writing portfolio samples

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10 Writers with Portfolios that Stand Out

These freelance writers know an attention-grabbing portfolio is a key factor when it comes to landing gigs. Check out these tips to create a killer portfolio.

A well-made writer website is an important tool for networking online as a freelance writer or editor. Twitter can be useful for making connections and finding gigs or potential clients, but a professional online portfolio is necessary when pitching new article ideas or applying for jobs.

Your online portfolio website can be simple, such as a biography and list of published clips. Or, you can add more depth with a CV, personal projects, and a blog post or two to showcase your writing.

Our Pick of the Best Writing Portfolio Examples

A well-designed writing portfolio is essential for showcasing your work as a writer. Format has compiled a list of some of the best writer websites to help inspire you.

These writers cover a range of genres, from journalism to fiction to fashion, and their online writing portfolios reflect the quality of their work. Format’s website builder and these writing portfolio examples provide a winning combination for success in your writing career.

Our collection of online writing portfolios can provide inspiration and help you think about what to include in your own portfolio.

Find more website design ideas at our round-up of the best online portfolios built using Format .

Jennifer Fernandez

Brooklyn-based writer Jennifer Fernandez uses a grid-based theme to showcase a range of links to writing samples, including a thumbnail image and title for each one. Fernandez has been on staff at Travel + Leisure, Architectural Digest, and Martha Stewart Weddings, and has worked for business clients including Zappos and Brooklinen. She organizes her writing website into categories of Design, Travel, and Lifestyle content to make browsing easy and to showcase the type of writing she has experience in.

www.jennifermfernandez.com Format Theme: Hue

Akwaeke Emezi

Award-winning Igbo and Tamil writer and artist Akwaeke Emezi keeps things simple on their writing portfolio with a text-focused design and lots of information about their work. Their debut autobiographical novel FRESHWATER was critically acclaimed by publications like The New Yorker and NPR, and they also have two new books forthcoming from Knopf and Riverhead Books. Their website is a simple way to put the main focus on their work.

www.akwaeke.com Format Theme: Offset

Kristen V. Bateman

Fashion and culture writer and editor Kristen V. Bateman keeps her online portfolio visually interesting with a theme that introduces each of her published clips via an image and title. Bateman’s extensive portfolio can be browsed by publications (which include Vogue, New York Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and many more), as well as by category.

www.kristenbateman.com Format Theme: Coral

Elise R. Peterson

The work of New York artist and writer Elise R. Peterson has appeared in Paper Magazine, Lenny Letter, and Elle, among other publications. Her recent book with Feminist Press, How Mamas Love Their Babies, explores an inclusive idea of motherhood along with co-author Juniper Fitzgerald. Including a link to pre-order her book right on her sidebar menu ensures that visitors to Peterson’s site will be up to date on her latest work.

www.eliserpeterson.com Format Theme: Ora

Rebecca Hobson

Freelance journalist and writer Rebecca Hobson introduces her online portfolio with a professional photograph of herself and links to different sections of her writing website. Based in Bristol, Hobson has also lived and worked in India. She has written for publications including the BBC, Vice, and The Times . Organizing her writing portfolio into different sections such as Content Marketing and Current Affairs, her freelance writing portfolio allows viewers to explore all the different facets of her work.

Format Theme: Peak

Alice Driver

Award-winning and widely-published journalist Alice Driver includes a detailed yet concise biography introducing who she is and what she does, a great way of allowing visitors to her site to quickly understand the focus of her work. An additional page of recent clips, organized with titles and thumbnail images, makes further reading of her published projects instantly accessible. Based in Mexico City, Driver’s work focuses on migration, human rights, and gender equality.

www.alicedriver.com Format Theme: Mica

Tara Pixley

Los-Angeles based photojournalist and scholar Tara Pixley was a recent Visiting Fellow at Harvard’s Nieman Foundation, and has published her photography and writing on media in a range of publications such as Newsweek, New York Times, and ProPublica. Pixley’s online portfolio features a selection of her photojournalism as well as a section showcasing some of her published writing.

www.tarapixley.com Format Theme: Horizon Left

A Chinese writer and reporter based in Beijing, Qin Chen writes about Chinese society for English-speaking readers. With experiences as a senior video producer for The New Yorker and a documentary producer at CNBC , Qin’s online portfolio showcases her published writing and videography.

www.qinvisual.com Format Theme: Order

Elaine Bleakney

Writer Elaine Bleakney introduces her works on her website with images of the book covers and recommendations from peers and critics. Her simple layout keeps the focus on her work, easily allowing visitors to follow links to her published work or consider purchasing one of her publications.

www.elainebleakney.com Format Theme: Mica

Scott Broker

Scott Broker’s writing website features a headshot and brief biography right on the homepage, instantly giving visitors a feel for who he is. Based in Ohio, Broker is currently an MFA candidate at Ohio State University, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. His writing portfolio includes a selection of publications with a brief description of each one.

www.scottjbroker.com Format Theme: Mica

Tips for Building Your Own Killer Writer Portfolio Website

After reviewing the writer portfolio examples for inspiration, you can build your own portfolio. To effectively showcase your work as a writer, you must also have an eye for design.

Brainstorm Creative Portfolio Titles

A writer’s portfolio isn’t complete without a creative and catchy title. Writing portfolio titles can be difficult to come up with, but they are an important first step in creating a great portfolio site. The title is the first thing a prospective client reads, so you must grab their attention if you want them to continue.

A well-conceived creative portfolio title should be big, bold, and targeted to your audience. Consider the tone you are setting and how it relates to the message you want to convey with your work. Consider including your name in the title so the reader will remember who you are. Also, consider how the title will look before selecting a font for your writing portfolio site.

Portfolio Essentials:

A portfolio typically includes examples of your work, an about me section, and contact information for clients. Using the right writing portfolio format to showcase your work is a great way to attract engaged clients. The best writer portfolio sites, such as Format, offer a range of templates and a drag and drop builder to help you create a professional portfolio.

Creative Writing Portfolios

To create a strong writer portfolio, choose a website builder with customizable features and an easy editing process. Format offers a feature-rich portfolio site builder specifically designed for creative writers. Their range of templates and examples can also help provide inspiration. This allows writers to focus on creating content for their clients, rather than web design.

Creative Writing Portfolio Examples

We’ve compiled some of the most striking creative writing portfolio examples on the web, so you can get your creative juices flowing. Our recommendations above highlight Rebecca Hobson and Elise R. Peterson as creative portfolio writing samples that hit the right level of charm, sophistication, and individuality. Like what you see? Use Format’s website-building platform to set up a beautiful creative writing portfolio that exhibits the best of your work, just how you wanted it to look.

Freelance Writer Websites

The best writer websites express the writers’ flexibility and competency across a broad range of writing contexts. Bringing together examples of work produced for various sectors and requirements is crucial to conveying your writing abilities. However, It is also important to consider your personal skills and tailor your portfolio to highlight your strengths and industry-specific experience. Our pick of great writer website examples, such as Elaine Bleakney and Akwaeke Emezi , find the right balance of personal writing skills and subject-focus.

Journalism Portfolio

An online journalism portfolio should showcase your career highlights and best work as a journalist. Format’s template builder can help you effectively present your skills and experience to news agencies. This is crucial for advancing your career in journalism, whether you specialize in print, broadcast, or online journalism. A high-quality portfolio website is key to standing out and attracting new opportunities.

Journalism Portfolio Examples

Looking for examples of some of the best journalist websites to spark your creative mind? We’ve identified Tara Pixley , a Los-Angeles-based photojournalist, and scholar, as a case in point of a journalist site that uses photography as a method to engage clients with her journalistic competencies.

Similarly, award-winning journalist, Alice Driver , uses her online journalism portfolio to help clients understand more about her career and her areas of focus as a journalist. Both of these journalists, among many others, rely on Format as the best website for journalism portfolios.

An appealing online portfolio for journalists should feature your best and most recent work, as well as a list of the news agencies you have written for. If you haven’t got any published articles yet in your repertoire, that’s no problem at all. You can write several articles right on your new site. Just ensure that they are formatted like a real news article and have no grammar or spelling mistakes.

How to Make a Writing Portfolio for College

A well-formatted writer portfolio can give you that added boost for your college applications and help you stand out from the rest of the competition. Moving your existing portfolio online can make it easy for college admission departments to see the depth and breadth of your work. The best way to do this is to use a dedicated writers portfolio website such as Format, which is built to help writers network put their talents on full display. We have writers portfolios examples and intuitive templates to help you get started.

How to Share Your Online Writing Portfolio and Gain Traction

Once you have built your writer portfolio website and feel happy with the aesthetic, it is time to get the word out. The best websites online writing portfolio examples are also highly integrated with social media and are SEO-friendly. Format benefits from all of the latest SEO tools as well as social sharing features. This ensures that your personal brand stays at the top of the search results, making it easy for potential clients to find you.

Which Writing Portfolio Website Should I Use?

Format offers a comprehensive and user-friendly website builder for content writers. The platform’s customizable templates and digital marketing tools make it easy to create a professional online portfolio.

This allows writers to showcase their work and communicate with clients, while also focusing on writing and advancing their careers. Format is voted among the best portfolio sites for writers, and our customer support team is available to assist with any questions or issues.

Consider using Format to create your online writing portfolio and elevate your writing career.

Want to see more inspiring websites? 10 Animation Portfolios that Get Creative with Website Design 10 Artists Taking Ceramics to the Next Level 5 Websites Built Using Format’s New Spruce Theme

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13 Creative Writing Portfolio Examples & How to Create Yours

• Portfolio Tips
• April 18, 2023

Just as you need inspiration for writing, it also helps with putting together your writing portfolio . We’re here to provide you with exactly that, in the form of 13 creative writing portfolio examples.

They’re portfolio websites from different kinds of creative writers: some do poetry, some scriptwriting, some copywriting… One thing is for sure though: you’ll leave with ideas, excitement, and a clear vision of how to make your ideas come to life in your own portfolio.

Read until the end because we'll also show you how you can build yours easily, in 5 simple steps.

13 creative writing portfolio examples & why they’re excellent

1. macy fidel.

Macy used Copyfolio's Premier template and "Cardboard Clip" color palette to create her portfolio

This portfolio is great because...

• It has a crystal-clear tagline: you'll know at first glance what Macy does
• The projects are upfront: you don't need to search and click around to check out Macy's writing skills and style
• The homepage has a great about section with a CTA: you can find out a little more about her and know exactly what to do if you'd like to know more
• The bold background color makes it memorable amongst simple white portfolio websites

2. Esa Haddad

Esa's portfolio was made with Copyfolio's "Wallscape" template

• It beautifully shows how a creative writer can do more than just that. He's also a communications professional, doing technical and academic writing next to his creative and poetic endeavors.
• With a black background and white text , this site stands out. Having such a canvas makes it easy for bolder headlines and images to pop, leading the eyes nicely along the page.
• It has an easy way for you to get in touch. All you need to do is click the LinkedIn icon to visit his profile or navigate to the contact page to find out more.

3. Julia Tula

Julia created her portfolio with Copyfolio's "Artboard" template

• It has an aesthetic and consistent design. Using simple squares for thumbnails, in colors matching the color palette pulls the whole site's design together.
• Julia shows a great variety of creative writing pieces in her projects, including discussions about the theory of creative writing, creative non-fiction short stories, and fiction writing as well.
• It showcases Julia's brilliant writing skills with every word she's written on the site. From the tagline, to her about me section, it's all written beautifully.

4. Larissa Vasquez

Larissa created her site with the legacy version of Copyfolio's "Billboard" template .

• It sets the mood for her writing portfolio with a white, beige, and brown color scheme.
• The homepage features a photo of scraps of paper on the top —very fitting for a writer.
• Choosing a photo of herself with similar colors , then creating custom beige and brown project thumbnails really pulled it all together.
• It has a simple layout. On the homepage, Larissa added a short introduction, then dove right into her writing samples . This makes it easy for everyone to read her pieces and see her writing skills shine.

5. Andrea Arcia

Andrea created her portfolio with the legacy version of Copyfolio's "Letterpress" template

• Andrea used a constantly changing, but cohesive layout to keep you interested and engaged, even with a lot of text on the page.
• She started out with three projects in a portfolio grid but then went on to use columns to display text, adding images every second block. This is a great way if you want to introduce projects or showcase longer stories or poems without overwhelming your visitors.

6. Hannah Rogers

Hannah created her writer website using Copyfolio, and the “Typewriter” template .

• You'll know who Hannah is and what she does right away. She's a versatile creative writer and editor, currently sailing with Firmenich.
• It's easy to learn about her background too : after finishing her degree in English and Creative Writing, she perfected her skills, now offering copywriting, concept content creation, editing, and more.
• Her fields of expertise are also clear : creative writing, brand storytelling, and editing. Displayed with short descriptions for each, it's the perfect way to introduce them.
• It has great creative writing project displays . In the title, you can see her role (e.g. writer, creative lead, producer) —then you can check each piece published online if you click through.

Overall, the portfolio flows well, it’s clear at every step where you need to look, and she showcases her expertise wonderfully.

7. Shweta Shreyarthi

A brilliant structure and clear layout, if we do say so ourselves. She created it with Copyfolio .

• Shweta decided to use a crips white canvas, simple black text, and black and white photos as the base of her site. But to shake it up a little, she’s using an orange accent color, and a pastel but colorful background photo for a few of her sections.
• She has an amazing creative writing portfolio page , where she outlines what she does: she’s a creative communicator, using her copywriting and content creation skills in her work.
• Her expertise is illustrated with work samples , and supplemented with short explanations. You can explore her work in different categories: social media, executive communications, proposal writing, website copywriting, and more.
• The portfolio has a great variety of projects. In each category, she included 2-4 samples for visitors to check: illustrating them with a picture, writing a very brief description (with the client + category), and adding a clear CTA with a link.

8. Magd Elzahed

Magd made her creative writing portfolio with Copyfolio, using the “Typewriter” template .

• It has a distinctive and consistent branding , with the black-and-white top section and typewriter-like serif fonts.
• Shows Magd's mission upfront. She makes it clear that her aim is “to bring your ideas to life through the power of language.”
• an on-brand picture to illustrate it,
• a clear title with the name of the client,
• a short description of what the project was about,
• and a call-to-action button.
• Makes it easy to find out even more about each project if you're interested. Clicking on the buttons takes you to a page going into more detail on what exactly the project entailed, what her task was, and how the final results turned out.
• It has a lot more information available on additional pages: you can read about her journey, services, references, and more.

9. Charlie Labbett

Charlie's portfolio website was made with Copyfolio's "Typewriter" template

• The dark background makes it different from most creative writing portfolios. It also helps the lighter text and silver graphics to pop and draw your attention to them.
• Has a clear tagline , from which you'll know that Charlie's focus is writing horror, science fiction, and fantasy stories within the realm of creative writing.
• It showcases multiple types of writing projects: extracts from longer-form pieces alongside some poetry work. This shows how versatile his writing skills are.

10. Melissa Wade

This lovely portfolio website was built with Copyfolio, using one of the legacy templates, “Agenda” .

• It showcases the many talents Melissa has. She’s an Amazon best-selling author, content creator, brand ambassador, and more.
• Right at the start, she grabs readers’ attention with a strong headline. How? By talking not about herself per se —but about what she can provide them .
• She also added a nicely designed banner. On it are the things you’d typically write in that tagline: what it is exactly that you do, illustrated with more pictures of her and her book.
• The portfolio site uses pictures with harmonizing colors. The pink in her blouse matches the background of the banner and the colorful wall. It helped her create a professional look and stylish design.

11. Lara Ramirez

Lara built a fun and creative writing portfolio using Copyfolio’s “Journal” template .

• It sticks to one, cohesive color palette. See how she chose just a handful of colors, all matching her site’s palette, and only used them throughout the site? Follow her lead to ensure a great look for your own creative writing portfolio too!
• It features fun and unique design elements. Using simple blobs and flower shapes as the background of photos and mockups gives the portfolio a youthful and fun personality.
• Lara used mockups in her project thumbnails , which is an amazing way to elevate a portfolio and make it look even more professional.

12. Deeya Sonalkar

This creative writing portfolio website was made with Copyfolio’s “Journal’ template , combined with the “Charcoal” color palette.

• It sets the tone for a true creative writer portfolio with a Hemingway quote: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
• Deeya builds rapport with a portrait and a short introduction talking about her life-long passion for writing.
• It showcases her various projects , with the thumbnails mostly leading to websites and social media profiles she’s worked on. So visitors can see her words live, in action.
• The website has a consistent design , only using black-and-white images, and simple black text on a white background.

13. Genie Smith

Genie created her portfolio with one of Copyfolio's legacy templates, "Agenda"

• Genie uses images intentionally , to set the mood: hands in black and white, a typewriter, windows, etc.
• It has a deeper purpose other than just showcasing creative writing work . Formerly dealing with mental health issues, Genie turned to writing to help her heal herself —and to help others.
• The layout leads you along the page, keeping you interested . First, you can learn about the big picture of her life and work, then learn more about her, and in the end, check her writing pieces.

How to build your creative writing portfolio based on these examples

Checking out examples and getting ideas is an important first step… But then you’ll have to actually get started. Don’t worry, we’ll help you with the building process: we’ll outline how to create a stunning creative writing portfolio in just 5 easy steps.

1. Choose a platform & create an account

The first and maybe most important choice you’ll have to make is choosing a platform to build your portfolio website. Our recommendation is Copyfolio, a portfolio website builder that was designed for writers. It’s incredibly fast and easy to use, giving you all the help you need to create something powerful.

When you sign up, you can pick your profession (e.g. creative writer) and the goal of your site. Based on these, Copyfolio will generate a starter site for you.

The page and types of sections on them will be determined by your goal, while all the content inside the sections will be based on your profession. And yes, the latter applies to newly added sections too!

This will give you lots of ideas about what to write and where. All you'll have to do is personalize the text here and there and upload your own pictures. This leads us to the second step, to...

2. Personalize the content of your pages

You'll have an almost-complete site on your hands, but you still have to make it yours. So go over your pages and personalize their contents.

The most important part will be the top of your homepage. That's what everyone sees at first —and whether they'll keep checking your portfolio will depend on it too.

If you chose a writing portfolio template with a photo at the top, then try to find a nice picture of yourself to upload there. That'll help build rapport with your visitors.

If you're not comfortable putting yourself out there like that, you can choose a template with no picture, or upload a decorative one like Macy or Julia did above.

3. Add your creative writing samples

Once the basics are done, it’s time to add your projects. Creative writing samples give viewers a chance to see your writing skills in action and as such, they’re an essential part of your portfolio.

(Need a little help with writing yours? Check out our writing sample templates !)

Make sure you choose thumbnail images for them that all go together color- and design-wise, and add 4-6 of them for a good variety.

In Copyfolio , you can add 3 types of projects: case study pages, PDF files, or external links. Whichever you choose, we'll add a thumbnail image for you. When someone clicks on it, the project will open, in the case of PDFs and external links, in a new tab.

4. Set a custom portfolio URL

To put the cherry on top of a professional creative writing portfolio website, you should set a custom URL for it.

If you're not a freelancer, you can simply customize the ending of your URL. In that case, it's going to look something like this: https://copyfol.io/v/dorka —that's the link to our writer's own site, actually.

If you have bigger plans for personal branding, expanding your career, or going freelance, it's best you get a proper domain. You can buy one right in Copyfolio that'll be automatically connected to your site. Or if you've bought one already somewhere else, you can easily connect that too.

+1: Customize your extra settings: SEO, favicon, and more

This 5th step is not essential —that's why we named it a +1. But these little things can add a lot to the overall feel and performance of your portfolio. So if you have the time, we recommend you to go through them and customize each to your brand.

Extra things you could do are:

• Optimizing your SEO settings. You can write custom meta titles and descriptions for each page + upload a preview image that appears when the page is shared online.
• Set a custom favicon. It's the browser icon that appears next to the name of your page and it helps people to recognize your site amongst all the tabs they have open.
• Write a blog. All it takes is adding a blog section and clicking the "Add new blog post button" and your blog is ready to go. It's amazing to showcase your writing skills and share your musings with the world.
• Finetune your design. In Copyfolio, you can switch up the look of your site in one click, using global palettes and presets. Play around with the colors and fonts to see which one matches your brand the most.

Create your creative writing portfolio with Copyfolio!

Sounds pretty easy, right? And even if you have questions along the way, the blog and the in-app prompts and guiding questions will be there to give a helping hand. The Copyfolio Team is also always just an email away.

Give it a try, create your creative writing portfolio for free with Copyfolio today!

Written by:

Dorka Kardos-Latif

Digital marketer & portfolio expert, the face behind all content on Copyfolio 👋 Find me reviewing portfolios, building websites, or working on our marketing strategy and social media content. 🚀 You can also check my bookish blog at booksandcaffeine.com

Wanna get inspired? See more topics.

How to Create a Content Writing Portfolio (and 5 Examples to Inspire You)

Not sure what a content writing portfolio is or how to make one?

You’ll find the answers here.

Content writing and marketing are so popular right now – it’s mainstream. And these fields provide great opportunities to start a career as a content writer .

You might have noticed employers and clients asking for a content writing portfolio when picking writers.

You need to have an attractive and creative portfolio page if you want to even get considered for a content marketing or writing position.

Want to win over a potential client? You’re at the right place to the first step.

Learn all about writing portfolios and how to set them up.

What’s a content writing portfolio?

When employers or clients look for talented freelance writers, they need to see a body of work that shows what you can do.

An online writing portfolio is a link, page, or platform that has a collection of your writing work.

It will include:

• Copywriting examples
• Email marketing copy
• Academic articles

And just about anything you’ve written that’s relevant to your goals and your customer’s requirements.

It’s the one place that shows people what you can do, and it will help business owners, editors, and employers figure out if they should hire you.

The benefits of an online writing portfolio

Having a content writing portfolio is essential if you want to be a successful freelance writer. Here are just a few of the benefits:

• It allows you to showcase your skills and demonstrate your experience to potential clients.
• It gives you a place to pitch ideas and share your samples with sites that accept guest posts.
• It helps you land projects with digital marketing agencies, who are always in need of high-quality content.
• You can share your experience and content with employers who can see what you can do
• You can save or store your live content and find them easily later.
• And finally, it gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that your work is out there for the world to see.

So, we’ve covered the basics of an online portfolio and what it looks like. Let’s move to the next step – how to create a writing portfolio.

The Best Way to Build Your Writer Portfolio

While creating your writing portfolio won’t be complicated, it should be carefully thought out. It can have a huge impact on your career, you know?

Here’s what you should do.

1. Put your writing together

Before you can start putting together your freelance writing portfolio, you need to gather all your content in one place. This includes any blog posts, case studies, emails, pitches, and social media posts you’ve created.

If your content is live on a website, be sure to get the links. Or if it’s stored on a Microsoft Word document, copy it to a cloud-based document so you can share it easily.

When you have all your content gathered, find the ones that showcase your abilities the best. You’ll use these pieces on your portfolio site or document.

You also want to do a quick check of your previous work and make sure they’re edited and relevant.

Curating what you’ve written will ensure that you’re showcasing your best work.

2. Pick a solid portfolio platform

There are many places where you can collect and feature your content. You can use LinkedIn, Medium, and other social media networks. You can also create your own WordPress site and show your skills on your blog page.

And you can simply collect all your content in a document and file storage solution like Google Drive.

You can easily share your content through these platforms and they’re free!

However, you’ll also find dedicated writing portfolio websites. These are geared toward serious writers, researchers, and journalists. They’re also professional-looking and easy to share.

I think it’s good to use a ‘real’ portfolio platform to showcase your templates. Here are some sites to explore:

• Clippings.me
• Journo Portfolio
• Muck Rack for Journalists
• Freelance with Contently

These platforms are available for free. But you get more options with a paid version.

If you’re just starting out, use one for free. And if you have the technical knowledge, you can even build your own WordPress site. You’ll have complete ownership of your site and content. And it helps to have a site of your own for personal branding.

3. Format or Section Your Portfolio

Depending on the platform you select, you’ll be able to create categories or sections for different types of writing.

For example, you might want to put all your tech content under one section or category.

Or you want to keep your newsletter copy separate from your white papers.

Begin by taking a step back and looking at the overall picture. What message are you trying to communicate with your writing portfolio? Do you want to show off your range as a writer? Or highlight a particular area of expertise? Once you know what direction you want to go in, you can start creating individual pages or sections for each writing sample.

If you don’t have this option, don’t worry about it. Just move ahead to the next step and start adding your content pieces to your online writing portfolio.

4. Start adding your content

If you’re using a site like Clippings.me, you’ll see options where you can just add a link, and you’re good to go.

Your writing will appear in a preview form on your profile page.

Anyone who wants to read the content in-depth will click on a link to check it out.

Remember to include a variety of writing samples so that potential clients can get a sense of your range.

For example, if you’re a copywriter, you might want to include samples of both long-form and short-form content.

Or, if you specialize in health and wellness, add links to your posts on meditation, fitness, and other relevant topics.

The more diverse your writing portfolio is, the better your chances are that some of your content will appeal to your audience.

However, if you’re targeting a specific type of client or industry, you’ll find it more effective to have a portfolio website or page for different areas.

So that if you’re applying for a writing job in the automobile industry, you can send your employer to a specific writing portfolio that’s all about cars or trucking insurance.

And if you want to pitch your services in the sports niche, you’ll have a page dedicated to just that.

5. Create A Professional Bio

The next step is to write a professional bio. This is a short paragraph (or two) that tells potential clients or employers who you are and what you do.

Take Julian Mack’s bio for example.

It’s not only professional but also tells you a bit about his personality. This is important because potential clients want to know if they will be working with someone they can get along with.

So your bio should have details but keep the format short, informative, and to -the point. Adding thumbnail images for samples will help your client quickly identify your work.

Your professional bio will help create a rounded picture of who you are, what you do, and how well you can serve a client.

6. Add Your Contact Information & Calls To Action

Don’t forget to add your contact information and a call to action on your writing portfolio page and author bio.

Your contact information should be easily accessible and should include your email address, phone number, and social media links.

As for the call to action, this is a short statement that tells visitors what you want them to do next. For example, you might say “Interested in working with me? Contact me today!”

This is important because it can compel your audience to move ahead and hire you to work for them.

Now, this makes it easy for potential clients or employers to get in touch with you if they’re interested in your services.

7. Share your writing portfolio

Make your writer portfolio live by publishing it – you can then share it with others.

You’ll often have to submit your writing portfolio while filling out a job application or when you’re having an email conversation with a possible client.

Now that you’ve collected, linked, and published your writing samples in one place, you can share them easily.

Don’t forget to add it to your LinkedIn and other networks. It’ll give people a chance to understand the niche you write for just by going through your portfolio page.

5 Portfolio examples to Inspire You

I’ve shared the best way to create and share your writing portfolio.

However, it’s even more helpful to have real-life examples to refer to.

Here is a list of solid content writing portfolio examples you should check out.

1. Dominica Taylor

Dominica is a copywriter and she uses Clippings.me to curate and share her work.

Her bio shares interesting things about her and she adds her email address to the profile.

Scrolling through her content, you’ll see plenty of samples of her work.

There is a variety of writing formats and topics. And they open new pages where a potential client can review their work.

I strongly recommend Clippings.me as a platform for freelancers and writers who don’t want to spend money on a premium product.

I used it to get a fantastic job and you can too.

2. Kyle Cohlmia

This is another real example of a writer with a great portfolio. Compared to the previous example, this one looks more impressive and attractive.

In this case, Kyle created a writing portfolio using SquareSpace. If you want to build a personal brand and control how your portfolio looks, then use a blog platform to create one.

I recommend using WordPress but you can check out other best blogger platforms too.

Kyle’s portfolio is impressive. And it’s not just because of the design.

The brief description showcases her writing career and how it spans areas like art and cybersecurity.

She doesn’t just feature blog posts she’s published, it includes art writing, serious articles and more.

Check out her work to see how you can do something similar.

3. Steve Manjaly

Here’s an example of a freelance content writer.

His focus is on tech topics like SaaS, IoT, Cloud, and AI.

He’s using WordPress.com to curate and share his portfolio.

Each of his sample posts features an image, a heading, and a brief subtitle.

Anyone looking for a tech freelance writer will find this useful.

The end of his writing portfolio has call-to-action inviting users to email and call him.

His bio also has a friendly picture of him and a description of his interests. It humanizes him and makes him interesting. You can also see links to his social media, including LinkedIn, Medium, and Instagram.

4. Amy Boylan

Amy also uses a self-hosted website platform.

She mentioned that most of her content is tied up because of NDAs or Non-Disclosure Agreements.

Readers are invited to read the content she can share. And she links to her blog to read more of her work.

Her portfolio is simple and effective.

5. Lucy Shrimpton

I like how Lucy Shrimpton has her online writing portfolio bang on her home page.

She directs readers to her content straight away.

She uses large images and features a variety of pieces. Clicking on the links takes you to web pages, print magazine articles, and work on her own blog.

It’s a clever and informative piece that helps you learn more about her.

And there you have it!

These are five brilliant examples of real content writing portfolios. With ideas from this site, you’ll find it easy to build your own.

Q1.What to do if you don’t have samples or experience for your writing portfolio?

There are many ways to increase your writing samples and add writing experience to your portfolio. One way is guest posting. You can guest post on other writers’ websites or blogs to increase your portfolio.

Another way is to get published. You can submit your articles or stories to magazines, newspapers, or online publications. Once you are published, you can add these pieces to your portfolio website.

You can also write for different companies or websites as a freelancer. This will help you gain more experience as a writer and add more writing samples to your portfolio. Finally, you can create your own ‘writer website’.

This will allow you to showcase your writing skills and provide links to your published work and writing samples. Creating a writer’s website is a great way to increase your writing exposure and build your writing portfolio.

Points To Remember

You have now completed all the steps necessary to create an online content writing portfolio. By including thumbnail images and making it easy for clients to navigate, you have created a professional and stylish portfolio that is sure to impress.

Tips to remember:

• Keep it simple: You don’t need fancy graphics or unnecessary bells and whistles. Just focus on presenting your work in a clear, easy-to-navigate format.
• Highlight your best writing: Not every piece of writing you’ve ever done will be stellar. So make sure to only include your best work in your portfolio.
• Keep it up to date: As you land new writing gigs and produce more work, be sure to add it to your portfolio on a regular basis. This will help show potential clients that you’re an active, reliable freelancer they can count on.
• Finally, don’t forget to update your portfolio regularly! As your skills and experience grow, so should the writing samples in your portfolio. By regularly adding new and improved pieces to your portfolio, you’ll be sure to impress whoever comes across it.

Remember to showcase your best writing sample prominently, as this will be one of the first things potential clients will look at. With a well-crafted portfolio, you are now one step closer to landing your dream content writing job.

Now that you know how to create a content writing portfolio, it’s time to get started on your own. Use the tips and tricks in this article to put together a portfolio that will help you land the content writing job of your dreams!

About the Author:

Debashri (Deb) is a content marketing expert with 6 + years of experience. Her journey with marketing began during her Master's studies in Finland where she specialized in Marketing and International Business (At the University of Vaasa). She is an expert content writer, content strategist, and thought leadership ghost writer. She is a marketer by education, interests, and vocation.

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Writing Portfolio Examples: 9 Ways to Stand Out

Your freelance writing portfolio is the single most important tool for starting your freelance writing career. I’ve talked about how to build a freelance writing portfolio before, but you may be wondering, “What is my writing portfolio actually supposed to look like?”

I’m answering that question today!

Keep reading to see five great writing portfolio examples, plus nine tips that will help your portfolio stand out from the crowd. 

Click on the YouTube video below if you prefer to learn via video. And don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay up-to-date on my weekly freelance writing tips and tricks. 

WHAT’S A PORTFOLIO?

First, let’s talk about what a portfolio is. It’s pretty simple: a portfolio is a collection of writing samples that show off your work. 

Your portfolio should do these three things: 

Make it clear how you would help a freelance writing client 

Show off the best of your writing skills and knowledge of your industry

Show you’re professional and trustworthy

If you don’t have any real-life writing samples yet, you’ll need to create your pieces on spec. On spec just means you’re writing for free. Think about your ideal client in your niche and create a project for them. Don’t worry about copyright infringement. As long as you make it clear to your clients that this was just a spec project and not the real deal, you’re fine. If you’re worried about it, you can also just change the name of the company. 

Visit this blog post to learn more about building a portfolio without any experience. 

WHAT MAKES A GOOD WRITING PORTFOLIO?

So, what makes a good portfolio? Here are nine tips to help you build a portfolio that stands apart from the crowd and attracts your ideal clients.

All of the portfolios listed below belong to members of my self-guided online course, The Freelance Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy . And each writer participated in Portfolio Workshop, which is a free added bonus for Galaxy members. 

The Freelance Writer’s Guide to the Galaxy teaches you how to turn your writing skills into a sustainable, low-stress business. When you become a Galaxy member, you get lifetime access to the course materials, access to the Galaxy online community, and free entry to Portfolio Workshop, a live video workshop where we give and receive feedback on each other’s portfolios. 

#1: TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU DO

Josh’s portfolio ( josh-grimm.com ) makes it very clear that he is a copywriter and content writer for nonprofits. 

If you don’t tell people what you do, they won’t know! So tell people what you do. 

#2: ADD A NICE PHOTO OF YOURSELF

Josh uses a photo of himself in his “Introduction” section that’s well-lit and professional looking. Even if he’s just sitting on the ground outside of a Whole Foods, it doesn’t matter. He looks like a friendly person who you can trust to get the job done. 

You don’t need to invest in a fancy camera. Just put on a blazer, go outside, and have your mom take pictures of you on your phone. Photos go a long way to building trust on the Internet, so be sure to add a picture or two of your smiling face!

#3: DEFINE YOUR SERVICES

Josh does a great job of laying out exactly what he offers and how the process of working with him will go. 

Believe it or not, most clients haven’t worked with a freelancer before. That’s why you need to have your services defined so you can streamline the process and own the relationship. 

Tell clients exactly what they can expect when working with you!

#4: ADD CTAS ON EVERY PAGE

At the top of each page on Josh’s portfolio, there’s a “Let’s work together” button visible. This is called a call to action (also known as a CTA), and it’s important to have CTAs on every web page to make it easy for potential clients to work with you.

CTAs direct potential clients to the next step of them hiring you. I recommend having your CTAs link to a contact form for clients to fill out!

#5: USE BEHANCE

Lorraine created her portfolio ( www.behance.net/ lorraineolivia ) on behance.net , which is a great, cost-effective solution for showing off your writing samples without having to build an entire website. Behance is free to use, so if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to show off your writing samples, this is it. I used Behance when I started out! 

She added a featured image for each piece, and placed her text below. It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done! 

#6: BRAND YOUR BUSINESS

Ellyssa’s portfolio ( https://www.the happyghostwrite r.com ) is a great example of how important branding is for your freelance business. Just like with any business, your branding conveys what makes your freelance business special . 

Branding includes things like your business name, your logo, your fonts and colors, and the tone of voice you use in your website and marketing. 

She also includes a “Why choose me?” section and an FAQ section to help build trust with potential clients and convince them to reach out to her for help. 

#7: EMPHASIZE HOW YOU HELP PEOPLE

Gracia’s portfolio ( Graciadinzaumbudi.com ) does a great job of emphasizing how easy it is to work with him. He’s telling potential clients how he saves them time and hassle by taking copywriting off of their plate. 

It’s not just about the content you’ll provide for a client, it’s about the feeling the client will get when they work with you. How will it make the client feel to outsource a task? Awesome, hopefully! And you should convey that feeling in your portfolio. 

#8: OFFER BLOG PACKAGES FOR LONG-TERM CLIENTS

Gracia pushes blog packages on his site, which is key for securing long-term clients. The more long-term clients you have, the less time you’ll have to spend searching for work. This means more money and less time working for you! 

If you want to learn more about turning your clients into long-term clients, watch this YouTube video . 

#9: USE SOCIAL PROOF

On my portfolio ( glossytype.com ), I share testimonials from my clients in more than one place. I also have logos from some of the bigger clients I’ve worked with on my home page. 

If a potential client sees that other people have hired you and they were happy with your work, they’re more likely to hire you. 

Ask every client you’ve worked with for a testimonial. As soon as you work with a client, show that off on your portfolio. 

Okay, buddy! I hope these examples gave you inspiration for making your portfolio stand out. 

If you want me to help you build your portfolio, apply to my 1:1 coaching program here !

What is a Freelance Writer?

Living that van life interview with rachel meltzer.

Freelance writer portfolio: The best examples and how to build one

As a freelance writer, your portfolio is one of the most critical factors in landing new clients. It shows who you are, and what you’re capable of doing. But if you don’t do it right, you could just as easily turn potential clients off from working with you.

In this guide, we’re covering everything you need to know about freelance writing portfolios, whether you're a beginner or advanced freelancer.

What is a freelance writer portfolio?

In the traditional sense of the word, a freelance writer portfolio is a collection of your past work that you can show to potential clients.

In the modern sense of the word, portfolios do three things:

1. Introduce you and your work

Your online portfolio (along with a cover letter ) is one of the first things a potential client sees when they are considering working with you. Because of that, it’s one of the best ways to introduce who you are, the type of work you do, and explain what someone will see in your freelance writing portfolio.

2. Demonstrate your expertise

Share examples that make it clear you know what you’re doing. You can post any example that you feel best demonstrates a specific type of expertise. For example: experience with a certain type of writing, a certain topic, or with a certain publication.

3. Begin the sales process

The best portfolios encourage potential clients to reach out. They make it easy to contact you and highlight the best possible examples of your work—the stuff that makes customers excited at the prospect of working with you.

The two kinds of freelance writer portfolios

Freelance writers will often have two different kinds of portfolios, both used in different times and for different purposes: the general portfolio and the specific portfolio.

1. The general portfolio

This kind of online portfolio acts as your CV, showcasing as much of your work as you can possibly fit in. You might also categorize or tag the content based on what it is: the topic, the outlet, the style of article, or the type of writing.

This is an internal document. Use this kind of portfolio to capture all your work that you can pull from later, but you don’t often send this to a client.

2. The specific portfolio

In contrast to the general portfolio, a specific portfolio is an external document that’s aimed at helping you sell more as a freelance writer. It’s where you showcase your best work or specific examples tailored to a pitch you’re making. That way you can show the most relevant work samples to help you close a deal.

Why do freelance writers need a portfolio?

Portfolios can do a lot more for freelancers than just sharing some work samples. Here are four key reasons why every freelance writer needs a portfolio:

1. Personal branding : Your online portfolio—and how you build it—says a lot about you as a freelancer. It demonstrates not only your visual style, but also your organizational process and what you feel are your best work samples.

2. Demonstrating topical expertise : Portfolios offer definitive proof that you know how to write about a topic (because you actually wrote about it). You might still get questions about how much editing went into the piece, but the portfolio provides a foundation.

3. Showcasing your range as a writer : If you’re great at different kinds of writing—nonfiction, fiction, long form, interviews, research, etc.—you can showcase that in portfolio navigation.

4. Avoiding the need to share references : Many clients will want to know that you can deliver the work they want. In the absence of a portfolio, they may ask for references, which is time-consuming and uncomfortable for you to find a previous client, ask if they will serve as a reference, then make the introduction and hope for the best.

What makes a good freelance writer portfolio?

The strongest portfolios have four key elements:

Introduction : Every portfolio should introduce who you are, what kind of work you do, and any other relevant information (such as awards or accolades).

Categorization : Good portfolios make it easy to see your range of work, whether that’s topical or type of content.

Good flow : Your portfolio is part of your overall sales experience, so a visually-appealing flow that’s easy to skim or click through is critical.

Comprehensive but not overly long : You need to include enough samples to prove that you’re good at your job, but not so many that you confuse or inundate a potential customer.

Amazing examples of freelance writer portfolio sites

Need some inspiration for your portfolio? Here are 10 online writing portfolio examples that you can steal ideas from.

Shayna Conde

Shayna Conde is a freelance writer that focuses on storytelling around diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

Portfolio style : Shayna built a minimalist portfolio that showcases her as a person. It’s part of her personal website, so you can learn more about her on other pages—but this portfolio page is succinct and easy to share with potential clients.

Why the portfolio stands out : Her portfolio stands out because it’s curated. She doesn’t just throw out every article she’s ever written. Instead, she’s hand-picked the writing samples that encapsulate her writing style and range, so potential clients know exactly what she might produce for them.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you have one key focus that you want all potential clients to know about.

Hank Herman

Hank Herman is a humorist writer that has written multiple books, articles, and even teaches seminars on writing.

Portfolio style : Hank’s portfolio is also part of his personal site, but the design is very focused on being brand-relevant. It’s sleek for its own sake, and feels very custom to Hank and his personality.

Why the portfolio stands out : His portfolio is a great reflection of his personality. It’s lighthearted, comprehensive, but doesn’t take itself too seriously. This gives potential clients a bit of a chuckle when they first land on the page—which is precisely what Hank can deliver for his clients.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you have a style of freelancing that’s highly influenced by your personality—especially if that personality trait is difficult to showcase when you’re not face-to-face with someone.

Charlane Oliver

Charlane Oliver is a writer and designer that uses Pinterest as her portfolio base.

Portfolio style : Charlane went for a visual-first focus, but using Pinterest as the platform evokes a sense comfort and ease (since a lot of people know what Pinterest looks like).

Why the portfolio stands out : Using Pinterest for her freelance writing portfolio, she’s able to combine the visuals from her design eye with easy click-through to read the text. This helps a great deal with visual style. Despite Pinterest having a very well-known visual style, Charlane is able to make it her own and showcase the writing samples she wants to.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you have visual-first freelance work that is highly complex, so the simple template of a Pinterest board makes it easier for potential customers to digest everything.

Scott Broker

Scott Broker is an American writer who has won multiple awards for fiction and creative writing.

Portfolio style : Scott went for a minimalist site that focuses on who he is as a writer: his identity, his accolades, and his explorations.

Why the portfolio stands out : His portfolio is highly identity-focused, which is critical for Scott’s work as a fiction writer. He demonstrates not only his credibility on his landing page, but also offers numerous examples of his award-winning writing samples under the “Publications” tab of his personal site and portfolio.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : For freelance work that is exploratory in nature, or when you use awards and certifications as a key part of your pitches (for example: journalism).

John Espirian is a technical content writer that specializes in B2B blogs, copy, and web writing.

Portfolio style : This website and portfolio feels very much like an agency, which is sleek, copy-focused, and features a clean design.

Why the portfolio stands out : John created a site that is purpose-built for his intended audience. When B2B companies look for technical copywriters, they want to feel like the writer knows their pains and goals. By designing his website to look like a B2B website, John directly demonstrates he knows what he’s talking about.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you are producing content for a specific type of business.

Anita Chauhan

Anita Chauhan is a marketer and content writer with a niche helping startups.

Portfolio style : This freelance writing portfolio site has serious “tech” vibes, where Anita’s website feels almost like a startup’s website.

Why the portfolio stands out : By having different categories that apply to startup marketing—content marketing, writing, lead gen, newsletters, etc.—Anita demonstrates she knows the different content challenges that her ideal clients might have. Further, it’s a super clean way to demonstrate her range as a writer, since she has examples of each type of writing within the portfolio.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you offer a wide range of writing services.

Neville Medhora

Neville Medhora is an American copywriter in the sales niche who posts his numerous blog posts and other work samples.

Portfolio style : Unlike many freelancers that use Wordpress or Squarespace, Neville used a template in Google Docs to create a journalism portfolio site with different sections. By including the left side navigation, he makes it easy for people to look at whichever section they’d like to see.

Why the portfolio stands out : Most people expect a flashy website, so a Google Doc automatically stands out. And because he formatted it well, people don’t get lost in the document.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you don’t have technical skills but know you’re good at writing.

Elaine Bleakney

Elaine Bleakney is a freelance writer who uses video and visuals as part of her niche storytelling.

Portfolio style : She picked a simple, clean freelance writer website theme, yet created enticement with a video at the top of the page (instead of immediately diving into links).

Why the portfolio stands out : Its visual elements and clean design make it simple to navigate.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you want to communicate simplistic elegance as part of your writing style.

Laura Sutton

Laura Sutton is a B2B copywriter and content marketer.

Portfolio style : Laura chose a shareable PDF that feels almost like an agency pitch deck rather than a freelancer sharing a portfolio.

Why the portfolio stands out : As a B2B copywriter, Laura regularly works with companies that might otherwise consider using an agency. By creating her portfolio to emulate what an agency might send in a pitch, Laura stands out as more professional and up to the task when compared to other freelancers that might only send personal websites.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you want to create a freelance writing portfolio that looks like a piece of content you might produce for your clients.

Akwaeke Emezi

Akwaeke Emezi is a Nigerian creator, artist, and writer that focuses on the freelance writing niche of the Black experience. Their work (and art) engages with what it means to inhabit certain identities.

Portfolio style : This freelance writer website is very visual on the main page, but minimalistic navigation on the left side. It makes it easy to send the whole site to a potential customer, highlighting one specific URL page so you can show them exactly what they want to see.

Why the portfolio stands out : Their freelance writing portfolio focuses on demonstrating this balance of art and writing—meaning it shows range very well. Akwaeke has written and created multiple different works, and having an easy menu on the side of the page is a great way for potential clients to click into what they want to see, but also know that Akwaeke is capable of more.

When to take inspiration from this portfolio : When you have either a visual component to your freelance work or you take one thing (for example, writing) and apply it across multiple disciplines (like Emezi who writes books, TV, essays, and video scripts).

How to build a portfolio as a freelance writer

If you want to build your freelance writing business , you need a good portfolio. Here’s how to build both a general and a specific portfolio:

Building a general freelance writing portfolio

Step 1 : Write down all the types of writing you do in a Google Doc or Sheet.

Step 2 : Collect links from all your published work to date—for yourself, for clients, or volunteer work—and paste them in the document or sheet in a list. Add information about:

• Who the writing was for
• What the writing was about (topic)
• What type of writing you did (article, longform, interview, etc.)

Step 3 : Find your best 2-3 examples for each type of writing you want to highlight (based on topic, structure, or client), and put those links at the top of your portfolio.

(Optional) Step 4 : Create a visual portfolio. Because you don’t have to general out a general portfolio, you don’t need to spend time designing one. This is especially true if you’ve had ongoing clients and written hundreds of pieces of content for them over multiple years.

Building a pitch-specific freelance writing portfolio

Step 1 : Ask what kinds of examples your prospective client would like to see.

• A specific type of writing
• A specific topic
• Highlighting your style or personality as a writer

Step 2 : Refer back to your general freelance writing portfolio, pulling 3-5 examples that you feel best capture what your prospective client wants to see.

Step 3 : You have three options

• Create a sub-page or category in your portfolio website dedicated to that pitch.
• Create a portfolio with multiple categories, and send a link to the one category the potential client asked you to highlight.
• Post relevant links via email directly to the content samples, bypassing a portfolio for that pitch or including it as an addendum.

Freelance writing portfolio building tools you can use as a freelance writer

There are many tools that help freelance writers host their portfolios. Here are a few to consider:

Clippings.me

Pros : Clippings.me is easy and quick to use. Reports also say that customer service is really friendly.

Cons : The free version has limited features. For example, you can’t use a spam-protected contact form in the free version.

Price : The premium plan is $9.99 per month.

Link : https://www.clippings.me/

Pressfolios

Pros : The page design is sleek and you can organize stories by section. You also get a full backup included in your plan.

Cons : There is no free plan, only a free 14 day trial.

Price : Lite is $9.99 and Pro is $14.99 per month.

Link : https://pressfolios.com/

Journo portfolio

Pros : You can pick from multiple different themes to build a custom design—almost like Wordpress for freelance writer portfolios.

Cons : No networking component—it’s just a hosting site and nothing else.

Price : There’s a free plan, a $5 monthly (Plus), and a $10 monthly (Pro) plan.

Link : https://www.journoportfolio.com/

Pros : It’s one of the biggest social media networks in the world, so you get discoverability built in (especially with LinkedIn’s “Open To Work” feature).

Cons : There’s very limited customizability and it’s hard to know where to put your work—in your profile, as posts, or as articles.

Price : Free

Link : https://www.linkedin.com/

Pros : Visual and easy to use, so you can focus on content creation instead of platform set up.

Cons : Millions of people post different types of content on Pinterest, so your portfolio could get lost in all the images.

Link : https://www.pinterest.ca/

Pros : Twitter is an easy platform to gain followers on, which means you can actually bring freelance work to you while you display your work via your feed.

Cons : Like all social media platforms, you have no control over your Twitter account's look and feel.

Link : http://twitter.com/

Pros : Muck Rack is professional-looking and highly regarded in the journalism industry.

Cons : No way to customize the look and feel.

Price : Free for having a portfolio page account.

Link : https://muckrack.com/

Your personal blog or writer website

Pros : You get total customization and control over the look and feel with your writer website in a way you can't get with any other platform or social media. You can also connect it to tools like Google Analytics to track visitors and improve your site over time through data.

Cons : You have to build it yourself—which means learning how to use builders like Wordpress themes or Webflow—or pay someone to do it for you.

Price : Varies.

Portfolio pitfalls to avoid

When building your portfolio website, here are some pitfalls to make sure you avoid:

General portfolio pitfalls

Working for free just for a portfolio sample : Outside of nonprofits and volunteer work, never work for free just to get a work sample. You can create a sample for yourself, but for-profit businesses should pay for your labor and writing service. If you want to build your brand, you could try guest blogging and guest posting on other websites. That way you get your blog posts on someone else's domain name, you get feedback from their editor that you can use to improve your craft, and you can share your expertise and skills in different freelance writing niches.

Sharing too much or too little : If you’ve written hundreds of pieces of content, keep those links somewhere private. Only post about 10-25 samples in a public portfolio. If you keep writing a lot, curate your work over time to only highlight your best work.

Not having permission to post client samples : One of the worst things you can do is post client work on your website without their knowledge or permission. You can include this permission in your contracts to save you the hassle of asking, but you should always be transparent with your clients.

Obsessing over the portfolio : This is just one piece of your overall sales and marketing plan as a freelancer. Don’t obsess over it to the point where you don’t spend time on other things that matter.

Pitch-specific portfolio pitfalls

Sharing irrelevant samples : Only share the types of content that a prospective client asked for. Don’t bombard them.

Not customizing your pitches : You may have a lot of examples of longform articles. You should always curate and customize, hand picking the best samples that make sense for any given pitch.

Not having any welcome text : Don’t just send links. Whether in an email or through a portfolio page, have a quick introduction to you. This makes it easy for other people to know who you are if your prospect shares your email or writer website link with colleagues.

Your portfolio is the foundation you stand on

As a freelancer, being able to prove you can do the work you say you can is critical. A portfolio does that and so much more: With a good writer website, you can express your personality and style on top of your writing ability. It’s the perfect place for prospective clients to get a sense of who you are, what you can do, and get excited about the thought of working with you.

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• July 18, 2023

9 Beginner UX Writing Portfolio Examples

Get inspired by effective portfolios by UX writing newbies. All the examples in this article are made by people who 1) have entered the industry in the last few years and 2) have landed jobs as UX writers or content designers.

Shortcuts – jump straight to:

How on earth do you make a ux portfolio without much experience.

If you’re new to UX writing and content design , you probably have a lot of questions about how to create an effective content design portfolio . While there are lots of great examples online, they often feature work from experienced content designers. Content designer portfolio examples from seasoned pros can inspire — but they can also intimidate. They are also harder to use as models because they don’t address the questions and worries people often have in their early career.

Portfolios of more senior content designers can make newbies aware of (and anxious about!) all the things they don’t have: UX job experience, “real world” samples, extensive research, outcome analytics, a fancy website. The good news is that you don’t need all of these things to land a job .

As Jan Haaland, founder of Case Study Club, says in the podcast episode From case study writing to writing robots , employers are looking for different things in entry level and senior positions. And this article by Jonathon Colman  at HubSpot gets very specific about exactly what they look for. Bookmark it in case of anxiety attack – it’s a refreshing reminder that you are not expected to have it all.

4 Early-career Portfolio Challenges Solved  

The portfolios in this article were chosen because they offer examples of how to address some common challenges early-career content designers face. They will show you how to make the most of what you do have , including student projects, side/personal projects, work in other fields, user testing, and even your sparkling personality.

All the portfolios featured below come from students in the UX Writing Academy . And all of these portfolios helped the writers who created them land jobs, so you know they work. 

Challenge #1: Few (or no) professional samples

A common Catch-22 for people entering any field is that you often have to have experience to get experience. While experienced content designers can showcase projects they’ve done for employers, newbies have to get more creative to demonstrate their skills.

Some new content designers wonder if showing personal projects is “allowed” — and the good news is, it absolutely is. Have you sketched out improvements to an app you thought had some flaws? Done a 30-day UX writing challenge? Created a prototype of a fictional product in a class or on your own? All of that can go in your portfolio. In fact, HubSpot says they welcome side projects and volunteer projects.

All these things can demonstrate your skills and thought processes – and show you’re passionate and eager enough to try things on your own.

Sarah Kessler  

Take a quick glance at Sarah Kessler’s portfolio and you might think she has years of UX writing experience. Six samples, and text at the top that says these are not all of her work. Yet many of these samples were made outside of the workplace : a UX Writing Academy project, a UX Writing daily challenge, a speculative project that was a take-home assignment from a job interview.

Sarah is open about the origin of these projects, and lets the work stand for itself. These projects reveal her thought processes , ability to create great work and communicate it, and demonstrate that she is committed to learning more and more about the field. 

➡Sarah talks about becoming a UX writer from scratch in an episode of Writers in Tech⬅  – check it out!

Takeaway: Show it all. Whether or not you were paid for it, your work shows potential employers what you can do. What matters is not whether your samples were created in a professional setting but that you present them in a professional way. 

Diego Cagara  

Diego Cagara has several professional projects on his portfolio, and he does a nice job connecting his past experience in journalism to his UX work (including a Medium article he wrote that makes the link explicit). But he also includes a student exercise that provides a great example of how he thinks through content design challenges. “Unfriendly Skies” is a project that involved writing copy for four different use cases for an airline app. He includes the situation, his copy, and the rationale for each. In this way, he shows both his work and his thinking . And perhaps most importantly, his conclusion explains what he learned . 

Takeaway: As we see over and over, the more you can demonstrate how you think – about specific decisions, and your learning process over all– the better. The next time you encounter a less-than-delightful digital experience, consider what you would do to fix it, and articulate why your fix would be an improvement.

Challenge #2: No (or minimal) research

Because these portfolios all come from UX Writing Academy students, they all include at least some research. That’s because the program emphasizes the importance of research in content design, and includes it as an important part of the final project. However, the research for those projects was all conducted a) for free and b) on original (invented) products. That means these are all things you can do on your own .

Some of these portfolios also include smaller, minimalist design projects that were not based on research. That’s fine, but if these make up the bulk of your samples, it will help to describe what research you would conduct, if you were in a different setting or had more resources . Many of the samples below include “Next Steps” sections – a list of additional research steps that the UX writer would conduct if they were able to.

Emma McLeod  

There’s lots to love in Emma McLeod’s simple but effective portfolio. It consists of three samples, two of which are personal projects . Research is often a hurdle for early-career content designers.

Emma’s student project demonstrates both how much you can do on your own, and how to handle what you can’t do. She used a number of research tools for her project, including market research, surveys, user interviews, and conversation mining. However, because this is not a “real” finished product, there were some limitations, so she included an explanation of what she would do if she could . 

Takeaway: You can do a lot of research with minimal resources, and explaining what you would do if you could goes a long way. If you’re working on a personal project, try mapping out an ideal research plan. Then see what on the list you might be able to accomplish with the resources you have.

Carla Kargaard  

Carla Kargaad’s portfolio features another personal project that demonstrates how much research can be done with no resources . Her project included two full designs , with different voice and tone options (as well as different visual design).

In addition to showing off her ability to conceive of and write in different brand voices, this also demonstrated that she can let go of her own ideas based on the research . While creating her product, she saw that the voice could go one of two ways: edgy (her favorite), or a slightly more conservative approach. So she built and tested both, and found that the latter was more effective. While she may have had to jettison her favorite design, sharing the process may have helped her land a job. 

Takeaway: Even without a live finished product, you can test the way different versions perform. If you are deciding between two choices in a personal project, try making two versions and then conducting basic user testing. You might be surprised how much you can do.

Asher Lee Sherman  

Asher Lee Sherman also did a lot of research on a student project. The project , an e-commerce store for colored contact lenses, is an excellent example because it clearly demonstrates the goals of the research and precisely what was done . This makes it useful for newbies who may be wondering how to do research like this, as well as how to present it. One place this sample shines is all the conclusions drawn from the research. 

Takeaway: While this particular case study is backed up with lots of research, making strong conclusions from your research is a lesson anyone can learn from. This demonstrates to employers that you are able to make the most out of your research, even if there’s not much of it. 

Challenge #3: Lack of resources for a fancy website

There are a number of tools to easily and cheaply create a simple portfolio site, but the easiest of all may be Notion . You may know Notion as a productivity tool, but it can also let you create an attractive portfolio site in an afternoon (for free!). Many of the portfolios featured in this article are built in Notion. By creating a simple and effective site, you can focus more on what matters: the quality of the work in your portfolio. 

Emily Shi Lee  

Emily Shi Lee offers an example of how to do a lot with a little. On a single page , she introduces herself, offers a quick but thorough guide to her primary sample (click through to see her excellent case study), provides links to smaller UX writing samples, gives more information about herself, and offers a testimonial as proof of her chops. The site is easy to digest, and shows her personality and skills.

Takeaway: Start simple. There’s no need to dress up your work with bells and whistles. Visitors to your portfolio are interested in your work, and that can shine in a simple portfolio.

Pieterjan Benoit

Pieterjan Benoit’s portfolio is another example of a lean yet deep Notion-based site . You get a great sense of all Pieterjan has done – work experience, UX samples, other articles, and more – without feeling overwhelmed. The page provides a thorough and holistic sense of Pieterjan’s work and personality, while providing plenty of opportunities to learn more. 

Takeaway: Using a simple tool allows you to focus less on learning a complicated product and more on expressing yourself and sharing your authentic personality.

Challenge #4: Expressing your personality in your portfolio

One advantage a portfolio has over a traditional resume is that you can express more of your personality . For new UX writers, this is a huge benefit. You may only have been honing your UX writing skills for a short time, but you’ve had your whole life to develop your personality. 

While it’s possible to go overboard, judicious use of your authentic voice will give visitors a sense of who you are and what it would be like to work with you .

Since voice and tone are such a key component of UX writing , the copy on your portfolio is a great opportunity to show what you can do. You can think about your own brand voice in the same way you would approach a company’s. Are you hyper-professional or more casual? Playful or all business? The portfolios below all do a great job integrating the authentic voice of the writer.

Lauren Reichman   

Looking at Lauren Reichman’s portfolio, you could be forgiven for wondering why it is included in a list of early career portfolios. She has an extensive background in content strategy and copywriting , areas that overlap enough with UX writing to provide useful projects/samples. Her case studies are definitely worth a look, even if they intimidate a little! But you’ll also find an excellent example of how to express your personality in your case studies . 

Check out her 404 pages project, for example. Lauren set herself a simple challenge to create 30 404 pages for her portfolio site . These are delightful to browse and serve as a useful model of what you can create on your own. While many UX writing challenges are designed to practice lots of different things (and including them in the portfolio can demonstrate breadth), focusing on a single element allows Lauren to show her limitless creativity. 

Takeaway: Do you have a favorite element to write? Or something you want to improve? Follow Lauren’s example and create 30 examples for your own portfolio site.

Lucia Alcayde

In four sentences at the top of her portfolio, Lucia Alcayde elegantly describes herself, her values, her job and skills, and her benefit to clients:

“ I am a creative being and a digital marketing specialist. I believe in the power of good ideas and storytelling. I write content that helps users understand how brands can fulfill their needs. Therefore, I also help brands understand their users.”

This simple (even poetic) statement gets across Lucia’s unique approach to the field of content design, and the benefits of that approach . Her case studies reflect this, too. 

Takeaway: Be yourself. The way you think about your work and your role in the world will come through in your voice when what you’re saying is authentic. 

More tips for portfolio makers and job seekers

The ultimate UX portfolio resource (70 examples plus tips on how to get started) 8 tips to ace UX writing interviews 3 things that helped me get a job in UX (and 3 that didn’t)  

Podcast episodes

From case study writing to writing robots (with Jan Haaland from the Case Study Club) Believe in content design (with HubSpot’s Jonathon Colman, who explains what recruiters look for when hiring) UX writers are designers (with tips from Hailey Reynolds on how to write a cover letter) Becoming a UX writer from scratch (with Sarah Kessler)

Want to become a UX writer?

If you would like to get more experience, consider the UX Writing Academy. All the portfolios in this article came from Academy students (and all landed jobs), so if the caliber of the work here impressed and inspired you, you may want to join the next cohort. 

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Copyblogger

How to Create a Writing Portfolio That Clients Love

Most freelance job posts receive hundreds of applications. 

As someone who has hired freelance writers and sifted through hundreds of applications, I can tell you that I quickly weed out those who don’t provide a simple method for me to quickly assess their writing abilities.

While I don’t expect freelance writers to have a fancy website, I thoroughly appreciate a writer who makes it easy to quickly view relevant writing samples and understand the value they offer.

After viewing thousands of writer portfolios, I’ll share what I look for in a writing portfolio when I’m hiring freelancers and provide a step-by-step process to help you create a writing portfolio that will win clients. I’ll also show some writing portfolio examples to give you further inspiration.

What Hiring Managers Want In a Freelance Writing Portfolio

Hiring managers are strapped for time and want to hire a writer quickly. 

They don’t care about portfolio design, your profile image, or other presentation details. 

They really just want to see if you’re the right fit for their job . 

So instead of stressing about details like design colors, optimize your writing portfolio to clearly answer the following questions: 

• Does this person offer the services I’m looking for?
• Does this person have the writing skills I’m looking for?
• Has this person done similar jobs in the past in similar industries/niches?
• Is this person reliable (e.g., adheres to deadlines, consistently delivers results, etc.)
• Bonus: Does this person understand the larger business goal we’re trying to accomplish? 

In addition, make sure it’s super easy for potential clients to navigate the portfolio site and quickly find the answers to those questions. If they can’t immediately find the answers they’re looking for, they’ll likely just eliminate you from the list of candidates.

Below, I’ll show you how to create a freelance writer website that clearly answers these questions and helps you win new clients.

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How to Create a Writing Portfolio: Step by Step

You don’t have to have a website to become a freelance writer , but it does help generate inbound leads and can leave an excellent first-impression on potential clients. So here’s a step-by-step guide to tactically set up your portfolio website and the critical elements to include so that you stand out to prospective clients.

1. Select an Easy-To-Use Website and Hosting Platform

You don’t need a fancy website or hosting solution to get started, so I recommend selecting the simplest solution possible. 

You can use Siteground or Namecheap for web hosting, as they’re both cheap and reliable. As for a website builder, you can use a platform like Squarespace or Wix , as both offer simple visual editors and pre-made website templates.

WordPress is also a great option that offers more scalability. It might be a better option if you think you’ll grow your freelance writing business into an agency.

Alternatively, if you want the simplest solution possible, you can use Canva’s portfolio builder .

I recommend keeping everything simple, as many freelance writers never create a portfolio because they’re too intimidated by the tech. 

If you still feel overwhelmed at the thought of creating your own portfolio, you can always hire someone on Upwork to create a professional writing portfolio website for you. Most of them only charge a few hundred dollars, and you can send them all the information in a document to post for you. 

The key is to start working on this today . The longer it takes to complete your freelance writer portfolio, the longer it will take to close new clients. 

I recommend setting a deadline of three to four days to complete your portfolio website so that you start closing clients quickly. 

2. Identify Your Target Audience and Niche

Before adding any content to your new website, define your ideal client. 

A common mistake most freelancers make is trying to target too many potential clients. 

Unfortunately, hiring managers are looking for specialists, and you’ll dilute your credibility as an expert if you advertise that you service multiple niches. In addition, your messaging will be very generic and ineffective if you try to target multiple customer personas.  

In this step, clearly define:

• The type of writing you offer (blog writing, sales writing, social media writing, etc.)
• The industry you want to serve (ecommerce, B2B, local businesses, bloggers, etc.)
• The company size you intend to serve (startups, enterprise corporations, etc.)

Once you’ve defined your ideal customer, do some research to understand their pain points and what they’re hoping to achieve by hiring a writer.

The best way to do customer research is talking to your ideal audience and asking them what they’re looking for in writers. 

I did this when I was looking to scale from a freelancer to a marketing agency owner, and you can see that I received some very helpful feedback:

You can see that these responses are incredibly valuable as they tell me both how I should position myself and specific pain points these hiring managers experience.

You can also ask in Slack groups and other private groups for feedback. For example, I asked this group if anyone had hired a content agency for $30,000 plus and what they were looking for in that agency. 

I ended up getting on a call with one of the people, and they showed me the entire pitch deck from the agency they hired and explained why they hired that agency. These insights helped better position my services to charge more and close more clients.

We’ll discuss positioning in more detail below, but for now, take note of:

• Your ideal customers’ pain points.
• The outcomes they’re trying to achieve by hiring a freelance writer.
• What they look for when reviewing different freelance writers.
• Key elements that make freelance writing portfolios memorable.

3. Select Your Best Writing Samples 

A mistake that many freelance writers make is publishing too many writing samples from multiple industries.

There are a few reasons why posting a lot of sample writing pieces isn’t a great idea:

• Potential clients won’t see your best samples : If there are 20+ writing samples, clients probably won’t see your best 3-4 writing pieces. 
• Posting from multiple industries dilutes your expertise : We discussed earlier that clients want to see you’re an expert in their field, so only include writing samples for your ideal customer’s industry/niche. 
• Too many pieces overwhelms potential clients : Your potential clients are in a hurry to quickly find the best writer for the job, and offering too many sample pieces can overwhelm them. 

So select only your best work to include in your portfolio. Usually, three or four writing samples are sufficient.

When you post the writing sample, include any business results it helped accomplish. You can go back to your customer research notes to remember what your customers are looking to achieve by hiring a content writer.

For example, if the goal is to increase traffic and conversions, include how your sample writing piece helped accomplish those goals. Here’s a great example from freelance writer Elise Dopson’s portfolio . 

Instead of just posting the link to the blog post, she states the business goals (increase traffic and keyword rankings) it helped the company achieve: 

She also includes screenshots, which is a great way to add proof.

4. Add Social Proof and Testimonials

Adding testimonials to your online writing portfolio can boost your credibility, but not all testimonials are equally compelling.

Who you get testimonials from and what those testimonials say can instantly help you pass on to the hiring manager’s next round of evaluation.

First, get testimonials from reputable brands/people your ideal clients probably already know and respect. If you don’t have any influential clients, you can reach out to a well-established industry influencer or brand and offer a free sample piece in exchange for a testimonial.

When you ask for the testimonial, ask them to highlight how you eliminate key pain points that your ideal clients typically experience with freelance writers. For example, common problems with freelance writers include missing deadlines and delivering shallow, poorly researched articles. So ask them to mention how you always hit deadlines and thoroughly research your work.

Elise Dopson again does a great job of creating compelling testimonials from well respected brands in her target industry. They show how she eliminates key pain points with most freelance writers (she hits deadlines and thoroughly researches her work). 

5. Structuring Your Homepage

Once you’ve gathered your writing samples and testimonials, you have most of the materials for your portfolio page. Now, you need to structure your homepage and the messaging to clearly communicate that you’re the best person to help the prospect achieve their goals.

First, create a compelling headline that clearly states the value you provide and how you accomplish it.

You can use this framework:

“(your writing niche) for (your ideal customer) that need (pain point you’re solving.)”

For example, it could be “Freelance content writer for B2B SaaS companies that need more organic leads.”

I also highly recommend including a process section detailing how you work with clients. Most potential clients will take you more seriously if you show them you have a repeatable, proven process. 

For example, if you do customer research, outlines, or anything else, create a 3-5 step process and include that on your homepage. You can always customize your services to your clients’ needs, but having a process will definitely make you stand out from other freelance writers as it shows that you’re experienced and have a method to consistently produce the same quality results.

You can also include an FAQ section with information on your rates, the deliverables, turnaround times, who your ideal customer is, and other questions prospects commonly ask. 

Here’s a sample framework you can use to structure your homepage:

Below, I’ll walk you through several examples of great homepages.

6. Create Your About Page

Most freelance writers discuss their dog or places they’ve traveled to in their author bios. The reality is that clients don’t really care about this information.

Instead, a more compelling author bio that can help you win clients is explaining the pain points you struggled with that led you to become a freelance copywriter and how it has shaped your philosophy as a writer.

For example, let’s say you previously worked in enterprise sales and noticed that prospects who closed fastest usually read blog posts before coming onto the demo. As a result, you became a writer because you felt it was a higher-leverage activity that drove more quality prospects.

That’s an interesting story that shows your ideal prospects you really understand the pain points they’re trying to solve. They also get a better insight into how you approach writing and get to know a little bit about the personal side of you.

Boutique Japan, a luxury travel company, has a well-written and effective about page that does an excellent job of helping you get to know the founder and their unique story.

​​This story helps potential clients get to know you on a deeper level than just talking about your dog.

As a result, you’ll build more trust with potential clients and stand out as a company.

I’ll also add that it’s worthwhile to include a picture of yourself. Clients want to know who they’re dealing with, and adding a face to the words will help build trust.

7. Create Your Contact Page

Finally, add a contact page to your portfolio that includes your email address and links to your Twitter and LinkedIn profile (if you use them). 

Keep your contact page as simple as possible and if you decide to offer a form fill, be sure that the form fill works and reliably sends emails to your inbox, as many contact forms send messages directly to your spam mail.

Here’s a great example of a simple contact page:

Great Writing Portfolio Examples

Here are a few examples from highly successful freelance writers to give you some inspiration as you create your own freelance writing portfolio.

Elise Dopson

I already mentioned her portfolio several times earlier in this post, but I highly recommend that you browse through it for inspiration on both structuring your portfolio and crafting effective messaging. 

Here are a few things that I particularly like about Elise’s portfolio:

• Who she serves and what she offers is very clear from the headline – she creates journalistic B2B content for retail, ecommerce, and martech companies.
• She has plenty of logos from big brand names, and her testimonials highlight how she solves key problems clients often encounter with freelance writers (she never misses deadlines).
• She highlights the business results she’s helped companies achieve (e.g., increased website traffic, keyword rankings, etc.).
• She only includes her best work and separates it by industry so the right client can easily find the right samples.
• All of the messaging across the entire website is very clear.

Some things I might adjust if I were editing this profile:

• She targets multiple personas (retail, ecommerce, and martech). She has already established herself in the writing industry, but I’d choose just one industry if you’re starting your career

Brent Barnhart

Brent’s website is slightly more personal than Elise’s website. Still, he does an excellent job of clearly articulating his value and then proves it with case studies and customer testimonials.

What I love about his portfolio website:

• You can clearly tell what he does and the value he provides to clients (high ranking B2B SaaS content). He also states specific services he offers, including ghostwriting and long-form content.
• He has one clearly defined target audience – B2B SaaS.
• He offers big name brand logos up top.
• You can clearly hear his voice shine through.
• The rest of the page details case studies to prove he can do the work, details on why he’s different, and a specific process to prove that he can deliver the same results for you.

Some things I might add/change:

• I would probably add a few more customer testimonials, though I like that he includes screenshots of client messages throughout the page, as seen in the screenshot above.

Marijana Kay

Marijana Kay has a great writing portfolio that is clean, neat, and clear. You can understand what she offers just by glancing at the headline, and she also offers a lead magnet, which can be helpful for building an email list and retargeting potential clients.

Here are a few things I love about this writing portfolio:

• She clearly states in the headline what she offers (freelance writing services) and who she services (SaaS and marketing brands).
• The tagline hits on the key customer pain point (hitting content marketing goals consistently).
• The brand logos she has worked with are clearly labeled at the top.
• She ties business KPIs to her case studies (increasing conversion rates, traffic, rankings, etc.)
• The customer testimonials are also compelling and state why she’s the ideal freelancer to work with (she always researches the topics thoroughly even if they are tough subjects).

Some things I might improve:

• I’d love for her to add a section about her step by step process to add credibility and confidence that she can produce the same results consistently. 

Joshua Poh’s writing portfolio is also neat and easy to navigate. You can quickly see what value he has to offer and how he helps companies grow.

Here are a few things I like about his portfolio:

• The overall website is clear, easy to navigate, and simple.
• His picture at the top adds personality and trust.
• He adds credibility by including big brand name logos at the top.
• He has testimonials that highlight why he’s a good freelance writer.
• He clearly defines how he helps businesses grow.
• He includes a clear call to action to reach out.

• His portfolio includes many blog posts, which may be overwhelming to a potential client. I’d probably cut it down to just the top 3-4 posts he’s most proud of.
• He specializes in multiple industries, which causes his messaging to be slightly vanilla. For example, this sentence dilutes his credibility as an expert: “No matter if you’re a small marketing team with a lot of ambition and no resources or a busy entrepreneur looking to get back to creating quality content, I can help.”
• I’d add a testimonial or two higher up on the homepage. 
• I’d add a proven process and tie business results to case studies.

Ashley Cummings

Ashely Cummings is a well respected B2B writer who has grown her Twitter audience substantially over the past several years.

She also has a compelling writing portfolio that you can use to inspire your own freelance writing portfolio. Her design is very simple, though it hits all of the key components a hiring manager would look for in a writer. In fact, she also has plenty of additional pages you don’t necessarily need, like a newsletter (which is excellent for customer acquisition if you have the time to create one), products, and more.

Here are a few specific things I like about this writing portfolio:

• She clearly states what she’s good at – articulating ideas you don’t know how to put into words.
• All of her samples are organized by the types of writing she specializes in (e.g., samples for ebooks, ad copy, newsletters, etc.), making it easy for clients to quickly find relevant writing samples.
• She includes highlights of business results she’s driven for clients (e.g., a blog campaign that produces over 500,000+ website views/year, etc.)
• She highlights her differentiators (research skills, marketing expertise, etc.).
• She has great testimonials from name brand clients.
• She has clearly visible social media links. As she has a thriving Twitter audience, this is smart because people browsing her Twitter profile will quickly see that she’s quite credible. 

Here are a few things she could probably improve on:

• I would move the customer testimonials up higher on the page and include notable brand logos (Deloitte, Salesforce, etc.).
• I’d like to see a proven process that supports the key differentiators she mentions, like “skilled researcher” and “marketing expertise.” 
• For each sample post mentioned, I’d add a blurb about what that post accomplished from a business results standpoint.  

Need More Help With Your Writing Portfolio?

Once you’ve completed your writing portfolio, it’s time to send it to your ideal customers and land your first client! 

I realize that acquiring clients is the real challenge, so if you want more support, or even just another peer to look over your portfolio, consider joining the Copyblogger Academy . It’s a community of other creators building their own businesses and side hustles through writing. Members have direct access to me, exclusive interview content with some of the most successful independent creators of the day, and most importantly, a peer group of like-minded individuals.

You can join today risk-free to see for yourself if the Academy will help you achieve your goals as a writer.

Tim Stoddart

Tim Stoddart is CEO of Copyblogger. In 2011, Tim founded Stodzy Internet Marketing . He currently lives in Nashville with his wife, his son, and their pitbull named Alice. Follow Tim on Twitter.

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