Why Ghostwriters Need a Portfolio—and How to Protect Your Private Work

As ghostwriters, we often navigate a delicate balance between showcasing our skills and maintaining confidentiality. Clients trust us to give voice to their ideas, but that very trust can make it challenging to present a comprehensive portfolio. We’re left wondering: how do we show our potential clients what we’re capable of without breaching our commitments to past ones?

This is where the importance of having a well-curated online writing portfolio comes in, but it also introduces a unique set of challenges for ghostwriters.

Why Ghostwriters Need a Portfolio

Every writer, no matter the genre or specialty, needs a portfolio to demonstrate their abilities. But for ghostwriters, it’s even more crucial, as the “invisible” nature of our work makes it difficult for future clients to know what we’re capable of. Potential clients want to see the depth, diversity, and quality of what we write—especially since they’re hiring us to represent their voices.

A portfolio provides a way to validate your skills, help establish your reputation, and give future clients the confidence that you can execute their vision.

The Unique Challenges Ghostwriters Face

But here’s the rub: ghostwriters often cannot reveal the details of much of their work. NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) are common, and even if a client doesn’t explicitly ask for confidentiality, the nature of ghostwriting implies a level of discretion. You’re writing in someone else’s voice, for their brand or byline—publicly associating yourself with the work can feel like a breach of trust.

Even more, the web is not permanent. Websites go down, publications may remove articles, and if your ghostwritten work is only available through a client’s platform, you risk losing access to proof of your work if they decide to pull it down.

How to Use Hidden Writing Samples to Build Your Portfolio

That’s why we at Writer’s Residence have added a new feature specifically to address these challenges. Ghostwriters (myself included) can now create hidden writing samples that are only accessible via a private link.

Here’s why this feature can make a huge difference for your ghostwriting portfolio:

• Maintain confidentiality: You can create writing samples that you don’t want to showcase publicly but still need to keep on hand for prospective clients. These samples can include ghostwritten work or any other project where privacy is essential.

• Archive your work: In case the original publication disappears, or your client’s website removes the article, you’ll always have a backup. This gives you peace of mind that your work won’t vanish if the website does.

• Share privately: Hidden writing samples are perfect for when you want to showcase your work only to select individuals. Simply generate a private link and send it to prospective clients—this gives them exclusive access without putting the sample in the public domain.

Creating hidden samples is incredibly easy. When you add a new sample (or edit an existing one), just head to the Advanced tab. There, you’ll find a “Visibility” drop-down box where you can select who can see the writing sample. Choose “Private” and you’re all set. You’ll have a sharable link that ensures your work is protected yet still accessible to those who need to see it.

If ever you want to share the sample, you can go to the same Advanced tab to grab your private link that only you and people you share it with can see:

Remember, if you want to keep all of your portfolio private, you can create a password-protected portfolio via the Settings page.

Protect Your Work and Showcase Your Talent

As ghostwriters, the balance between privacy and promotion can be tricky to navigate. But with a bit of strategic portfolio building—and tools like hidden writing samples—you can have the best of both worlds: showcasing your skills while maintaining the discretion that ghostwriting requires.

Protect your hard work, keep it accessible, and give your potential clients a clear picture of your abilities, all while honoring the confidentiality your role demands. A good portfolio isn’t just about showcasing—it’s about smart, secure management of the incredible work you’ve done.