Starting freelance writing with no portfolio is totally doable. There are plenty of free portfolio sites available so you can get started. But first, you need to have your sample pieces ready and published.
Here are a few places where you can publish your samples immediately, for free:
- Medium
- LinkedIn Pulse
- Your blog
- Guest posting
Medium
Medium is an open platform where anyone can share their writing on any topic. I published my health writing samples on Medium when I got started with freelance copywriting.
LinkedIn Pulse
LinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals and they created a publishing platform called LinkedIn Pulse (now known as “Articles”).
If you plan on creating content related to marketing, technology, or B2B then I suggest publishing your writing samples on LinkedIn Pulse.
Your Blog
Blogging gives you an online presence and a place to showcase your writing style.
If you already have a personal blog and want to write similar types of content for businesses as a freelancer, then use some of your best blog posts as portfolio samples.
You can even turn your website into a freelance writer website by adding a services page and changing the copy to resonate with your target clients.
Guest Posting
Reach out to websites or blogs in your niche and offer to write a guest post. It’s a win-win – they get free content, and you get a byline and exposure.
I wouldn’t recommend this if you want samples for your portfolio because it takes a lot of time. When I reached out to websites for guest posting opportunities the ones that got back to me asked me to pay for an article for their site.
So I’d had to do the work and also pay them…no thanks. Rather write your portfolio pieces on Medium or LinkedIn Pulse as it is the fastest way to get published.
Below I’ve compiled a list of ways to display your writing samples, including the use of free online portfolio sites.
How to Create a Writing Portfolio to Display Your Writing Samples
No worries if you don’t have a portfolio website and need a way to showcase your published pieces. Here’s what you can do:
1. Create a Freelance Writer Website
Your website doesn’t have to be super fancy, but it needs to have the essential pages: home, contact, services, about, and a portfolio page (linking out to samples).
I created my business website using WordPress and hosted it on Hostinger. WordPress offers free templates so you can have a fully functional mobile-friendly website in minutes.
Hostinger provides plenty of cool features along with a free domain and professional email so you can have higher cold email opens.
✨Here’s a full tutorial on how to build your freelance writer website✨
2. Take Advantage of the LinkedIn Feature Section
LinkedIn is a professional network where potential clients may discover your skills.
When you optimize your LinkedIn profile, add a “Featured” section where you can link or upload pdf writing samples. So that anyone who stumbles on your profile can easily view them.
3. Content Platforms
Content platforms like Contently, JournoPortfolio, and Clippings.me allow you to create a simple portfolio online for free, even without a dedicated website. They often have user-friendly interfaces that make organizing and displaying your work easy.
I suggest getting onto a few of these platforms if you’re targeting different niches or sub-niches.
I’m a health writer targeting sleep coaches, nutritionists, and dentists. So the samples on my website are a mix of those topics. To make sure prospects see samples relevant to their business, I can have a Contently portfolio specifically for sleep articles, while I use another free portfolio site like JournoPortfolio for dental writing, and so on.
I think JournoPortfolio is one of the best free portfolio sites out there. Give Journo Portfolio a try here.
4.PDF Portfolio
A PDF is a great way to put all the important bits in front of the clients like a short about section, samples, rates, and next steps. This works for prospects who are overwhelmed with work and might not have the time or inclination to browse your website.
Share this document via email or messaging when pitching to clients, instead of linking to your website.
A PDF can make sure prospects see exactly what you want them to see because sometimes people browse your site, lose focus, and don’t get in touch with you.
Prospects will always have it so they can come back to your PDF portfolio or even send it to others who need a copywriter.
I’ve heard we shouldn’t send pdf docs. But there are ways to make them appealing and not seem like a newbie freelance writer. If you send prospects this make sure to tell them what it is, they might think it’s a virus or spam.
Here’s an example of a PDF writing portfolio which I created in Canva:
5. Use Google Drive or Dropbox
Upload your writing samples onto a Google Drive or Dropbox folder and share the link with potential clients. This is a straightforward way to showcase your work without a formal website.
I would use this method for other types of copy like emails, landing pages, and social media captions.
It’s better to have your blog posts published on Medium or LinkedIn so viewers can imagine what their website will look like if they also publish blog posts.
6. Social Media Showcasing
Social media provides a casual way for people to discover your writing.
Incorporating links to your work on your social media profiles can drive traffic to your other platforms like your website or a landing page.
If you’re on Pinterest you can easily create a few niche portfolios using Pinterest boards, and add a few pins to each board, linking to your work samples.
So, if you’re a fitness writer you can have boards for “supplement writing”, “weight lifting articles”, and “fitness app reviews”.
By doing this, if a nutrition brand stumbles on your profile they can go to the “supplement writing” board which is tailored for their audience, while companies selling health apps will be interested in your board about fitness apps.
I wouldn’t completely rely on this method though, the fastest way to get clients is to be proactive on LinkedIn and with cold emailing. Let’s not wait for clients to come to us.
Final Thoughts
If you want to be a freelance writer, the best time is to do it now, don’t let a lack of portfolio hold you back. There are plenty of ways to get one for free.
The goal of a portfolio is to make your work easily accessible whether through a professional website or a free portfolio website.
If you’re ready to invest in your business and want to set up a professional freelance writer website, check out this tutorial:
**How to Set up a Freelance Writer Website in 20 Minutes**
Related Posts:
- What should I include as a writing sample?
- How to set up a freelance writer website in 20 minutes
- How do I prepare for a discovery call?
FAQs
Do I Need a Portfolio to Be a Freelance Writer?
Yes, you need a portfolio to display your writing samples. You can and should take it a step further and create a website with multiple pages, including a portfolio page that showcases your writing pieces.
How Do I Become a Freelance Writer With No Experience?
Even if you haven’t had your first client yet and have no stats or results to show prospects. You can still become a freelance writer as long as you show prospects the value you bring.
Your unique value proposition (UVP) is a way to stand out with your services by having a clear niche and having 2 to 3 samples that are tailored for that niche audience.
For example, a new freelance writer who wants to write for ‘email marketing software companies should create blog posts that these companies would publish on their website.
Below are the types of blog posts Email Marketing Software companies are likely to publish:
- Do this 1 thing to double your email open rate
- Convertkit Vs Mailerlite
- How to set up an email campaign Systeme.io for free
So, If you’re one of the many writers who have wondered: “How do I make a portfolio if I don’t have experience?” This is it.
Simply open up a Google doc and write a blog post for your niche. After writing a few pieces, publish them on Medium (on any topic) or LinkedIn (for tech and business topics).
When clients see your work looks like something they’d want on their site and clearly reflects your value proposition, they’ll take you seriously as you’re a specialist writer, not a generalist.
What Should I Avoid in Freelancing?
Avoid bidding sites that make you doubt yourself and change your fees constantly.
Don’t end up taking a year to learn copywriting. Of course, you need copywriting skills to do this, but as long as you can write then you’re ready to start freelance copywriting.
Lastly, don’t wait for the right time to start freelancing because there’s never a perfect time. Sometimes we don’t do things until we feel ready and that time may never come. It’s better to start now and learn as you go.
How Do I Make a Free Writing Portfolio?
A writing portfolio is one page (online) displaying a few of your samples. If you can’t afford to set up a website, I would recommend using Journo Portfolio because they also have a contact form so people can get in touch with you.
How Do I Start Freelancing as a Writer?
The whole point of freelancing is that you work on your terms, from anywhere.
But it can seem daunting.
How do you know if you’ll always have work, will there be a job tomorrow?
It does seem scary putting yourself out there so you have to brand yourself as someone who deserves to be paid top dollar.
If you want to be a writer or are already a writer, as long as you know what companies you want to write for and have niche-relevant samples to prove your value.
You can start reaching out to the decision-makers at these companies…
The best way to do this is through LinkedIn. So if you want to target the fitness niche, make a list of fitness brands and search for the decision makers at these companies, such as:
- CEO, founder, or owner
- marketing manager
- marketing director
- content marketing executive
Send prospects a connection request and pitch them your services.