Hello Reader!

When solos ask me how to get started (or how to stand out), the first thing I tell them is to create an outstanding portfolio of their work.

Clients don’t necessarily care (or ever ask) how long you’ve been freelance writing. They just want to know that you can write well.

The best way to demonstrate this is to gather your writing samples and compile them into an online portfolio. You can see my online portfolio here if you want an example.

You can create a quick landing page or use a portfolio platform like Authory (which is a great method since it saves your work even if the publisher doesn't).

Let’s talk about what to include in a portfolio, how to create a website, what to include in a website, and how Authory works.

First things first: What if you are just starting as a freelancer and haven’t written anything?

A portfolio is a must. It allows potential clients to see the quality of your work and determine if your writing style is up to par. If you don’t have a portfolio yet, here are some ways you can build a portfolio:

1. Write for free (once and ONLY once)

I don’t typically advise anyone to write for free. The ONE exception is if writing something for free benefits you more than it benefits them. :)

You can offer to write for free (or at a reduced rate) for a friend, family member, or small business you want to help. If you’re new to the industry, it’s a great way to help someone out and develop your portfolio.

2. Do spec work to build your freelance portfolio

If you don't have any published examples to showcase, create a writing sample within your targeted niche.

This can demonstrate your writing skills, style, and tone. It’s great to call out that this is spec work, too. It shows what you can do before an editor polishes it.

Here are some places you can publish spec work:

Start your own blog or website: Showcase your creative work to the world. This can be a great way to build your portfolio and attract potential clients.

Join a writing community: Join online writing communities where you can post your work and get feedback from others. This can help you improve your writing skills and get a sense of which types of pieces are likely to be well-received by potential clients.

Remember, you can always let potential clients know that your portfolio is a work in progress and that you're happy to provide more samples if they ask.

What should freelance writers put on their website?

Your website should display your best work and highlight your writing skills and expertise.

If you want to build an entire website (I recommend this), rather than just a portfolio, you’ll need to include additional pages. Here are some other key elements that you should include:

Writing samples: We’ve already covered why you need writing samples as you build your freelance writing portfolio.

About page: A brief bio that introduces you and highlights your experience. It should be professional and convey your personality, voice, and style.

Testimonials: Include quotes or testimonials from past clients or editors that vouch for the quality of your work and the working experience. You can use Senja (an affiliate and a product I use) to capture testimonials. Senja lets you capture testimonials and features a built-in design that delivers beautiful testimonials with a single click. Here are some of mine:

These are some of my testimonials from Senja.

Niche expertise: If you have a particular area of expertise or niche, it's a good idea to include a section that highlights it. This will make it easy for potential clients to see your areas of expertise.

Contact information: Include a contact form so potential clients can easily reach you. I recommend adding a form instead of putting your contact information on your site. It will protect you from spam.

Personal Branding: Your website should reflect your personal brand. For that reason, it is important to be consistent in the way you present yourself, your writing style, and the type of work you do.

Remember that a website is a representation of your writing and personal brand, so it should be well-organized and easy to navigate, and include your best work and the work that demonstrates your expertise.

Keep in mind that a website is a living document, and update it regularly with new work and testimonials.

How do you build an online writing portfolio?

If you don’t want to build an entire website—no problem. You can always use a portfolio platform. I know SEVERAL successful freelancers who only have an Authory (this has my referral code) profile, and they are always booked.

How does Authory work?

Authory allows writers to import articles from various publications and websites and keep them in one central location. The platform is built to help authors curate, back up, and monetize their articles.

Here is a general breakdown of the process:

Sign up: The first step is to create an Authory account. During the signup process, the user will need to provide their personal and contact information.
Import your articles: Once you have an account, you can start importing your articles. Authory allows you to connect your Google News and Medium accounts, and will automatically import your articles. You can also import articles by providing a link to the article or uploading a PDF.
Customize your archive: The platform lets you organize and tag your articles, making it easy for readers to find what they are looking for. You can also add featured images and other metadata.
Monetize your articles: Authory allows you to monetize your articles by setting up a paywall. This way, you can allow readers to access some of your articles for free while charging for others.
Share and promote: Authory provides a customizable URL for your archive that you can share with readers, editors, and potential clients. You can also share your articles via social media and embed them in your own website
Keep it updated: Authory encourages you to keep your portfolio current so you can showcase your most recent work.

Thanks for reading,

Ashley R. Cummings

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Expert Series | Desiree Echevarria

1/ Tell me about your career journey and how you got started in content marketing.

I have a pretty unconventional journey! Content marketing is actually my second career. My first was film and television. I went to film school and spent my twenties creating “special feature” content for movies and TV shows. Remember DVDs? I used to produce the behind-the-scenes bonus material for them!

After years of grinding in Hollywood, I had lost my love of the film game and was looking for something new, but I didn’t know what. I moved to Austin without a job or a plan and miraculously landed at a tech startup called Aceable, where I became a content creator. I definitely think my background in film/TV translates well to content marketing!

10 years later, I’m the Senior Content Marketer at Close and I’m still drawing on the things I learned in Hollywood for the content we’re producing today.

2/ What do you think the biggest content trend going into 2026 will be?

Well, now that everyone’s realizing AI content is more slop than slap (is that an expression? can we make it one?), I’m certain companies will be doing everything they can to prove their content is NOT AI. This means more authentic, personal stories from employees, experts, and customers.

I also really like the idea of getting weird and experimental with your content because unhinged creativity is something AI can’t deliver on right now. At Close, we wanted to create product demo videos that people would actually want to watch, so we created “Desiree Demos.” We filmed me at a rage room with the idea that I would “demo” (demolish) your old tech and show you a better way with Close. It was very silly, but it was a scroll-stopper on LinkedIn because it was so unhinged. So I’d love to see a break away from the boring, buttoned-up B2B content. The challenge with this, however, is that your brand has to be on board with taking risks and getting weird — and not many are.

3/ How do you balance using AI and writing outstanding content?

We all know by now that AI doesn’t typically produce compelling, ready-to-ship content right out of the box. But I’ll use it in a few supplemental ways to speed up brainstorming and creativity when I already know what I’m looking for.

For example, I’m not the best at coming up with punchy titles. I’ll give ChatGPT a draft and tell it to come up with 10 options for titles, with various tones. It might generate one I really like, so I’ll give it the follow-up, “I really liked number 4. Give me more like that.” And I’ll repeat the prompt until I get something I like.

I think the real trick is that if you’re a seasoned writer, you can give ChatGPT the right direction to produce what you want, the same way you might coach a junior writer or give copyediting feedback to a freelance writer. ChatGPT can only produce quality results when you give it quality inputs!

TLDR: With content writing, I use ChatGPT as a writing assistant, a brainstorming partner, an editor, and not as a primary content creator. Maybe one day it’ll get there, but I haven’t seen that happen yet.