A Freelance Writers Portfolio

A Freelance Writers Portfolio When venturing into the world of freelance writing, most writers discover that a diversified portfolio in the publishing industry is as important as it is in the financial industry. Unless you are one of those writers who are able to find your own niche and achieve instant success there, being able to write in any genre or style, anywhere, is almost vital to a freelancers budding career. Very few writers are able to immediately break into the industry without prior experience or publishing credentials, and the easiest way to attain both of these is to write, write, write- anything and everything.When a writer learns to mimic various styles within various genres, the possibilities for a full-time career in writing become more likely. Even if writing is a hobby, or something you are pursuing in college, having a portfolio that demonstrates a range in ability, style, and tone will only work to your advantage- regardless of your future plans.Setting up a portfolio with some of your best work in each genre helps clients and publishers to see the range of your ability, and gives them confidence that you will be able to produce the content they need, even if you have never written something exactly like it.For most freelance writers, copywriting and sales copy is one of the easiest ways to earn a living. Therefore, examples of your ability to write this type of content are crucial as additions to your freelancers portfolio. Copywriting can cover a range of assignments- from web site content to Blogs to informative articles- and the best copywriters must be able to research any given topic and produce quality, informative content based on that research. Therefore, having a few different examples of content on a range of topics is important.Also, much of copywriting is keyword driven, meaning that specific keywords must be placed throughout the article or website in order to attract online traffic through search engines. While there is a fine line between too many keywo rds and not enough, most clients will want to see at least a 3% ratio (this means that the keywords should be at least 3% of the total word count). It might be a good idea to include one portfolio example with a higher ratio and one with a lower ratio to show that you can write effective content with varying keyword frequency.In addition to content articles and sales copy, another facet of copywriting is the press release. A mixture of marketing strategy and engaging content, the press release shows your ability to say a lot within a few words. A well-written press release also demonstrates your ability to factor in the audience- an important skill for any writer, regardless of the genre or tone of the writing.Technical writing encompasses everything from copywriting to how-to manuals to presentations, and your portfolio should include examples of any of your previous work in these areas. A good technical writer is one that has a thorough grasp of grammar, conciseness, and flow- all qualities that can easily translate into more creative ventures.You should also have examples of creative writing in your portfolio, even if you plan to focus your freelance career on technical writing assignments. Creative writing allows clients to have a glimpse into your personality and drive as a writer, and tends to demonstrate more of your persona than that which is shown in your technical writing examples.Regardless of how mundane, or seemingly un-creative their projects might be, clients are aware that any writer must possess a certain degree of imagination and vision in order to produce quality work. Creative writing within your freelancers portfolio allows them to see these things in you. Some great creative writing additions to your portfolio would be op-ed (opposite editorial) pieces, magazine articles, creative Blogs, or short stories.Also, many clients looking for a freelance writer are interested in someone to ghostwrite a work of fiction or nonfiction for them, and will want to see your abilities on the creative front for writing a book-When venturing into the world of freelance writing, most writers discover that a diversified portfolio in the publishing industry is as important as it is in the financial industry. Unless you are one of those writers who is able to find your own niche and achieve instant success there, being able to write in any genre or style, anywhere, is vital to a freelancers budding career.The secret to breaking into the industryVery few writers are able to immediately break into the industry without prior experience or publishing credentials, and the easiest way to attain both of these is to write, write, write- anything and everything! When a writer learns to mimic various styles within multiple genres, the possibilities for a full-time career in writing become more likely. Even if writing is a hobby, or something you are pursuing in college, having a portfolio that demonstrates a range in ability, style, and tone will only work to your advantage- regardless of your future plans.Why you need a portfolio as a copywriterSetting up a portfolio with some of your best work in each genre helps clients and publishers to see the range of your ability, and gives them confidence that you will be able to produce the content they need, even if you have never written something exactly like it. For most freelance writers, copywriting and sales copy is one of the easiest ways to earn a living. Therefore, examples of your ability to write this type of content are crucial as additions to your freelancers portfolio.Copywriting can cover a range of assignments- from web site content to blogs to informative articles- and the best copywriters must be able to research any given topic and produce quality, informative content based on that research. Therefore, having a few different examples of content on a range of topics is important.Keyword frequencyAlso, much of copywriting is keyword driven, meaning that specific ke ywords must be placed throughout the article or website in order to attract online traffic through search engines. While there is a fine line between too many keywords and not enough, most clients will want to see at least a 3% ratio (this means that the keywords should be at least 3% of the total word count). It might be a good idea to include one portfolio example with a higher ratio and one with a lower ratio to show that you can write effective content with varying keyword frequency.Press releaseIn addition to content articles and sales copy, another facet of copywriting is the press release. A mixture of marketing strategy and engaging content, the press release shows your ability to say a lot within a few words. A well-written press release also demonstrates your ability to factor in the audience- an important skill for any writer, regardless of the genre or tone of the writing.Technical writingTechnical writing encompasses everything from copywriting to how-to manuals to pres entations, and your portfolio should include examples of any of your previous work in these areas. A good technical writer is one that has a thorough grasp of grammar, conciseness, and flow- all qualities that can easily translate into more creative ventures.Creative writingYou should also have examples of creative writing in your portfolio, even if you plan to focus your freelance career on technical writing assignments. Creative writing allows clients to have a glimpse into your personality and drive as a writer, and tends to demonstrate more of your persona than that which is shown in your technical writing examples.Regardless of how mundane, or seemingly un-creative their projects might be, clients are aware that any writer must possess a certain degree of imagination and vision in order to produce quality work. Creative writing within your freelancers portfolio allows them to see these things in you. Some great creative writing additions to your portfolio would be op-ed (opposi te editorial) pieces, magazine articles, creative blogs, or short stories.GhostwritingAlso, many clients looking for a freelance writer are interested in someone to ghostwrite a work of fiction or nonfiction for them, and will want to see your abilities on the creative front for writing a book-length manuscript. Including an example chapter in your portfolio would be a great way to show them your capabilities on this front. If possible, try to include two chapters- one for a work of fiction and one for a work of nonfiction. If you have not previously written an entire chapter, consider doing so for the sole purpose of inclusion in your freelance writers portfolio. The opportunities for ghostwriters are, in some cases, greater than those available to copywriters, and the pay is often better as an added bonus.Your business card and resume wrapped into oneAs a freelance writer, your portfolio is your business card and resume wrapped into one. It is an opportunity for you to showcase yo ur abilities, in addition to your range of skill in writing. In the same sense that presentation is key to any first impression, be sure that the items in your portfolio are impeccably edited and formatted into an easy-to-read font. You could have all the skills a client is looking for, but without the proper presentation of those skills, you could very well be overlooked.Finally, think of your portfolio as a work in progress. When you write something that is published- be sure to include it, along with all information regarding when and where it was published. It is also a good idea to include a copy of the original article if you were published in a regional or national magazine or paper. Often, the stepping-stones into the world of publishing are the little achievements youve made along the way.

Chris McCandless Essays

Chris McCandless Essays Chris McCandless Paper Chris McCandless Paper Chris Mishandles was an exceptional young man who lived life by the beat of his own drum but all that changed when his young life was cut short. Though his life ended, his story lives on forever. Jon Into the Wild Is Chris living legacy: the book examines life as well as revealing his struggles with his parents, his adventures with the people he meets, and the hardships he faces in Alaska. Chris Mishandles lived life as a modern day nomad; he would hitch hike all around the country to escape from the mundane. Some would consider his controversial lifestyle as an?f?-eve and stupid while others admire his Idealism and passion for life. Fife was ultimately a success. Even though at times he exercised bad Judgment and rejected the help others offered, he accomplished his goal and came to an important conclusion. Uses this final trip to relieve himself of any frustrations he has with society and a religious a experience, some would say. Chris came to the Alaskan wilderness to find life, but ironically turned out to be his ultimate demise. Krause reveals deep love and compassion for others. Growing up, it was clear that Chris was a very compassionate child. One Christmas sister, Caring, got a dog from their parents. Although the dog belonged o Caring, Chris treated him as though he were his dog. The two were thick as thieves. Caring even said that if Chris would have brought the dog on his trip then maybe Chris would still be alive because Chris would never put their dog in a dangerous situation. Chris grew from a compassionate child Into a semi-radical college student In college he took courses about Injustices against people from Third World countries and often spoke out against corruption all over the world whether it be politics to animal rights. He would sometimes go as far as bashing politics in the Emory Wheel, lampooned Jimmy Carter and Joe Bidden, called the assignation of Attorney General Edwin Mess, lambasted Bible-thumper of the Christian right, urged vigilance against the Soviet threat, castigated the Japanese for hunting whales, and defended Jesse Jackson as a viable presidential candidate. ? c,-?L] (123)* one thing that really got under skin was the fact that people were still going hungry and dying from things like malnutrition. His mother remembers him speaking about how incredibly beefed he was about people could possibly be allowed to go hungry, especially in (1 Not only did Chris love people, but people reciprocated the love back. Chris made people feel so comfortable around him that whenever he was traveling and needed a place to stay It was almost guaranteed that someone would offer him a place to stay. He had a very magnetic personality, from what the book describes. People were pulled by his charming personality ever since he was young an eight-year- old, he grew vegetables behind the house in Amendable and then sold them door-to- door around the . The time he came home, the wagon would be empty, and have a bunch of money In his hand. ? (116)* On his Journeys Chris met countless people and all of those people were touched Day snarls In one way or another. Can person en met Decade apart of his surrogate family. Jan Burses and her husband spoke so fondly of Mishandles and were very keen on hearing from him. Another person that Mishandles touched was Ronald Franz, an elderly man who lost his family in an accident. He fell so in love with Mishandles that he even offered to him, if [Chris] would be [his] grandson. ?C,-1?0 (55)* Anyone that came into contact with Chris could see his blatant charm. Though Chris genuinely cared for others he also had another side; a more reserved side. In high school he was quite outgoing, most people only had nice things to say about him. Though there were some people who saw darker side. One of cross country teammates recalls that Chris would get extremely upset when he would do poorly at a meet. He never showed his anger but instead Just kept it inside. There would be times were Chris would Just keep to himself. His sister remembers, was very to himself. He was? always had friends, and everybody liked ? ¬but he could go off and entertain himself for hours. He need tots or friends. He could be alone without being (107)* In college he became more introverted. He began to live a more ascetic lifestyle and stopped contacting his rinds. One of his college friends recalls that he went to visit Chris and to see how he was doing but when he stepped into his apartment he was shocked to see that his apartment was very bare. It only had a mattress and a few milk crates. Chris was going through somewhat of a crisis during this point of his life. The revelation of his affair surfaced and he increasingly grew more and more upset with how society operated. It were situations such as those that drove Chris into the wild. He looked at the Alaskan wilderness as something like a sanctuary to find himself, answers, and maybe even God. For the most part I feel that Chris found what he was looking for. He realized what the genuine meaning of happiness was, only real when shared?C,-1?0 (189)* I feel that if he would have come out of the wilderness he would have came out a better man for himself, his friends, and most importantly his family. I feel that Chris did the right thing but it was Just a shame that it had to end that way. Life can become so chaotic that sometimes it would be nice to run away from it all. I have actually learned that with the stresses of college and the fast pace of life, things can quickly spiral out of control. For most people, our lives now have become so consumed with work, work, and more work that people forget the true essence of life. People go to work and kill themselves little by little for some Jobs that are not even worth it, Christopher Mishandles saw this and decided to do what most people only dream of. Just recently I had a similar break through like Chris and decided to get lost in San Francisco. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had I remembered what it was like to be happy again and to not worry about anything. I gained great insight about myself and life even if my trip the was only for one day.