You love to write. You have the skills. You know you can capture someone else’s voice perfectly. But there is one major problem stopping you. You simply cannot find the work.
Finding legitimate ghostwriting opportunities feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. Most job boards are full of scams. Low-paying mills want you to write thousands of words for pennies. It is frustrating. It makes you want to give up.
Do not quit yet.
The market for ghostwriters is actually huge. CEOs need content. Founders need books. Influencers need tweets. They all need you. They just do not know where to find you. You have to bridge that gap.
This guide is not about magic tricks. It is about practical work. We will look at exactly how you can find good clients who pay well.
Why is the ghostwriting market so hidden?
You might wonder why these jobs are not on Indeed or Monster.
Think about the nature of the job. It is ghostwriting. The whole point is secrecy. A CEO does not want to broadcast that they are hiring a writer. They want people to think they write their own posts.
Public job listings ruin that illusion.
That is why the best ghostwriting opportunities are never listed publicly. They happen in private emails. They happen in DMs. They happen through word of mouth.
You are looking for a hidden market. You cannot wait for a job alert. You have to go out and hunt. You need to position yourself where these clients hang out.
Is it worth using freelance marketplaces?
You probably started your search on Upwork or Fiverr. Most writers do.
These platforms can work. They are easy to join. The payment is secure. But they have massive downsides.
Competition is fierce. You are fighting against thousands of writers. Many of them charge very low rates. It is a race to the bottom.
However, you can still find ghostwriting opportunities there if you are smart.
Do not apply for everything. Filter your search. Look for “expert” level jobs. Look for clients who have spent money before. Ignore anyone asking for free samples.
Treat these platforms as a training ground. Use them to get your first few testimonials. Use them to build confidence. But do not stay there forever. The real money is elsewhere.
How do you use LinkedIn to get clients?
LinkedIn is the gold mine. This is where the business leaders are. This is where the money is.
Your profile needs to scream “Ghostwriter.”
Most writers make a mistake here. They write their profile like a resume. They talk about their degrees. They talk about their hobbies. Clients do not care about that.
Clients care about their own problems.
Rewrite your headline. It should say exactly what you do. Try something simple. “I write LinkedIn posts for Founders.” “I ghostwrite books for Real Estate Agents.”
Be specific.
When you clarify your offer, ghostwriting opportunities start to come to you.
Post content every day. Share tips on writing. Share stories about how you saved a client time. Show, do not just tell. When a potential client sees your writing in their feed, they judge your skill immediately. Make sure your own writing is sharp.
Who should you be networking with?
You might think you need to network with potential clients. That is true. But there is a better group to target.
Network with other freelancers.
Graphic designers. Web developers. SEO experts. Virtual assistants.
These people are already working with your dream clients. A web developer builds a site for a CEO. That CEO needs copy for the site. If the developer knows you, they will refer you.
This is the warm introduction. It bypasses the interview process. The trust is already there.
Build relationships with people who offer complementary services. Send them work when you can. They will return the favor. This creates a steady stream of ghostwriting opportunities without you having to pitch constantly.
What is the right way to cold pitch?
Cold pitching scares people. It feels like spamming.
It does not have to be spam. It can be a helpful conversation starter.
First, pick a niche. Do not pitch everyone. Let’s say you choose tech startup founders.
Find 50 founders on LinkedIn. Look at their activity. Are they posting? If they are posting rarely or poorly, they have a problem. They need content but lack time.
Find their email address. Use tools like Hunter.io or Apollo.
Write a short email. Keep it under 100 words.
Subject Question about your content
“Hi [Name],
I saw your recent post about [Topic]. I loved your point about X.
I noticed you haven’t posted much lately. I help founders like you write consistent content to build their brand.
Are you open to a chat?
Thanks,
[Your Name]”
That is it. No huge blocks of text. No attachments. Just a simple question.
You will get rejections. You will get silence. That is part of the game. But if you send enough of these, you will find legitimate ghostwriting opportunities.
Do you need a portfolio?
Yes. You absolutely need one.
But you have a problem. You are a ghostwriter. You cannot show the work you did for other clients because of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).
So what do you do?
You create a “spec” portfolio. This means speculative work. You write samples that look like real jobs.
Write a few LinkedIn posts. Write a blog post about finance. Write an email sequence.
Put these in a Google Drive folder or a simple website.
When a client asks for samples, you show them these. You say, “My client work is under NDA, but here are samples that show my style and quality.”
This works perfectly. Clients just want to know you can write. They do not care if the sample was published or not. They care about the quality on the page.
How should you price your services?
Pricing is the hardest part.
If you charge too little, clients think you are bad. If you charge too much, you might lose the gig.
Stop charging by the word.
Charging by the word punishes you for being concise. Good writing is short. It is punchy. Why should you get paid less for doing a better job?
Charge by the project or by the month.
Offer packages. “4 Blog Posts per Month for $1000.” “10 LinkedIn Posts for $500.”
This makes it easy for the client. They know exactly what they are paying. It helps you predict your income.
As you get more ghostwriting opportunities, raise your prices. Supply and demand. When you are too busy, charge more.
What is the secret to keeping clients?
Finding the client is step one. Keeping them is step two.
The secret is reliability.
Most freelance writers are flaky. They miss deadlines. They stop replying to emails. They make excuses.
If you simply turn your work in on time, you are in the top 10%.
Be easy to work with. Accept feedback without getting angry. If a client wants a change, do it quickly.
Ask them about their business goals. Care about their success. When you act like a partner, they will never fire you. They will refer you to their friends. That is how you build a career.
Are you ready to start?
The work is out there.
You do not need a degree. You do not need a fancy website. You need persistence.
Start today. Optimize your LinkedIn profile. Send five cold emails. Apply for one job on a board.
Do something small every single day. The momentum builds up.
Finding ghostwriting opportunities is a skill in itself. You will get better at it. You will learn to spot the good clients. You will learn to sell your value.
Do not wait for permission. The only person who can give you a writing career is you.
Go find your first client.
Looking for the best ghostwriting services? Let’s talk!