Format Writing Samples So They Look Great (Even If You're Not a Designer)

I’ve seen so many talented writers lose out on opportunities not because their writing was bad, but because their writing samples looked messy and hard to read. Cluttered PDFs, broken links, inconsistent fonts, screenshots that look like they were taken on a flip phone… it all sends the wrong signal. The truth is, how you present your work matters almost as much as the work itself.

As the founder of Writer’s Residence, I’ve spent years helping writers fix this exact problem. My background in computational and applied mathematics taught me that clarity and structure aren’t optional – they’re essential. The same principle applies to your writing portfolio: when your samples are cleanly formatted and easy to navigate, clients focus on your ideas, not your layout struggles.

The good news? You don’t need to be a designer to format writing samples that look polished and professional. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to present your clips clearly, which formats work best for different types of writing, and how Writer’s Residence handles most of the formatting for you so you can get back to, you know, actually writing.

Why Formatting Matters More Than You Think

When I first started Writer’s Residence back in 2008, I noticed a pattern: writers with strong portfolios were landing better clients, even when their writing wasn’t necessarily “better” than their peers’. The difference was presentation.

From a client’s perspective, it goes like this:

• They’re reviewing dozens of applications on a tight deadline.
• They click your portfolio link.
• If your samples are slow to load, hard to read, or buried in downloads, they simply move on.

Poor formatting suggests a lack of attention to detail, a shaky understanding of user experience, or that you might be difficult to work with. That’s not fair – but it is reality. The flip side is encouraging: good formatting is an easy win that instantly makes you look more professional.

As someone who also spends time as a mountain leader with Eat Sleep Wild, I’ve learned that preparation and the right tools make everything smoother. The same is true of your portfolio: when you format your writing samples well from the start, you remove friction from the hiring process and let your expertise shine through.

How to Present Writing Samples Clearly

Example from a Writer’s Residence marketing writer portfolio.

Clear presentation starts with answering three questions for every sample:

• What is this piece?
• Who was it for?
• What did it achieve?

1. Add Context Above Every Sample

Don’t just drop readers into a wall of text. Add a short intro (1–2 sentences) that explains:

• the client or publication (or type of client if it’s ghostwritten)
• the goal of the piece
• any relevant outcome or result

For example:

“Blog post for a B2B SaaS startup targeting HR managers. Part of a content series that increased organic traffic by 127% in three months.”

That one line tells a potential client: your niche, your audience, and that you think in terms of results.

2. Use Descriptive, Benefit-Driven Titles

Avoid labels like “Article 1” or “Blog Post”. Instead, use descriptive titles that show what the piece is about and why it matters:

• “Case Study: How a Fintech Startup Reduced Churn by 40%”
• “SEO Blog Post: Complete Guide to Remote Team Management”
• “Landing Page Copy: Launching a New Productivity App”

Good titles make your portfolio easy to scan and show you understand how to frame content – a huge plus for content strategy and copywriting roles.

3. Organize by Content Type or Industry

You can format individual samples beautifully but still lose people if everything is jumbled together. Two simple ways to structure your portfolio:

• By content type: blog posts, white papers, email campaigns, landing pages, social media
• By industry: healthcare, technology, finance, food & drink, education

If you’re a generalist, organizing by content type often works best. If you’re a specialist, industry-based sections make your expertise obvious. Writer’s Residence supports both approaches with built-in tagging and categorization.

How to Format Different Types of Writing

Not all writing samples should be presented in the same way. Here’s how to format the most common types so they’re easy to evaluate.

Blog Posts and Articles

For blog posts and articles, the ideal format is native web text – not PDFs and definitely not low-res screenshots. Display the piece as formatted text on the page so clients can:

• read comfortably on any device
• see how you use headings, subheadings, and bullet points
• experience the flow of your writing

Include the original headline and subheadings. Preserve formatting like bold text, lists, and pull quotes – these are part of your craft.

Rules of thumb:

• Under ~1,500 words: show the full article.
• Over ~1,500–2,000 words: show the intro and a few key sections, then link to the full piece if it’s available online.

Copywriting Samples

For copywriting samples – landing pages, email sequences, ad copy – format matters a lot. You want to show the copy in context as much as possible:

• For landing pages: show the full page copy in order (hero, benefits, proof, CTA) and, if helpful, include a screenshot of the published page.
• For email sequences: show 2–3 emails from the sequence so clients can see how you build narrative and momentum.
• For ads: group related ads together with a simple label like “Facebook ad set for X campaign”.

Always add metrics where you can: “Subject line with 47% open rate” or “Landing page that converted at 12.3%, 4x the previous version.” Formatting + data = very persuasive.

Ghostwriting Samples

Ghostwriting is trickier because you can’t always name the client or share live links. In those cases, you can still format samples professionally:

• Present the piece as native text with a clear title.
• Add anonymised context, e.g. “Ghostwritten LinkedIn article for a C-suite executive in the healthcare industry.”
• Include a short “Results” note if possible, such as “Helped the client grow their LinkedIn following by 30% in 3 months.”

You can also use mini case studies: describe the brief, what you delivered, and the outcome – without revealing confidential details.

White Papers and Long-Form Content

For white papers, reports, and ebooks, clients don’t need the whole 30-page PDF on first glance. Prioritise:

• the executive summary
• the table of contents
• 2–3 strong excerpts that show your structure, argument, and technical clarity

Then either:

• link to the full document (if public), or
• add a note like “Full report available on request”.

How Long Should a Writing Sample Be?

Here’s a simple guide:

• Short-form (emails, ads, microcopy, short blog posts): show the whole piece.
• Medium-form (1,000–2,500 word articles): show the whole piece if it’s strong throughout, or the first 800–1,000 words plus a link/summary.
• Long-form (>2,500 words): show 600–1,000 words of your best sections plus context and an option to see more.

The key principle is: respect your reader’s time while showing enough to make a good decision. Your portfolio’s job is to spark “Yes, I’d like to talk to this person,” not to showcase your entire archive.

Screenshots vs PDFs vs Web Text

This is where formatting often goes off the rails.

When Screenshots Let You Down

Screenshots are tempting because they’re quick. But on their own, they’re almost always:

• hard to read on mobile
• blurry or too small
• inaccessible to screen readers

They’re fine as supporting visuals – for example, showing how your copy sat in a designed layout – but they shouldn’t be your primary format.

The Limits of PDFs

PDFs are better than raw screenshots but still add friction:

• they require a download or a new tab
• they’re clunky on phones
• they take people out of your portfolio flow

Use PDFs when the layout itself is part of the work (magazine spreads, designed print pieces). Otherwise, convert the content to web text.

The Gold Standard: Native Web Text

The best way to format most writing samples is as clean, readable text directly on the page. This:

• works on every device
• loads quickly
• is accessible
• keeps clients engaged with your portfolio instead of bouncing between files

This is exactly what Writer’s Residence does. You paste in your sample, and it’s automatically displayed as well-formatted, responsive web content – no PDFs, no resizing, no extra clicks.

Design Basics for Readable Samples

You don’t have to think like a designer, but a few simple design principles will make your samples much easier to read.

Use Simple, Consistent Typography

• Pick one clean font for body text (e.g. a simple sans serif or a legible serif).
• Use one font size for body text (at least 16px) and a hierarchy of larger sizes for headings.
• Keep line spacing generous so the text doesn’t feel cramped.

Inconsistent fonts and tiny text are two of the fastest ways to make great writing feel amateur.

Embrace White Space

Short paragraphs (2–4 sentences), clear section breaks, and margins around your text make your samples feel calm and inviting instead of overwhelming. White space isn’t wasted space – it’s part of how you guide the reader’s eye.

Format for Scanning

Most clients will skim before they commit to reading. Help them out by using:

• subheadings every few paragraphs
• bullet lists for key points
• bold text for important phrases (sparingly)
• pull quotes for standout lines if your platform allows

Think Mobile-First

A huge chunk of people will view your portfolio on their phone. That means:

• no tiny fonts
• no side-by-side columns for body text
• images that resize gracefully

If you’re using Writer’s Residence, the templates are already responsive, so your samples will look good on any screen without extra work.

How Writer’s Residence Makes Formatting (Almost) Automatic

This is the part I’m proudest of: Writer’s Residence is designed to take the formatting burden off your plate so you can focus on choosing and describing your best work.

When you add a sample, Writer’s Residence:

• displays it as clean, readable web text
• applies consistent typography and spacing
• keeps everything responsive for mobile and desktop
• lets you add context, links, tags, and categories without fiddling with code

You don’t need to worry about fonts, heading sizes, or margins. You choose the content and structure; WR handles the presentation. And if you ever get stuck, you can email me directly – I still handle support personally because I genuinely care that writers feel proud of how their portfolios look.

For a bigger-picture walkthrough, you can check out the full online writing portfolio guide.

Common Formatting Mistakes to Avoid

• Using only PDFs or screenshots – makes your work harder to read and less accessible.
• Mixing too many formats – one PDF, one image, one web page… it feels chaotic.
• Long, unbroken blocks of text – even brilliant writing looks intimidating if it’s never broken up.
• Inconsistent fonts and styles – looks like you pasted from multiple places without editing.
• Outdated samples – your most recent work should be easy to find.
• No context or results – clients shouldn’t have to guess what they’re looking at or why it matters.

Final Thoughts: Let Your Formatting Work For You

Formatting your writing samples well isn’t about being fancy; it’s about removing friction. When your samples are easy to find, easy to read, and clearly framed, clients can quickly see what you’re capable of – and say “yes” more easily.

If you’re tired of wrestling with PDFs, screenshots, and inconsistent layouts, that’s exactly what Writer’s Residence is here to solve. You bring the writing; we make sure it looks as good as it deserves to.

Ready for your samples to look as professional as your writing feels? You can start a free Writer’s Residence trial and have a clean, well-formatted portfolio live in an afternoon.