Building your portfolio

Like any artist, a writer needs to build a portfolio. Your portfolio can consist of a showcase of your best work, or a list of your published works.

When you submit your work to editors to be considered for publication, your portfolio establishes your identity as a serious writer, and showcases your skills. It can be part of your pitch for an article you have yet to write, although as a new writer, it's better to pitch whole articles, which show that you can write the piece.

Getting a foot on the first rungs of the publishing ladder is not easy, but it helps to keep an open mind, and consider all potential markets, irrespective of whether they pay. It is the writing credit that you need, which helps establish your credibility. Local or community publications and newspapers are often a good place to start, as they can be easier to access.

Keep track of everything you have published, and use it as part of your submission of work to new editors, to give your pitches credibility.