Ghosted by a Client: A Freelancer's Tale

A true story about being ghosted by a client and quiet struggle of freelance writing.

Ghosted by a Client: A Freelancer's Tate
By JanneyWrites

There is s special kind of silence that hits
differently when you are a freelance African
writer. It is not the peaceful kind. It is the
ghosting kind. The type that comes after a lively
chat, an approved sample, maybe even a
deadline- and then?Nothing. No reply. No
payment. No feedback. Just digital dust.

It usually starts with a hopeful message. The
client seems excited. Maybe they even use
words like "collaboration" or "long-term
opportunity." You send in your work, pour your
creativity onto the page and click send with that
tiny thrill in your chest. You imagine the "great
work!" email that should follow. But instead....
crickets.

You refresh. You wait. You reread your message
-maybe missed something? You even
check your network connection, just in case your
email somehow didn't deliver. But deep down,
you know: you've been ghosted.

And when you are an African freelancer,
especially one working through platforms where
your location already puts you at the bottom of
the pay scale, the ghosting cuts deeper. It is not
just about a missed message- it is about not
being seen at all. It makes you question your
talent, your worth, your hustle.

Sometimes, the clients disappear right after
asking for a "quick trial article." Other times, it
is after they have promised to "get back to you
after consulting the team." That team must be
trapped in a never-ending Zoom meeting,
because they never return.

I once had a client ask for a three- page blog,
then vanish right after I submitted it. No
payment, no explanation- not even a rejection.
I followed up twice, professionally. The third
time, I just stopped. I chose my peace.

Still, I do not hate all clients. Some are kind, fair
and honest. But when you've been ghosted
enough times, you learn to set boundaries. You
demand deposits. You document your work. You
stop taking "trial tasks" for free.

Ghosting is emotional labour. It is unpaid time.
It is the invisible weight of chasing dignity in a
market that sometimes forgets your humanity.
But it is also a badge. A scar that says, "I am
still here. I am writing. I am still choosing
myself."