Build an Impressive Freelance Writing Portfolio Without Experience

The purpose of a freelance writing portfolio is to have freelance writing projects to show prospective clients. Building a freelance writing portfolio with no experience isn't as difficult as a new freelance writer may think. A freelance writer with no experience should consider writing mock projects in order to build a freelance writing portfolio. Landing freelance writing jobs as a new freelance writer is easier with a portfolio. Here are three ways a new freelance writer can build their freelance writing portfolio.

Write Mock Projects

Writing mock projects can increase the credibility of a freelance writing portfolio. Identify the type of freelance writing projects that you want to take on and write immaculate projects for non existent clients. This works great with business proposals and business plans because a freelance writer would typically place these projects on PDF instead of linking to an actual page. No matter what type of freelance writing projects you are interested in attaining, writing mock projects increases the credibility of a new freelance writer.

Write for Free

This is not my favorite way to build a freelance writing portfolio, but it is an effective way to gain freelance writing samples. It's better to have a complex project in your portfolio that you completed for no pay, than having an abundance of low quality SEO articles that you completed for $0.01 per word. If your goal is to base your freelance writing career around $0.01 per word projects, so be it. Don't expect to ever land a high paying job as a freelance writer with low quality samples in your portfolio. A fresh freelance writer should focus his attention on attaining high paying projects in the future, rather than getting stuck with writing $4 articles forever.

Write for Low Pay

In my book, writing for low pay is only OK when the freelance writer comes out on top. As a new freelance writer, you will have to accept low paying jobs in order to build your portfolio. Let's say your goal is to become a highly paid freelance writer who specializes in business proposals. If someone offers you a gig to write a business proposal for $30, you better take that freelance writing gig, even if the going rate for business proposals is over $600. As a new freelance writer you aren't ready to command that rate. Write the $30 business proposal for the client, make it the best business proposal ever created by a freelance writer and put it in your portfolio. A new freelance writer can benefit from a low paying project.