Ghostwriters, editors and writing coaches often work under confidentiality and without a byline, so disputes over payment, revisions or what was delivered can be hard to settle. Keep the signed agreement, the brief, every draft you deliver, the client’s feedback and your invoices, and timestamp each draft before you send it. A timestamp shows that the exact draft existed no later than the recorded time. It doesn’t show who owns the writing or who has the right to be credited. Your contract covers that. This is general information, not legal advice.
Table of Contents
Why drafts get disputed
- The client says the draft wasn’t what they asked for, or that they never received a version.
- A client publishes under their own name and later questions what you were paid for.
- Feedback arrives by phone, chat and email, and nobody can say what was agreed.
- The client gives the material to someone else, then says the first draft wasn’t usable.
Ghostwriting and editing agreements normally address ownership, credit, confidentiality and payment. Put those in writing before you start.
Records to keep
- The agreement. Scope, fee, milestones, number of revisions, who owns the final text, credit and confidentiality.
- The brief. What the client asked for, with the date.
- Each draft. Keep every version you deliver, labelled by date and number. Never overwrite one.
- Feedback. The client’s comments, and your notes of calls.
- Delivery messages. The email or message you sent each draft with.
- Invoices and payments.
- Your own working files. Outlines, research notes, interview recordings (if the client agreed to recording).
Timestamp each delivery
- Export the draft as a PDF or Word file and name it clearly (for example,
Chapter3-draft2-2026-11-20.docx). - Put the draft, the brief and the invoice in one TimeBind (up to 10 files). See how to timestamp a file.
- Save the Proof of Time Certificate with the draft.
- Send the draft.
- Repeat for each version.
Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device, which suits confidential client work. A TimeBind shows the exact draft existed no later than the recorded time and still matches its fingerprint. It doesn’t show who wrote it. Your agreement and your working files show that.
Confidentiality and credit
If you’re bound by an NDA, your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device, so the text is not part of the timestamp. The certificate does list each file’s name and size and any Reference or Details text you add, so keep those neutral. Credit and the right to say you worked on a book or article are contract issues. For help with clear agreements, see NDA and a timestamp before disclosure.
If a client says the writing is AI-generated
Clients, publishers and prize judges increasingly ask where words came from. A dated set of drafts helps show how a text developed. See using AI as a writing tool: show your own work and working drafts, timestamps and AI detectors.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
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Should I send the draft before the client pays?
That is a contract choice. Whatever you decide, timestamp each draft before you send it, and keep the message that sent it.
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Does a timestamp show I wrote the text?
No. It shows that the exact draft existed no later than the recorded time. Your agreement, notes and drafts help show who wrote it.
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Can I keep a copy of the work I ghostwrote?
That depends on your agreement. Ask for what you may keep or show, such as writing samples, in the contract.
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Can I timestamp edited drafts from clients?
Yes, but check your agreement and your client’s confidentiality terms first. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device, but the certificate lists file names and any Reference or Details text, so keep those neutral.
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What does a TimeBind cost?
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, Pooled TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. See plans and pricing
Keep a dated record of every delivery
Free to start. The files stay on your device and your browser makes the fingerprint.
Last fact-checked: 10 November 2026.
Date each draft you deliver
Add the draft, the brief and your invoice (up to 10 files) to one TimeBind before you send it. The files stay on your device.
Make your first TimeBind free → See plans and pricing
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. Your browser makes the fingerprint and the file stays on your device. A TimeBind shows a file existed no later than the recorded time. It doesn’t show who made it.
