I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember, but I just recently started building an actual portfolio. It’s still very brief, and while building and submitting it, I had the humbling experience of sending it to someone for a freelance writing job who shortly after made a LinkedIn post complaining about the poor quality of all of the portfolios they’d received so far (ouch). 

Because because my freelancing has been on and off for the past several years, I’ve had to find different ways to build it up. While I have been a writer forever, most of my words lie unfinished in saved Word Documents (and iPhone notes) and not so much on shiny websites, in magazines, or on blogs.

Here are the top ways I’ve built my writing portfolio:

Keep a running log of writing ideas.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, keep a log of ideas that pop into your head at any time. This can create a bank of ideas, so when you go to write, you have something to pull from. You can also work these topics and snippets into writing assignments that you do come across.

Volunteer or write guest blog posts.

Nonprofits are almost always looking for volunteers — even for copywriting, marketing, social media, etc. Find one that aligns with your niche(s) and reach out! I currently write volunteer blog posts for CelebratingOne, a nonprofit in Central Ohio focused on promoting empathy through human connection and celebration. 

Organizations outside of the nonprofit field are also often looking for guest bloggers. Find a few that fit your preferred writing area and inquire about guest blog writing!

Follow writing prompts.

Find writing prompts (I have a fun list of 40!) and pick a few you like. These can be added to your website or portfolio to provide examples of your voice, tone, and style, and the additional ones you can take on. You can also utilize copywriting-specific prompts that will help provide examples of what you’re capable of. 

Submit to magazines and online communities.

“Low-lift” magazines and online communities can be a great way to expand your reach, practice your writing, get feedback, and promote your name.

You can find magazines currently accepting submissions with a simple Google search, but here’s a list specific for new writers and a general list.

Participate in Writing Contests. 

Writing contests can feel really pointless, but I have learned that they do provide several benefits:

• Practice, practice, and more practice
• Skill-sharpening (i.e., word limits, specific prompts, etc)
• Networking (especially when participants give each other feedback!)

A few of my favotires include The Writing Battle (I’ll be in the Summer Nano Fiction battle!), and Reedsy Prompts, solely for the community and feedback.

Start a blog.

I know, I know — Blogs are so… 2008? But here we are, blogging. If anything, it’s a fun way to practice your writing skills, talk about what you want to talk about, and potentially connect with other writers (and readers!) 

Do you have a way you’ve built your portfolio from ground zero? Share it in the comments! I’m always looking to continuously build on mine. 

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• 10 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block.

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