What should you include in a writing portfolio to showcase your skills?

When you pick a niche, you may find it easier to find work. If you have a lot of published content on sleep, for example, editors will see you have some expertise and experience in the topic and can trust the product you'll submit. Just keep in mind: you're the one who has to write this content, and you won't want to write if you get bored with it. So, while I suggest picking a niche like health content, or even sleep content, I would avoid hyper-niching in something like sleep-apnea only, unless it's a topic that keeps you interested every single time.

Your writing portfolio will vary depending on who you are sending it to and why. While it can seem intuitive to avoid needing to make constant changes by including as much writing as possible, including too many pieces will be burdensome for the reader and can even disqualify you from a candidate pool. It is best to choose your niche (which may change situationally) and review your writing samples that showcase this content. Try to diversify your portfolio so the reader can have a full understanding of your various skills. If you include a very long piece of writing, try to balance it by including a very short piece as well. At the end of your compilation, read through the pieces as if you were someone seeing them for the first time.

Include a variety of writing samples such as articles, blog posts, reports, or marketing materials. Highlight diverse writing styles and topics relevant to the desired role or industry. Provide clear context or explanations for each sample to demonstrate your skills and expertise.

Aim for a diverse selection of pieces showcasing your range and versatility. Include content relevant to your desired writing niche (e.g., blog posts, articles, website copy, creative writing, technical writing).

- Relevant Experience: Include samples that are relevant to the type of writing you are targeting, such as articles, blog posts, marketing copy, technical documents, or creative writing pieces. - Published Work: If applicable, include samples of published work from reputable sources, and websites, to validate your credibility. - Writing Process: Provide insight into your writing process by including drafts, and outlines. - Testimonials: Incorporate testimonials or recommendations from clients, and colleagues, to provide social proof of your writing skills. - Personal Branding: Create a cohesive and visually appealing portfolio design that reflects your brand and showcases your writing skills.

This is the time to show off! Only choose samples you feel proud of -- pieces that demonstrate your skills and highlight quality writing. Your skills should represent your chosen niche, but can include a variety of sub-niches. *Be sure to read through every piece on your portfolio now and then! Pubs occasionally re-edit and update pieces and it may look much different than your original work.

When choosing my writing samples for my portfolio, I try to show off as many skills as possible. In the health and wellness niche, I highlight articles that showcase my ability to: - Translate complex medical topics or studies into engrossing yet easy-to-understand articles. - Adjust my writing tone based on my client. - Engage readers with a solid hook and use good article organization for easy skimming. - Incorporate good SEO practices for maximum reach. This may look different for each writer, but use your portfolio to show off all your many strengths!

What I have learnt is to make it simple The person viewing your portfolio only does it in a few minutes Customise it by niche, kind of content, etc. And personalise it to each job you are applying for Highlight why you choose to feature why you have included And make it simple to read As Alex Cattoni says, a portfolio on google docs is great too, just remember to set the viewing mode so they can only view it and don’t have to ask for access.

This one is so important! Once done is not really done when it comes to creating your portfolio. Keep updating it regularly with the following - 1. Include social proof - Testimonials from happy clients can make a big difference in making your portfolio stand out. 2. Update for SEO - Include new keywords and any trends that are a big hit in your niche. 3. Add new visuals and other multimedia elements.