How to Create a Writing Portfolio When You Have No Experience or Prior Publications

So you’ve decided to have a go at writing professionally, be it as a copywriter, journalist, content writer, ghost writer, or any other writing niche you can think of. You know you need a writing portfolio of your work to show off your abilities and get hired. Herein lies the ultimate new writer’s Catch-22: you need writing samples to create a portfolio so you can get hired, but how do you get those writing samples when you’ve not yet had a paid gig or publication? 

News flash: you don’t need to have been published or have professionally acquired writing samples to create an outstanding, gig-getting writing portfolio. I’m saying this from my own experience getting started as a freelance writer. In this post I aim to help you overcome the catch-22 so you can create your own online writing portfolio. Drawing from my own journey, I'll share insights into creating a freelance writing portfolio from scratch, even without industry experience.

Top tip: if you’re looking to get started creating a writing portfolio NOW, you can try out my own writing portfolio builder that I built off the back of this story I’m about to tell you. Create a portfolio now for free - our step-by-step web builder will get you up and running in minutes. Then head back here for some tips on what to put in your writing portfolio.

How To Create a Writing Portfolio That Gets You Hired Even If You Have No Experience

I faced this problem when I first went freelance in April 2008. I'd been working as a banker for over a year and held previous jobs in software testing, research and teaching. I decided to quit my job and give this writing-for-a-living malarky a go but was left with a dilemma: to get published, I'd need to demonstrate to editors that I can write. But how would I do that without samples of published work? The ultimate writer's Catch-22!

My solution was to think a bit more broadly about "published work". I ended up taking samples from teaching material, flyers and a few of my better blog posts from SmarterFitter and Eat Sleep Wild and turning them into "writing samples" for my online writing portfolio. With the help of my portfolio (and a good pitch letter) I was able to land my first commission, an article on endorphins for The Daily Telegraph. After that, my arsenal of "published" writing samples only grew.

Just because you don’t have any published clips or writing samples doesn’t mean disaster – we all have to start somewhere. Here are a few tips for dealing with clips in the early stages of your career.

You Think You Have No Experience? Think Again

If you want to be a professional writer, freelance or otherwise, chances are you’ve already done some writing. Thinking about the works you’ve already written, they could be from school, or a previous job, or something you’ve written personally. (I used a lot of personal blog posts as writing samples in my early days.) It can help to pick a niche early on - this can help focus your writing portfolio in the first instance. 

How do I pick my niche as a writer with no experience? 

Three things to consider here: your strengths, market demand, and the joy it brings you. Start by assessing your interests, skills, and experiences to identify topics you're passionate about and knowledgeable in. Research potential niches by exploring current market demand, competition, and audience needs. Consider starting with a broad category and narrowing it down as you gain more clarity and confidence. Experiment with writing samples in different niches to see what resonates with you and your audience. Ultimately, choose a niche that aligns with your strengths, has a viable market, and excites you, allowing you to create consistent, engaging content that stands out. Then start putting together your portfolio! 
Here’s some inspiration for writing samples for different niches and writing industries: 

Examples of writing samples you may already have

If you want to be a professional writer, freelance or otherwise, chances are you’ve already done some writing. Consider these possible examples of writing samples for different writing industries:

• Business reports - If you've had a job in business or as a consultant, chances are you've done some writing. Project reports, business plans, feasibility studies, market analysis reports, and the like all make brilliant writing samples and demonstrates your problem solving skills and client-focus
• Copywriting - Brochures, website content, landing pages, and any type of writing, commercial or otherwise, with a set purpose
• Technical writing - User manuals, technical reports, API documentation, research reports, white papers, and even help files and FAQs
• Blog posts - Be it for yourself or someone else
• Voiceover, podcasts, and other scriptwriting
• Press releases 
• Newsletters

You'll find even more inspiration for writing samples in our guide: how to create impressive writing samples for job applications.

Bonus tip: categorize your writing samples to make them easier to share. You can do this easily with Writer's Residence. Here's how it looks in my own portfolio:

If after all this you feel short on samples, consider these techniques for getting more:

Write sample articles to showcase in your portfolio

Write a couple of articles in the genre you’d like to write for and be your own editor. Make sure these articles represent your best work and give them the same amount of attention you would to a paid article. Who knows, you might be able to sell them someday.

Top Tip: Let ChatGPT be your editor to ensure that your sample articles use correct grammar and contain no misspellings. Here’s a couple ChatGPT prompts to help with proofreading, grammar and spelling: 

Please correct the spelling and grammar of the following text. Show the corrections in bold so I can see what has been corrected.

Act as a proofreader and review the following text. Feel free to rephrase sentences or make changes to enhance clarity but maintain the overall tone and style of the original. Show all changes in bold so I can see what has been updated.

Publish online, either for yourself or someone else

Start a blog or offer to write guest posts on other people’s blogs (we welcome guest post submissions to this blog!). This is a great way to build up your portfolio and gain exposure to your work at the same time. And there are increasingly more and more sources for writers to self-publish: (I’m a big fan of Substack).

Go for small publications

Many small publications and local newspapers are more willing to take a chance on an unknown writer. You can also try pitching shorter pieces to magazines as fillers.

Things you shouldn't do

• Write on spec. Some may disagree, but I think life is too short to work for free, so unless you're writing about something you'd write about anyway because you just can't help yourself, don't spend the time until you're sure you're going to get paid. Professional writers get paid for their craft, and there's monetary value in what you do.
• Don't acknowledge your lack of writing samples. All professional freelance writers have writing samples - that's what you are, right? This is a fake it til you make it moment. Use my tips above to collate some great samples of writing to show off what you can do. 

In fact, that last point is the most important point of all: if you want people to take you seriously as a writer, YOU need to take yourself seriously as a writer. That means creating a presence that tells the world "hi, I'm a professional". You don't need a huge collection of published work to do this. You simply need a little creativity and confidence.

Position yourself as a professional writer in your pitches, online profiles and especially on your website, not only through your writing samples, but in the words you use to describe yourself on your home page and about page. Soon enough, you'll have more writing samples than you can keep up with.

You can find more friendly advice about creating a portfolio with no experience in our interview with Blair Sharp: 

If you have no experience or no writing samples, look for guest posting or volunteer writing opportunities. Reach out to smaller publications to increase your chances of getting accepted. You could also put your writing on a platform like Medium or Substack. Remember, you don’t need big names to prove you can write—your writing should speak for itself. 

Related reading: 

• How to Pitch Your Work Successfully as a Freelance Writer
• Freelance Writer Portfolio Examples
• How to Create An Impressive Writing Sample + Examples

FAQs

How can a writer create compelling writing samples if their work primarily consists of confidential or ghostwritten content?

The key is to craft new pieces that echo the style and substance of your original work without revealing confidential details. This approach allows you to showcase your writing skills and maintain your professional integrity.

Are there specific genres or types of writing that are more effective for unpublished writers to showcase in their samples

Choosing the right genre for your writing samples is crucial, especially when aiming to get published with no experience. Focus on genres where you excel and that are in demand. This strategy increases your chances of catching the eye of publishers or clients looking for fresh talent in those specific areas.

What are the best platforms or mediums for unpublished writers to publish their samples to gain visibility and credibility?

For unpublished writers looking to get published with no experience, leveraging online platforms -  particularly a writing portfolio website - is a strategic move and something you can do quickly with an online portfolio tool like Writer's Residence. Sign up and create a space that demonstrates writing prowess; let your writing portfolio be a stepping stones towards getting your work published professionally.