How to Build a Portfolio of Clips as a Freelance Journalist

Having a strong selection of clips are essential for landing freelance writing assignments. Once an editor sees that you are able to accomplish an assignment on the subject you are pitching, they are much more prone to assign you another article. Back in the day, we'd carry books of articles clipped out of magazines to take on 'pitch calls,' especially for my time living in New York; but now in 2023, clips are very authentic to who and what you are pitching.

In this article , I explore how to build such a strong portfolio of clips to share with a potential editor.

Showcase your best work:?Your selection of clips should showcase your best work, so be sure to include three great writing samples that demonstrate your skills and especially your expertise. You can also include multimedia elements, such as photo galleries or Instagram or Youtube videos, to make your clips more dynamic.

Use AI-generated apps:?There are several AI-generated apps that can help you present your clips more dynamically. For example, Journo Portfolio is a website that allows you to create a portfolio with a custom domain name, and also offers analytics to track your portfolio's performance. Another example is Clippings.me, which allows you to create a portfolio with unlimited storage and the ability to add multimedia elements.

Be organized:?Your portfolio should be easy to navigate and organized on your laptop in a way that makes sense to you. Consider organizing your work by topic or publication, or by type of writing, such as news articles, feature stories, or essays, personal experiences. This will make it easier for potential editors to find the type of work they are interested in.

Get feedback:?Before you share your clips, get feedback from other writers or editors. Which means that you should be joining other writing groups, especially on social media like Facebook and LinkedIn. They can provide valuable insight into what works and what doesn't, and can help you make improvements before you start pitching to editors.

Look at other freelance journalists' portfolios:?Looking at other freelance journalists' portfolios can give you ideas for how to structure your own. You can find examples of portfolios by doing a simple Google search, or by checking out websites like Contently or Muck Rack , which showcase the work of freelance journalists.