This is a guest post from Monica Shaw , a freelance writer specializing in science, technology, food and fitness. Monica is co-creator of Writer’s Residence, a tool that lets writers create an online writing portfolio through a web browser. You can read more of her articles on writing at the Writer’s Residence Blog or check out her own online writing portfolio at Monica Shaw.com.
Do You Need an Online Writing Portfolio?
One of the things I love about the Tumblemoose blog is the variety of writers who visit and comment on George’s posts. From authors to bloggers to freelance journalists, we all come together because we have one thing in common: we want to make a living as a professional writer. So when George asked me to write a guest post on the benefits of an online writing portfolio, I was elated to contribute my thoughts on a subject that all types of writers could benefit from.
There comes a time in every writer’s life when she asks herself if she should set up a website. For me, that was in early 2008 while I was still working full-time at a bank but dreaming of going solo as a freelance writer. I decided to register a domain and hack together an online writing portfolio to promote myself as a writer. Although I would have rather spent the time pitching articles and writing stories, the effort paid off – I got my first commission, for a national newspaper, after sending the website address to an editor who asked to see some writing samples.
Do all writers need an online writing portfolio? My short answer: absolutely. This fact only becomes clearer as my career progresses and I build up my portfolio with clips and samples. Here are just a few benefits of putting your work online:
Foster a professional image
This is one of the biggest benefits of having an online writing portfolio. Think about it: everyone and their moose has a blog these days, not to mention a Twitter feed, Facebook page, and countless other social network subscriptions. While all of these are great ways to network, they won’t cut it if you want to promote yourself as a professional writer. An online portfolio differentiates you from the rest of the pack by telling editors and clients that you consider yourself a professional writer who’s serious about your product (i.e. you).
Show off your work and accomplishments
Your online writing portfolio is like an uber-resume. This is where you show off your best work, list your awards and achievements, highlight your publishing credits, and showcase client testimonials. All of this information helps feed your professional image and inspire confidence in potential clients that you’re a legitimate writer who takes her business seriously.
Host your writing samples in one convenient place
An online writing portfolio is as great for marketing as it is for personal organization, a hot topic for many of us Tumblemoosers! In his recent post, George said “the key to becoming and remaining organized in these key areas is proper foldering.” Think of an online writing portfolio as an online folding system. It’s your one stop shop for all of your best work. You can even get fancy by using tags or categories to separate your work into specific topics (e.g. “Copyrighting”, “Fiction”, “Newspapers”, “Magazines”). Having all your work on the web also means you can access it anywhere, anytime, no matter what computer you’re on, provided you have an internet connection.
Make it easy to share your work with others
By hosting all of your work in one convenient place, is simple to share your work with the rest of the online world. With an online writing portfolio, you don’t have to worry about email attachments, file uploads, or incompatible file types. Whenever you want to send a writing sample to an editor or potential client, simply send them a web link to the specific sample. Done!
Makes you searchable on the internet
What is the top hit on Google when you search for yourself? Do you find a complete stranger? An impostor? Or worse, that out-of-date livejournal page you started while you were still in high school? An online writing portfolio helps people find the real you. Better yet, people searching for topics related to your niche might find you, too. All of this helps you grow your web presence and connect with potential customers.
It doesn’t matter where you live, an online writing portfolio connects you with the rest of the world. And as we all know, it’s a big world out there just buzzing with opportunities. Why not put your best self out there and let that world find you?
What excellent information you’ve shared here, Monica! I love ole George’s blog here, too. It’s quite comfy and he makes us all feel welcome. There’s always something to learn here and always something to smile about.
And, I’m so glad he invited you to share your expertise with us! I do have an online portfolio but I’ve been thinking of updating it and organizing it a bit more to clean it up as it is looking a little long and almost cluttered to me now.
One thing I have been doing is adding testimonials to my portfolio as I attain them. I also use them in my queries and when I approach a potential client.
Anyway, thanks so much for this wonderful article!
*smiles*
Michele
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Thanks for the great post Monica. I think anything that gives a little edge is worth spending the time on.
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I’m trying to think how to say this without sounding rude, but everyone and their moose has a blog because blogs work. With the ability WordPress in particular has to create pages, there is no reason you can’t create an online portfolio that is also part blog . . . and many successful writers do just that. The landing page doesn’t have to be a blog layout.
The increased page count a blog brings will improve the indexing of your site in search engines, and a potential client may actually be able to find you by Googling something other than your name.
Blogs are in themselves a form of online portfolio as well, and you can be building your readership of people who like your blog. How much better would it be to launch a novel or some other book if you already have a few thousand people who know and like your work?
Terry Heath´s last blog post..The Baskin-Robbins Method of Niche Blogging
@Michele – Thanks for your comment! Adding testimonials to your portfolio is an EXCELLENT way to kick it up a notch. IMHO, testimonials are the best way to show your clients you rock. Out of curiosity, how do you approach clients for testimonials? This is an area I’ve always struggled with and I’d love to hear your approach.
@Tracy – You’re very welcome. I totally agree about having an edge. After all, we’ve got to compete with all the writers out there who already have portfolios.
@Terry – Not rude at all, and I totally concur with your point. A blog – if it’s a good blog – is as much a demonstration of your skills as a writing portfolio. In fact, you’re right – the two can be one in the same. I still advise that bloggers have a way of pointing to their best work. Let’s face it, blogs can have a lot of fluff, and it’d be a shame if a potential client came to your blog on a day you happened to share something flippant with a picture of a LOLcat or something like that. WordPress is great for building a blog / portfolio (this was how I did it before building Writer’s Residence, and right now we’re hard at working building blog functionality into the site). Anyway, I hear you’re point and I hope everyone else does, too. Blogs are fab, but it helps a ton to make sure it’s clean, professional, and easily navigable.
Monica Shaw´s last blog post..Do Writers Need an Online Portfolio?
You’re welcome, George.
You know, I realize this sounds just way too simple, but all I do is ask.
Really. I just email them up and use the subject line “Favor?”. I ask them if they’d be willing to write a short testimonial about their experience with me, about 2-4 sentences. I tell them that I’ll gladly give them a link back to their site in their signature at the end. I have other editors/clients I can ask but haven’t taken the time to do that yet. I’m going to soon. 
Another thing I do is wait until I’ve written for them at least 3 times or more. This way, they won’t feel “odd” or anything with me just writing one article and then asking for a reference. I give them some time to find out if I turn my assignments in on time, and to discover how the experience of dealing with me as their writer truly is.
Hope that helps!
*smiles*
Michele
P.S. @Terry: I don’t think that was rude at all–it was an excellent point!
I agree with what you said, it is indeed very important to client portfolio and testimonials. That way you have references handy when you needed them. A brief 2-3 sentences of client testimony will do great than harm your business.
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Hi Monica,
I really think everyone should have an online presence. Especially artistic types such as writers. Very nice web site design by the way!
Cheers,
Jeremy
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Ah, glad I wasn’t considered rude. I don’t mind being considered flippant now and then, but rude? Never! LOL
Excellent point, Michelle, about keeping a clear separation between church and state!
Terry Heath´s last blog post..The Baskin-Robbins Method of Niche Blogging
Oops! My apologies, Monica. I was in a major rush and didn’t take the time to read your name–sorry for calling you George!
Good post, Monica, and I’m impressed by your portfolio services. The portfolio templates and process looks good.
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I think that deciding whether to use a blog or a non-blog site depends on how it fits into your biz flow. If you do advertising and draw “outside” people to your work then a stand alone site could be good. But if you want to build a community around the writing then the blog is the way to go. @jesseluna on Twitter
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Agreed that it’s nice to be able to send a link to one’s website rather than attachments or links to one’s work on other sites.
I was just using a page on Google Sites, but I’m currently setting up a new site at my own domain — I’m excited to get it up-and-running.
I’m also using the new site to host a wiki collection of my work as an experiment in collaborative fiction. Point being, there are just so many ways to use a webpage to promote one’s work/self.
Great points. I have a links page on my blog for the other places people can find me, but I don’t have a separate site as my writing portfolio. It would definitely help as a freelance writer, but as my writing focus is primarily related to my blog and my novel, I don’t really see the personal need yet. Maybe soon, but not a priority.
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@Michele – Thanks for responding – that definitely helps. As much as I know it’s perfectly reasonable to ask clients for testimonials, it’s still good to be reassured by other writers that this is a “done” thing.
@Jeremy – Thanks for the compliment on the design, and I like what you said about us “artistic types” (I always wanted to be an artist!). But yes, writers, illustrators, designers, painters, etc… it’s a tough market for artists which is all the more reason why we have to put our best foot forward and make it easy for potential clients to find our best work.
Monica Shaw´s last blog post..Do Writers Need an Online Portfolio?
Monica,
Listen I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for an extremely successful and helpful guest post. The information in the post is spot-on and I am glad so many folks stopped by and contributed to the discussion.
And to YOU, my Tumble community: Thanks for such a warm and receiving response to Monica. We’re not a big community, but we’re the best around.
George
@George – you are very welcome. I had a blast writing the post and I’ve especially enjoyed the comments. Thanks again for the opportunity!
Monica Shaw´s last blog post..Do Writers Need an Online Portfolio?
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This falls under what I (and probably a bazillion others) call “Project YOU.”
You include lots of great info! I’d also add it helps to own your own domain name (ie, BarbaraLing.com , LizStrauss.com, etc.etc.etc.) and use that as a launchpad for all of your relevant topics. It makes a great hub for your eventual network.
Data points, Barbara
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Hi Barbara,
Thanks for stopping by.
I do like the idea of seeing my name in lights. I suspect at some point in the future I may do just that.
Cheers
George
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This is a great post. I don’t have an online portfolio yet but now its the time to create one
.-= misslikey´s last blog ..Chic details; back to school =-.
Misslikey,
Thanks for coming by, and I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Cheers!
George