Creating a Writing Portfolio

[MV64]

Creating a portfolio is one of the most important steps in becoming an actual, honest-to-goodness freelance writer. Tons of websites are devoted to creating portfolios but in my mind, they always seem to focus on content. Which, of course, is important. But what about the actual act of creating the portfolio?

I am not at all, in the slightest, even remotely, crafty. But I would really love for my portfolio to be professional. Now, I know a lot of people are creating online portfolios, which is great and necessary, but my question is only about creating a physical portfolio.

I've been published in a few magazines now, but I'd like to keep moving up the scale into more professional (read: regular) work. How should I present these published articles in a portfolio?

Should I print them out from something like Microsoft Word? That seems really amateurish. Should I tear out (or scan and print) the actual magazine pages? If so, how many pages should a good sample article be?

Thanks!

[teh603]

If you get a spare copy of a given magazine, why not carefully cut the binding off the magazine and put the pages into a notebook in sheet protectors? That way you have obvious proof that you were published in a magazine, without being too scrapbook-ey.

For unpublished works, it'd probably be better to just print them on a laser printer using fairly standard text printing rules- about an inch margin, monospace or serif font 12 point (13 if you use TNR), headings clearly marked.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by MV64

Creating a portfolio is one of the most important steps in becoming an actual, honest-to-goodness freelance writer. Tons of websites are devoted to creating portfolios but in my mind, they always seem to focus on content. Which, of course, is important. But what about the actual act of creating the portfolio?

I am not at all, in the slightest, even remotely, crafty. But I would really love for my portfolio to be professional. Now, I know a lot of people are creating online portfolios, which is great and necessary, but my question is only about creating a physical portfolio.

I've been published in a few magazines now, but I'd like to keep moving up the scale into more professional (read: regular) work. How should I present these published articles in a portfolio?

Should I print them out from something like Microsoft Word? That seems really amateurish. Should I tear out (or scan and print) the actual magazine pages? If so, how many pages should a good sample article be?

Thanks!

Try out your ideas and don't be afraid to emulate others.
Pick what you and people you respect think is best and go with it.