Those who move on from the confusion of "What should I do as a freelancer?" get stuck on "How do I make samples for it?" To be honest, I dont blame them! As simple as it may sound, writing samples can be the most nerve-wracking part of the process. What should I write about? What should the sample look like, and how short or long should it be? Apart from procrastination and the overwhelming fear of trying something new, lack of knowledge is also a genuine reason why so many people get confused about this step. 

So, today I am going to push you through that block so you can finally move on with creating that perfect portfolio and get on with your freelance content writing journey! We are going to talk about what your samples should look like, the word count, how to choose a topic, and everything else relevant! 

1- How To Choose The Type Of Sample

I am guessing that you have already gone through my blog on "How To Start Freelancing," so you know what you want to do as a content writer. Once you properly niche it down, you will have a good idea of what kind of writing samples you want to include in your portfolio. To give you an idea, the following are the most common types of content writing samples: 

• Blogs and articles
• Emails
• Social media captions
• Ad copies 
• Short stories 
• Creative Writing 
• Landing Pages 
• Scripts
• eBooks
• Brochures

What will be your specialty or interest field as a content writer? If you plan to be an expert blog writer, your samples should include more blogs. If you want to be a social media content writer, you want to involve more samples relevant to that field. You see, it really helps when you narrow down what exactly you want to do. 

If you are not sure which of these you want to go for, I would advise that you try the ones that you are most interested in. Practice them a couple of times to see which ones you are most comfortable with. This way, you can slowly narrow it down. For example, if blog writing, ad writing, and social media content sound the most interesting to you, attempt each of them at least once. You will eventually realize that blog writing and ads are more up your sleeves than social media content or vice versa! 

2- How To Select A Topic For Your Content Writing Sample

I know you have been waiting for this one! "Kis topic pe sample likhun?" (What topic should I write on?) is possibly the most frequent question I get when I talk about portfolios. And why shouldnt it be? There are so many options that it is bound to get intimidating! So let me help you out: 

1. Consider the type of sample you want to write (e.g., personal blog)
2. Select the niche you want to write on (e.g., fashion)
3. Think about who you are writing the sample for (e.g., a fashion magazine, a fashion designer website, a clothing brand, etc. Let us assume you are writing a sample for a fashion magazine in this case.)
4. Go to Google, search for your favorite fashion e-magazine and open their articles. What kind of articles do you see there? Take inspiration from there. 
5. You dont want to copy the exact topic; take inspiration and put your own twist on it. Voila! You have a sample topic perfectly aligned with your target audience. 

Speaking of which, knowing your target audience is also very important! Who are you writing these samples for? Who are you trying to impress? What kind of writing jobs are you planning to apply to? You dont make chicken karahi to impress a designer, right? So, why would you write samples on tech if you are trying to get into the beauty blogging industry? If your target audience is makeup, skincare, and beauty blog owners, keep them in mind when selecting topics for samples.

However, if the process above sounds like too much work to you, there is another way. It is the most foolproof way of finding the best topic for your article, and no one will tell you this. In fact, the best writers in the world use this technique, and I will tell you what it is. 

Are you ready? 

Here it is: 

Google it! 

Literally, Google it. 

"Best sample topics for affiliated articles/ blogs/technical articles/etc etc etc"

You are going to find a list of hundreds of different post ideas, and you can write on any one of them! 

Before moving on, I want to take this opportunity to remind you of two very important things: 

1- Dont make things more complicated than they should be

2- Google can solve a majority of your problems

List Of Topics 

To give you a little kickstart, I am adding a little list of potential topics for popular categories: 

• Affiliate Articles

Fashion: Five Zara Items You Need In Your Wardrobe

Beauty: 10 Garnier Masks For Your Skin This Summer 

Tech: 5 Best Laptops Under 1000$

Lifestyle: 10 Best Toasters For A Family Of Four 

• Blogs

Fashion: My Must-Have Wardrobe Items For Summer

Beauty: My Favourite Sunblock That I Recommend To All My Friends!  

Tech: Everything We Know About The Latest iPhone So Far

Lifestyle: Fixing Your Broker Toaster Yourself

• Creative Writing/ Short Stories

Fashion: How I Managed To Escape A Wardrobe Malfunction Incident

Beauty: My Worst Experience At A Salon! 

Tech: I Wrote An Essay And Forgot To Save It! 

Lifestyle: I Almost Got Fired For Eating A Donut At Work! 

• Technical Articles

Fashion: 5 Reasons You Should Ditch Laces This Season

Beauty: What Experts Are Saying About Your Favourite Moisturiser

Tech: Screen Time And How It Affects Your Mental Health

Lifestyle: The Medical Effects Of A 30 Minute Walk Every Day

Remember: do not copy-paste these topics because if everyone starts writing on the same topics, there will be plagiarism issues. Instead, take inspiration from these headings and create your own! 

3- What Word Count Would Be Best For A Content Writing Sample

Now that you have selected the topic, your next question will probably be, "How long or short should the sample be?" My answer is just one question: 

What is your sample trying to prove? 

Most clients only require samples so they can analyze your skills and your writing style. For that, about 300 to 500 words are more than enough. As a recruiter and employer, I dont read any further than that. Everything that I need to know about the skills of a content writer is apparent in the first couple of paragraphs. 

If you are writing a sample to show off your writing and language abilities, you need not go any further than 500 words. However, if you are trying to prove that you know how to write certain kinds of articles, it can depend on the format of that article. For example, blogs have a smaller format (intro, body, conclusion), so you can wrap up a crispy little blog in 500 words. On the contrary, if you are writing an affiliate article sample, they are usually more lengthy. Even the smallest sample, which includes the entire formatting (the list of products, buying guide, and whatnot), can be around 700-1000 words. In those cases, you can write as many words as it takes to get your point across and prove that you know how an affiliate article is written! 

All in all, it depends on the type of sample you are writing and why you are writing it. If you still want a numerical estimate, personally, I advise a sample article ranging from 500 words to 1500 words. Try staying in this range and dont go too low or too high. 

Should You "Accessorise"? 

I see so many content writers creating samples and spending hours selecting the right pictures for their sample blogs. The question is this: are they even necessary? Is accessorizing your sample good or bad? 

Additional elements like pictures, backlinks, and references are not critical for your samples. However, they do have a benefit: they show the client that you have knowledge in these aspects. While they are not necessary to ensure your recruitment, you do get the upper hand over the candidates who dont know how to do these things or did not showcase these abilities. You make a good impression, which somewhat increases your chances of getting hired. 

Before I end the subject, I want to give you a little tip as a senior and somebody who has been in the industry longer than you:

If you add these "accessories" to your samples and want to offer them to the client, make price decisions beforehand. Decide whether you want to charge for them as separate services or include them in the price of the article. And when you decide, make sure you clarify it to the client as soon as possible, leaving no room for any misunderstandings or exploitation.

Lastly, Put Your Best Foot Forward!

We all know that the first impression is the last impression, right? Well, this is especially true for samples and portfolios. The client does not know you personally and has no idea what you are capable of. They judge you based on your portfolio. Hence, the samples you provide should be your best work. They should accurately represent your style and the services you provide. 

• Pay attention to your formatting.
• Make sure your writing is exactly the way you usually write your articles. 
• Make sure your samples are YOUR work. (People have asked me for my work so they can use it as a sample in their portfolio, so believe me, it happens.)

Leave nothing to their imagination, and dont assume that you will "show your skills later." Remember: they will take one look at your sample and decide whether they want to hire you. Hence, you only have this ONE shot!

I hope that my blog post answers your sample-related questions and you can finally move on from being stuck at this phase. When I post next, I hope that you are already working on your first sample and establishing your portfolio. So get out there; the world is waiting for you!