Comments on: What’s in Your Clip File?

By: Saving article clips — Freelance Writing Jobs | A Freelance Writing Community and Freelance Writing Jobs Resource

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 05:38:29 +0000

[...] you, you never got around to saving that clip or even printing it out. You figured it would always be there, when you needed [...]

By: How I Landed My First Freelance Writing Jobs Without Clips : Freelance Writing Jobs | The #1 Online Writing Community for Freelancers

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 15:36:10 +0000

[...] apart my one and only copy of this now rare, autographed issue of Rock & Roll Tattoos for a clip. I put my copy in a protective bag and packed it away…and haven’t seen it since. Yes, [...]

By: Megan

Megan — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:21:01 +0000

This site has been a regular stop of mine for some time but I haven’t jumped into the conversation until now. I have been writing for so long but this site has made me understand I have a lot to learn. I think I have been sending too much. I put together an online professional portfolio linked to my site. In that are full articles as well as a professional history. I should stick to just clips with links to the full pieces? After reading this thread I think I am just providing too much for someone to get through, especially on an initial contact.

By: Sunday Link Love | Writer's Resource Center

Sunday Link Love | Writer's Resource Center — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:20:42 +0000

[...] What’s in Your Clip File? [...]

By: Lori

Lori — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 21:24:37 +0000

Phil – Thanks for the tip. Much appreciated.

By: L. L. Woodard

L. L. Woodard — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 20:32:41 +0000

There are lots of lots of good ideas here. I especially like Steve Amoia’s idea of including an excerpt of each piece along with its link in the initial email.

At the places where I submit a bid, lately I have been doing a sample piece for the type of project on which I am bidding. I haven’t found it too time-consuming and it gives the buyer a good look at my writing style and my grasp of his/her project.

By: Sue

Sue — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:08:42 +0000

I have a web site that includes my resume and a varied sample of my writing: trade articles, consumer articles, and essays. Editors love reading the essays and often come back to me with a comment about them. When I send a cover letter, I have a line that says, “You’ll find samples and my resume at .” I’ve gotten jobs specifically because editors liked seeing the variety of my work.

By: Steve Amoia

Steve Amoia — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:41:54 +0000

It also helps, in my opinion, to send an excerpt with your linked sample(s). That provides the hiring authority with more detail in your initial email. Especially when they request several published clips and/or writing samples.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:26:36 +0000

Lately, I’ve just been focused on building my client list by applying for jobs here or on bid sites. For these types of jobs, I just give a link to my associated content profile page. I have a variety of different articles published there. If the assignment is for a blogging job or to make squidoo lenses, I’ll give them my blog url or the url to my squidoo profile.

By: Marijke

Marijke — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:33:01 +0000

My main website had links to articles I’ve written and names of hard copy articles. I also send potential clients to my blogs, depending on what type of writing they’re looking for. Patient education people get sent to the Marijke:nurse turned writer and helpmyhurt.com blogs, while professionals may be sent to my Nurses Notes blog.

I also write for continuing medical education for physicians, so they aren’t interested in the patient stuff; I have to show them programs I’ve worked on, usually powerpoint or pdf files.

One problem – and it can be a big one – is when you are trying to break into a niche that you don’t have any written experience in. For example, my quilting article in this month’s The Quilter – I had to really make my pitch so well-written that the editor could see I could write in any style, not just health stuff. Now, it may be a bit easier to go outside of health stuff because I have this article to use as a clip. I hope so.

By: Jenny B

Jenny B — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:42:51 +0000

In my clip file I have the front cover of a book to which I contributed a chapter. I also have the chapter as a clip. My other clip is for a column that I write for an online magazine. I often include the magazine’s web address and indicate the page that my column is on in the current issue. The online magazine for which I write is considering having blogs for its regular contributors. I’m looking forward to this new venture.

I’m thinking about creating a web site/blogging site that will contain clips, current writing, an archive of writing that I have done,(unpublished) and information about me so that I can direct potential employers to the site.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:26:17 +0000

I have clips to online articles, a scanned copy of an article I wrote for an employment newspaper, and then page numbers and titles of a book I contributed to.

I do need to update my page though because I just sold a second magazine article and actually found the book I was listed as a contributor in and could scan that page too.

By: Missy

Missy — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 03:01:57 +0000

I am thinking of creating a free blogger blog just for my freelance blogging exploits.

Something simple with an ABOUT ME page, a HIRE ME page, and a CLIPS page. Something that shows i’m serious about writing and blogging…..for pay.

Does this sound like a good idea?

Missy.

By: ellen

ellen — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:16:34 +0000

@ Trisha – I would link directly to your articles. You know how employers are – pressed for time. Just wow them right away. That sets you ahead of the pack. Then, if they are interested, they can peruse your site.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:10:49 +0000

Lori,

For the ones in print, make PDFs and offer to send those if necessary. That’s what I do, even if I post links to online work because the links may not be the most appropriate examples. I wouldn’t send PDFs unsolicited, though, because some e-mail/anti-spam systems will automatically reject attachments.

By: L. L. Woodard

L. L. Woodard — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:50:41 +0000

These are all helpful hints. Thanks everybody/

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:45:14 +0000

Thanks. This post made me feel a lot better. I’m just starting out and although I have numerous pubs in print, none on the web yet.

I’m glad to know I might still have a chance even if my clips haven’t been published. I always link to my blog and I’m working on getting my own web-site set up.

By: Bill

Bill — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:03:24 +0000

I have a wordpress site that lists my resume and gives samples based on categories such as environmental issues, celebrity gossip, parenting….I typically link to that.

By: Valencia

Valencia — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:42:08 +0000

I have a Word document that contains four short writing samples. The topics vary: SEO sample, travel sample, personal finance sample, and product review sample. Unless the job ad states otherwise, I alway send an attachment with my cover letter and resume. So far, I’ve had good results. If applying for a blogging position, I’ll include a website link.

By: Trisha

Trisha — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:12:57 +0000

My own website lists a bunch of samples. Do you think it is okay to link them to that, or should the links be direct?

By: John Platt

John Platt — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:09:52 +0000

Good topic.

Most of my recent work is published online, so I keep a running blog with links to every article that is published. I include that link in my cover letter or in my signature when contacting new clients.

I also output many published articles as PDFs so I can send them if a potential client asks for attachments.