In the olden days, you would have a portfolio that you print out and send to employers, magazines, or agencies along with your CV. Today, your portfolio should be an ongoing online showcase that you can actually use to get exposure – rather than just apply for jobs with. An online portfolio is a powerful thing. Learn how to build your portfolio here!

1. In the world of blogs, online news, iPads
and e-Readers, digital portolios are the wy
to go for any journalist or writer.
First thing’s first: get a positive, but
realistic, mind-set about creating your
portfolio. You might not be Ernest
Hemingway yet, but you’ve got potential,
and this portfolio’s purpose is to show it.
1.
Get in the
right mind set
8.
Write a lot!
The more you write, the better you will
become. But noy only that - you will
also have so much more to pick from
for your portfolio. You’ll be able to only
take the creame of the crop!
As famous author Edgar Rice
Burroughs said: “If you write one story, it
may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have
the odds in your favor.”
Brian Clark’s
10 Steps to Becoming
a Better Writer
1. Write.
2. Write more.
3. Write even more.
4. Write even more than that.
5. Write when you don’t want
to.
6. Write when you do.
7. Write when you have
something to say.
8. Write when you don’t.
9. Write every day.
10. Keep writing.”
2.
Identify
the
purpose
and
audience
Are you creating a portfolio to:
● Apply for a journalism job?
● Get online exposure?
● Promote yourself as a freelance
writer?
Creating a general portfolio
A lot of writers have general online portfolios, often in
the form of a blog.
This is a great way to get exposure as a writer. But
when you apply for a specific job, you might want to
create a tailored online portfolio for that job
application. You can always link it back to your general
portfolio, for those who want to read more of your
work.
3.
Pick the
right pieces
T. S. Eliot
“If you start with
a bang, you won't
end with a
whimper”
Pick between 5 and 15 pieces (if you don’t
have enough strong pieces, don’t dilute your
work by adding weak examples).
● Select pieces that demonstrate different
qualities.
● Show a range of skills.
● Always keep the purpose and audience in
mind.
● Apply for a journalism job?
Make sure each piece contributes to the
objective of your portfolio, if it doesn’t,
then don’t add it.
How to Create an Impressive
Digital Writer’s Portfolio
5.
Organise it
4.
Pick your platform
There are countless online platforms that are ideal for hosting your
portfolio. Each of them have advantages and disadvantages, some of
them are free and some of them are paid, and some of them are
simple to use and others more complex. So make sure to do your
research.!
Here are some of your options:
● Blogger
● Tumblr
● Wordpress
● Clippings.me
● Flavors
● MuckRack
● Pressfolio
● Wix
● Weebly
● Scribd
● Journo Portfolio
● Squarespace
“Write without
pay until
somebody offers
to pay”
Mark Twain
Narrow your portfolio’s focus according to its purpose, and
the audience you are intending it for.
Organise your portfolio with care. Put
your strongest pieces first. Let there be a
logical flow. Think of the impression you
want to create.
Pro tip:
Avoid mentioning
your age as it is easy
to sound too young
and inexperienced,
or too old and out of
touch.
Rather talk about
being “young and
enthusiastic or about
having “x years of
experience”
7.
Style your portfolio
Oxbridge
Academy
effortless excellence in education
6.
Write your
intro and bio
You can write an
introduction to your
portfolio if you want, telling
readers more about your
work and your selection.
Make sure to have an About page or biography somewhere on your portfoio. You can add your publising his-
tory, testimonials, and other proofs of competence here. You can even brag about a blog post that got a lot of
social media shares!
The internet is getting more and more visual,
so make sure to have a good looking portfolio.
But remember, this is not a graphic design
portfolio, but a writer’s!
● Make your portfolio easily navigatable
● Pick a clean clear and professional layout
● Don’t add to many images and other media
● No decorative fonts, pick easily legable fonts
● Don’t destract with design, use it to draw
attention to the work
Nicholas
Burroughs
“Minimalism is not the
lack of something. It’s
simply the perfect
amount of something”