Liezl Formilleza-Dunuan
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I started my freelancing career in 2015, after I moved to Baguio and left a ten-year corporate job in Manila. Freelancing became a logical choice because at my age then, it was already difficult for me to get a regular job in a city where I had no professional network whatsoever.
At that point in my career, I was well-versed in research, technical writing as well as program design and management for non-profits. So when I had to shift to online work, it took me a while to figure out what it is I can do. After asking some friends who have been at it for quite some time, I gravitated towards what was already familiar to me – writing, otherwise known as content creation.
This was all new to me so I applied for content writing jobs that I found on social media (in writer’s groups) as well as those shared by friends and acquaintances. From online news sites, travel and tourism websites, and long-form technology articles – I can say that I tried my hand in so many things, even ones that I thought I would never write about (dental procedures anyone?)
Building my Freelancing Portfolio
Since I did not have prior experience doing this type of writing, I did not have much choice when it came to the jobs I can take on. In hindsight, a writing portfolio would have been very useful at this point. And I had to build mine from scratch. When I began writing for travel websites such sa Trip101 and Shoppers’ Guide, I started gathering the links to published articles, which were mainly listicles (i.e. articles in list form) of different tourist spots in the Philippines and abroad, as well as recommendations for local food and places to visit.
In my case, my portfolio started out as a list of article titles and URLs. I would also save the actual articles as PDFs and keep copies in my GDrive. These would come handy if you want to share your work to prospective clients who do not have ready access to the Internet.
When I began writing for Pilpinas Popcorn in 2016, I continued adding to my list. As of 2023, I had over 600 articles posted, the most number I have ever posted online.
You can organize your portfolio according to when they were written, where they were published, or better yet, list them according to the type of work you have done or the topic or theme you have written about. This growing list you can share as a PDF with clickable URLs to your prospective clients.
Finding Your Niche Means Finding Your Passion
Apart from building one’s portfolio, it is equally important to find your niche, what topics and themes you are passionate about. I am a firm believer that if you are passionate about something, it will come out in how you communicate about it to your public.
During my stint as a Senior Lifestyle writer with Pilipinas Popcorn, I enjoyed writing about local events, especially those that promoted local artists, artisans and crafters. My interest to promote the vibrant arts and culture scene of Baguio led to my passion to learn and write about Baguio as a UNESCO Creative City.
I was equally passionate about supporting and promoting local businesses, such as cafes, restaurants and accomodation establishments. I felt I was doing my part to help these businesses by sharing my own experiences when I visit them.
Your area of expertise may very well come from your previous work experience. For me, the work I did for non-profits which involved high-level and specialized writing skills, opened opportunities for me. Since I never lost touch with former colleagues, I was top of mind for some of them when it came to conducting research studies and writing grant or project proposals. So it came as no surprise when they would recommend me to organizations or people who needed these specialized services. As I did more and more of these specialized and commissioned work, my portfolio of work grew. This became my arsenal that I can share, which showcases the different areas of writing I can do for potential clients.