some reason, I think it’s okay to show your work on a limited basis… not posted on your website, but maybe emailed with a big confidential notice plus a copyright notice in the client/author’s name… In the case you describe I’d probably show one article and tell the prospective client this is one of a series of X I did.

Make sense?

Incidentally, this is something you could add to a contract in the future… “ghost retains the right to show a sample of this work to prospective clients provided the prospective client is informed of the confidential nature of the work” or some such.