In an increasingly online media environment, writers benefit from maintaining a high-quality digital presence so clients can review their work and reach out to them about opportunities. Online writing portfolios enable writers to present their best work in a centralised, visually appealing format. If you’re interested in sharing your written work, as an artist or creative professional, you might benefit from reviewing the best approach for creating an online writing portfolio. In this article, we define online writing portfolios, explain what they should include, and provide the steps for creating one of your own.
What is an online writing portfolio?
A website that houses a writer’s best work so that the public and potential clients can view it is known as an online writing portfolio. Typically, independent contractors who accept one-off assignments from various websites and publications rely on their online writing portfolio to land regular jobs. All writers, though, might take pleasure in or gain from having an online writing portfolio. A novelist with published works might have a personal website that serves as a portfolio and lists all of their accomplishments, or a creative writing student hoping to publish their first short story might make one.
What to include in an online writing portfolio
Successful online writing portfolios portray you as a personable and dependable collaborator in addition to showcasing your work. The following are the essential elements you should include in your online writing portfolio to persuade clients that you would make a fantastic creative partner:
- Personal information: Writing portfolios on the internet offer a glimpse into who you are and your credentials, often as an author bio.
- Your area of expertise: Online writing portfolios make it clear which types of writing you are most proficient in. Despite the fact that they all might have online writing portfolios, literary critics, poets, copywriters, journalists, and speechwriters all cater to different audiences.
- Your best work: Online writing portfolios display a number of your best works for readers to enjoy. The majority of writers gain from prioritising quality over quantity by covering the range of their work on their websites without being overly cluttered.
- Contact information: Online writing portfolios allow prospective customers to easily connect with you so you can convert leads into paid assignments.
How to create an online writing portfolio
Here are the steps to follow if creating your own online writing portfolio:
1. Decide your writing niche
Publications and businesses that hire freelance writers give preference to applicants who have prior experience writing for their target audiences. Most writers select a niche that corresponds to their experience and background in order to draw in more customers. Even if you write a variety of genres, such as poems and list articles, you will benefit from focusing your portfolio on one of them unless all of your writing primarily addresses a single subject. An author whose work focuses on a certain area of the world, for instance, might have personal essays and news articles about that region in their portfolio.
Here are some common niches writers target with their portfolios:
- Copywriting: Copywriters produce written content to advertise a company, a good, or a name; frequently, they do so without giving credit. By writing the text for advertisements or comprehensive articles, they may increase awareness of their client company.
- Journalism: Freelance journalists frequently write about a particular subject for a variety of publications, carrying out their own research to present novel insights or viewpoints. Among other things, they might talk about pop culture, politics, restaurants and food, and travel.
- Literature: Literary authors include poets, essayists, and writers of both fiction and nonfiction. To help them land more prestigious publications or book deals, they frequently use their online portfolios.
- Ghostwriting: Clients who want to publish a book or other written project but may not have extensive writing experience turn to ghostwriters for assistance. They assist people in putting forth writing that is both technically sound and consistent in voice.
2. Research similar writers
Once you’ve chosen a niche, you can look up other authors in that field who have already built up online portfolios. While using your search engine to conduct a general search is an option, you might find it useful to also look up the names of the authors whose work you particularly value. You might be able to use some of your favorite publications as references, or you might find a fantastic article that is pertinent to your area of expertise and discover the author’s CV.
Look closely at the design decisions made on these authors’ websites and think about how they fit into their target market. For instance, since their subject is enhanced by vivid imagery, travel journalists may emphasize portfolio layouts with plenty of space for images. You might give clients a more professional first impression if you can match the design decisions on your website with those made by successful writers in your niche.
3. Determine your website format
Using the knowledge gained from your research, choose the layout for your online portfolio. The best layout for showcasing your work, the extra features you might want, such as the ability to track site traffic, should all be taken into account when choosing a website hosting and design service. Which web hosting service you choose may also depend on your proficiency with coding or web design.
The general tone of your website should reflect the genre of writing you do and the topics you cover. If you write articles about pop culture and fashion, you might use bolder colors and more energizing fonts, whereas if you write research-based articles about current events, you might adopt a more understated style.
4. Select your best work
Once the structure of your website is established, you can concentrate on creating the content you wish to share. Your portfolio should focus on presenting only your best work within your niche. Clients want to see that you are actively producing work and that you are knowledgeable about the subject you identify as being your area of focus. Whenever possible, emphasize recent publications in credible journals.
Your written work can be hosted on your website even if it hasn’t been published yet. If your work is published, though, be sure to review the terms and conditions of your contract with the website or publication. By agreeing to be published, you frequently promise not to post the same piece elsewhere, including on your own website. Simply include links to your published work on your portfolio, along with information about when and who published it.
5. Write your author bio
Your author bio introduces you to potential customers and those who have enjoyed your work and are interested in finding out more about you. The tone and content of your bio should be consistent with the tone and content of your work, just like the design of your website.
Most bios typically contain some mix of the following components:
- Where you’re originally from
- Where you currently live
- Academic writing credentials
- Most notable publications
- Awards and accolades
- Themes or subjects you cover
Your website’s homepage could include a section with your author bio, or you could put it on the “About” page. You might get more responses if you include a picture of yourself.
6. Provide contact information
Interested parties should be able to contact you easily through your online portfolio. Engaging as many people as you can will help you increase your public profile, whether they want to talk about a job opportunity or express their appreciation for your work. You can use an email address or a contact form as long as it is visible and simple to access on desktop and mobile devices. If you do use an email address, make sure it is specifically for your portfolio because if it is public, you risk receiving a lot of spam.
7. Raise awareness of your portfolio
Setting up your work in front of your target audiences should come after you’ve finished your portfolio. If you work as a freelance or creative writer, you probably pitch ideas or submit your work directly to magazines. When contacting them, you can embed a link to your portfolio. In the absence of that, you can join online writer forums, post the URL to your portfolio on your personal and work-related social media accounts, and include it on your business cards.