Seeking Profile Advice; Creative writer without portfolio links.

[cynthiafranks]

I am setting up my profile. I'm wokring on the photo.

My question is about my experiece. I am an award winning playwright who has written for TV and even have a few publishing credits. I can't really post a link to any of it. Any advice? How do I transition into blog and copywriting?

I have my own blog, should I use that in my porfolio. 

I need some skill ideas.

I also have a lot of experice as an administrative assistant and program coordinator, should I combine the two skills? Can I have more that one profile?

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

Portfolios are very important for freelancers involved in creative fields.

Personally, when I hire freelancers in creative fields, that's the only thing I look at.

Don't you have the the right to include ANY of your work in your Upwork portfolio?

Even if you are not allowed to include your actual writing, you could still include the work in your portfolio.

If you wrote a play, for instance, you could include as a portfolio item a playbill, or a photo from the play, along with a sentence about the play, its title, when it debuted, what awards it won.

If you wrote a TV episode, you could include a still from the show, and a plot synopsis. When did it air? Who starred in the episode?

The portfolio section is really quite flexible.

Also: Don't forget that you can include original works that you create specifically for the portfolio.

Portfolio pieces do NOT need to be Upwork commissions, and they do NOT need to be paid work.

[prestonhunter]

re: "Can I have more that one profile?"

No. If you get caught creating a second profile, you will probably be suspended.

But Upwork is testing a way to allow a single portfolio to have multiple separate skill-based versions.

[cynthiafranks]

I did not know that. Thank you.

[cynthiafranks]

Preston,

Your profile is bold! I like that. I'm a re-writer, so my profile will only get better. Thanks for the advice.

[cynthiafranks]

I agree with you, the portfolio would be all I would look at for this type of work. But I would read the text, most people will not even though I'm not a visual artist.

The issue is not one of rights, my stuff is not very visual. 

Since I never imagined myself doing this type of writing, I did not save things like Playbills. And the most recent production of my work the graphics are so bad would not use it. I work in an evironment where all I needed waw my name, a recomendation, a list of credits and my twelve ideas.

I need to change my thinking.

I guess I could a still for one. Maybe a photo of my published monologues if I have any copies left. 

I'm considering generating some new samples. How can I view other porfolios?

[j_mundati]

Hi Cynthia,

Yes, you can use any plays you have written on your profile or a screenshot of credits from whichever production you were a part of. As long as the work was done by yourself, it is okay to use it. Even if you no longer have the rights to any of the work, the owners might not have a problem with you referencing it to show your experience and expertise. 

[cynthiafranks]

It's not a rights issue, it's a visual issue. Thinking I'd never need them, I did not save any of the playbills and the most recent produced here in Michigan is so poorly done, I can't use it.

Good idea though.

I may generate some new samples or use some stuff from my blog.

[cynthiafranks]

John, Your profile is way better then mine. I never thought to write in third person. Great idea!

I love you specificity as well. Food for thought.

[prestonhunter]

The only reason I suggested posting playbills or photos was because I thought you might not own the rights to any of your writing, or have permission to post it.

If you own the rights to some of these works, then of course you can post excerpts or scenes or complete plays.

Just keep in mind that you may want to add portfolio items that represent the kind of commercial services you would like to earn money from.

Upwork clients hire many writers to do a lot of writing. But they do not often hire people to write plays.

[petra_r]

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@Cynthia F wrote:

 I never thought to write in third person. Great idea!

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 I wouldn't do that. It's a bit last century and unless you are Queen Elizabeth the Second or Julius Caesar first person is better and certainly more appropriate for Upwork.