Hello Tristan!
Triston B wrote:
A recent client hired me to write one article a month for their website, but did not tell me that he would be taking my name off the articles and replacing it with someone on their staff. Now, I do ghostwriting, of course, but I charge more for that in general, depending on the project.
How do you go about it?
I am of the opinion that ghostwriters should charge more as they have no rights to it afterwords and cannot use it (in most cases) to secure future work.
And if a client did not make me aware they would be replacing my name for someone else's, can I still use it in my portfolio?
What is the best way to protect myself in the future against clients like these?
When a client buys your writings, they are the owner of that piece. You no longer can claim ownership or authorship. They can do whatever they want and assign a fictitious name to the piece if they choose because they are the owner of it.
Remember, you're not selling your writings. You're a business owner offering freelance writing services to your clients. That's what you're selling!
Don't get caught up in the "I did this, or I did that." You offered writing services, you were paid for those services, and you were made whole. Should the client request more articles, sell them your writing services again. That is the bigger picture.
The best way to approach authorship rights is to ask the client before a contract is established. And remember, if it's not in writing, there are no grounds to claim wrongful use.
As for using it in your portfolio, mention that the piece was a ghostwritten article you wrote for the client. If you're not comfortable doing that or the client will not permit it, then don't.
