A portfolio is a collection of samples that showcase your writing skills and style. It allows prospective clients and employers to evaluate your very best work.
No matter what kind of writing you do or where you are in your writing career, a strong portfolio is a must-have.
At Eleven, we review hundreds of writing portfolios every month, so we know what separates mediocre portfolios from those that really stand out. As writers ourselves, we also know that putting together a portfolio can seem daunting.
That’s why we’ve created this guide to show you how to make a portfolio that sparkles. ✨
Let’s dive in!
6 Steps to Create a Writing Portfolio
1. Understand what clients and employers want from a portfolio
An easy way to start building your portfolio is to work backward: Find out what clients and employers want to see in portfolios so you can make sure yours has everything they need.
A top-notch portfolio will show:
- Your experience and expertise in a specific niche, such as personal finance, health and wellness, cybersecurity, etc. This is the first and most important element we at Eleven look for in portfolios. It signals that you know your stuff and can put it into practice in your writing. Plus, it’s important for meeting Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) requirements for better search rankings — something everyone in the content world wants.
- The type of writing you do — e.g., blog articles, software reviews, thought leadership pieces, social media posts, etc. This shows potential clients and employers the range of work you can deliver.
- The companies you’ve worked with. This gives others a peek into your past collaborations — such as with start-ups, large organizations, non-profits, small agencies, etc. — and highlights your adaptability and professional credibility.
- Additional services you offer, such as content strategy, search engine optimization (SEO), graphic design, etc.
When your portfolio ticks all these boxes, clients and employers can easily see if you have the writing skills, expertise, and professionalism they need. This makes you more appealing and increases your chances of landing writing gigs.
If you have expertise in multiple niches, create a portfolio for each one. This way, you can focus your samples and make it easier for clients and employers to see your strengths in their particular field.
2. Pick your best work
Now that you know what others want to see in your portfolio, you can begin choosing the samples to include in it.
The rule of thumb here is to select only your best writing work. How can you tell which of your pieces are your “best”? Look through your work and pick out anything that has:
- Been well-received by clients. Positive feedback from clients is a sign of high-quality work.
- Ranked well on Google. Pieces that appear on the first page of search results signal that you can write helpful, engaging, SEO-friendly content.
- Generated significant traffic or engagement. Writing that brings in lots of visitors or attracts comments, interactions, and shares online proves your ability to engage an audience.
Many writers add information about the specific outcomes for each piece in their portfolio — e.g., “ranked #2 on Google for the keyword ‘best credit cards 2024’” or “boosted traffic by 150%.” Consider doing the same with your portfolio.
The greatest portfolios also demonstrate a writer’s versatility, so be sure to select pieces that span a few styles, formats, or tones of voice while still showcasing your expertise in your chosen niche.
The number of samples you select to add to your portfolio is, ultimately, up to you — there’s no ideal amount. However, know that potential clients or employers typically don’t have time to review more than five samples when evaluating portfolios.
3. Triple-check your samples
Once you’ve picked your samples, carefully read through them and correct any typos and grammatical errors. You want them to be spotless so they convey your professionalism.
Tools like Grammarly, Scribbr, QuillBot, and Wordtune are great for this. But you can take your quality check a step further by having a loved one, colleague, or mentor read your samples and note any mistakes you may have missed.
Self-editing your samples is also a fantastic idea and can help you become a stronger writer over time. Read our in-depth guide to self-editing in three easy steps, featuring examples, ChatGPT prompts, and a handy checklist. You’ll learn to spot areas for improvement in structure, clarity, concision, and more.
4. Organize your pieces
Next, organize your samples neatly and logically. This makes it easier for employers and clients to navigate and evaluate your work.
There are a few ways you can arrange your samples:
- By format. For example, you might group all blog posts together, followed by all articles and then copywriting samples.
- By date. Arrange your samples from newest to oldest to show your most recent work first.
- By topic. For instance, you can present all tech samples first and then your business writing samples.
- By personal preference. Simply place your favorite pieces — or the ones you feel are the most attention-grabbing — first.
Don’t be afraid to use a mix of organization methods — e.g., by format and personal preference. For instance, you might present blog posts you’re especially proud of first and then share a case study and a social media post sample.
5. Write a professional biography
To accompany your portfolio, you’ll need a biography that summarizes who you are, your professional background, and how your writing can help others.
Keep it short and engaging (about 100 words) and ensure it highlights your expertise and unique selling point (USP) — what makes you stand out from other writers? Be sure to mention the type of writing you do, too.
You can also add a sentence about your interests outside of work. Finally, wrap things up with information about how others can contact you.
Here’s an example:
Depending on where you host your portfolio (more on this below), you’ll add your bio to a platform, website, or cover page.
6. Present your portfolio professionally
A professionally presented portfolio will look great and effectively showcase your skills and experience. Here’s how to ensure yours hits both marks:
Get inspired
First, look at portfolios from other writers — especially those who write in your niche or have a strong online presence.
What makes their portfolio stand out? Is it the way they organize their samples or the sleek design? Is their portfolio easy to navigate? What colors, fonts, and visuals do they use?
This will give you not only inspiration but also a better idea of what works and what doesn’t in writing portfolios.
You can explore platforms such as Fiverr and Medium to find some solid examples. Or, check out Authorly’s list of top writing portfolios, Format’s rundown of writers with eye-catching portfolios, and SiteBuilderReport’s collection of inspiring portfolio examples.
For even more inspiration, below are snapshots of portfolios of two of our writers here at Eleven.
Pick where to present your portfolio
Once you’ve gathered inspiration and written your bio, you’ll pick the place to display your portfolio. You have several options, outlined below.
Use a freelancer platform
Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Clippings.me are great options to host your portfolio. Simply create an account, upload your samples in the order you chose, and add your biography and links to social media profiles (such as LinkedIn), if applicable.
Clippings.me is designed for journalists, bloggers, and writers and offers a few options to customize the look of your portfolio (though the standard layout is simple and clean).
On Upwork and Fiverr, you can create a detailed profile that features not only your portfolio but also your work experience, specializations, and more.
Use a publishing platform
You could also set up your portfolio on a publishing platform like Medium or Substack. Both platforms are made for writers and include features that can help you build an audience and even earn money for your writing.
With Medium, you can sign up for a free account or paid account (from $5/month) to access additional benefits, including monetization options. Substack is always free to start and will only charge you if you begin taking subscriptions from readers for your work.
After you’ve created your account, you can start customizing your profile and adding your samples in your chosen order to build your portfolio.
Create a website
This option requires a little more effort but offers more freedom for customization. And with website builders such as WordPress and Squarespace, you can create a striking website in minutes — no coding knowledge needed.
To get started, sign up for an account and choose the plan that works for you.
Then, select the website theme you’d like to use. Pick one that reflects your personality and writing style while remaining professional and easy on the eye.
Both WordPress and Squarespace offer website themes (both free and paid) designed for portfolios, so we recommend your search starting there.
Love the look of a particular website and want to replicate it on your WordPress site?
Head to What WordPress Theme Is That? to see which themes (and plugins) the site has used.
Next, select your domain name — what your website will be called. Ensure it’s professional and includes your name, if possible, such as johnsmithwriter.com.
From there, you can begin customizing your site’s visuals, including its fonts, graphics, and colors.
Use tools like Coolor’s contrast checker to ensure your color choices are accessible to all viewers, especially those with visual impairments.
Finally, add your samples, create an “About me” page featuring your bio and contact information, and include links to your LinkedIn page and relevant social media platforms.
If you have any, consider adding testimonials from colleagues, professors, or other professionals who can vouch for your work. If you don’t have any, contact past collaborators and ask if they’d be willing to write a testimonial for you. (HubSpot has a great guide on how to do this and what to say in your email.)
Many people create websites on their laptops or desktop computers and forget that others will visit them on their phones and tablets. So, make sure to check what yours looks like on a mobile device. You want to ensure it’s easy to navigate and free of any awkward formatting.
Themeisle has a quick and easy guide that breaks down this process — whether your site is built on WordPress, Squarespace, or somewhere else.
Opt for a PDF portfolio
A PDF portfolio is perfect if you need (or simply prefer) a document you can attach to applications, emails, and forms. Creating one is straightforward:
- Compile and organize your samples in a document using a word processor such as Google Docs or Pages.
- Add a cover page with a short “About me” section and your contact information. This will make it easy for potential clients, employers, and others to reach out to you.
- Export the document as a PDF, then view it in Adobe Acrobat or an online PDF editor to check there are no formatting issues.
What to do if you don’t have any samples yet
Don’t have a ton of (or any) samples? You can create new ones, either to complement your existing work or build a portfolio from scratch.
In any case, write pieces that showcase your expertise and match the type of writing you want to do.
For example, say you want to work as a freelance tech writer but haven’t written any tech articles. You could write reviews of the tech products you own (e.g., a smartphone and a television) or a how-to guide on using a software platform.
To demonstrate your versatility, create samples that span a range of formats, tones, and styles. For instance, if you want to establish yourself as an HR topic-expert writer, you might write a casual blog post on employee retention strategies, a research-focused article on remote work trends, and a formal case study on improving hiring practices.
Check out our lists of 30-day writing challenges and exercises to improve your writing to get your creative juices flowing and create new samples. HubSpot also has a great blog article idea generator you can use.
Conclusion
Creating a strong writing portfolio doesn’t have to be stressful.
Start by understanding what potential clients and employers want from a portfolio. Then, select your best samples that highlight your writing skills and expertise in a specific area. Next, ensure your samples are error-free and organize them by date, format, topic, or personal preference.
Finally, write a professional biography to accompany your portfolio and select where you’ll present it — on a freelancer platform like Fiverr, a publishing platform like Medium, on a website you create, or in a PDF. Upload your samples, add your bio and contact information, and let the world see your portfolio in all its glory!
For more insights on advancing as a writer, check out our guides on successfully building your writing career and improving your writing skills.
FAQs
What is a writing portfolio?
A writing portfolio is a collection of samples that showcase a writer’s skills, expertise, and versatility. All types of writers use portfolios when applying for jobs and educational programs, engaging prospective freelance clients, and pitching to publishers.
How many pages is a writing portfolio?
A writing portfolio can be any number of pages. The length depends on the format of the samples (e.g., social media posts or long-form articles), the topics the samples cover, and other factors.
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