So what distinguishes the great writing sample examples from mediocre ones that get passed over? And what are some easy-to-use tips specific to these different types of writing sample examples?

Writing Sample Examples Fundamentals: Do’s and Don’ts

DO…

• Do… read prompts thoroughly. While this is may seem obvious, many people glaze over the instructions and just start writing, potentially missing key elements of the prompt. Look for any information about the tone, the subject matter, and the word length. 
• Do… write for your audience. The prompt you get may or may not be very detailed. Keep in mind you are not only writing to show your knowledge on a topic, but also to show you can write for the appropriate audience.
• Do…proofread thoroughly. Any typos or grammatical errors will only detract from your finished work. We highly recommend you use a grammar checker, like ProWritingAid or Grammarly.

DON’T…

• Don’t write too little or too much. If you are given a word count, there is a reason for that word count. A 1,200-1,500 word article will require more detail and organization than a 500-word article. Make sure you outline and prepare your article and research to fit the word count. The Article Outline Template can help with this.
• Don’t use an article you wrote for something else if you are asked to write an original piece. This is an example for you to show how your writing fits the qualifications. 
• Don’t forget what your goal is. Keep your desired outcome front and center when you are crafting these writing sample examples. Your goal is to write a piece that fits the goal and delights the reader. 

Writing Sample Examples: For Job Applications

When a potential employer is asking for writing sample examples, they are trying to gauge not only your style of writing, but also trying to pick up on key details about who you will be as an employee.

Potential employers are generally interested in your attention to detail, your ability to follow directions and meet deadlines, your willingness to go above and beyond, and also your understanding of the company and their audience. 

Checklist for Writing Sample Examples for Job Applications:

• Read the instructions thoroughly. First, read for the basic idea of the prompt and then read a second time to take notes of everything you need to do to complete the prompt successfully. 
• Research the company. Find their mission statement, their “about us” section, and understand not only what they do but also what their values are. Take a few minutes to read how they write on their blog, how they represent themselves on social media, and who they are on their website. 
• Understand not only their brand but also look at who their audience is. Depending on what type of writing you are asked to do, make sure you take what you know about the company into consideration when you write and write for the appropriate audience. 
• Proofread more than you normally would. That means not only proofread as you go, but read your writing sample examples several times both in your head and aloud so you can correct typos and catch any issues with phrasing or tone.

Writing Sample Examples: For Freelance Writing Gigs

Unlike the writing sample examples you’d write for job applications, the types of writing sample examples you include might be a bit different if you are trying to specifically land freelance writing gigs. 

The editor might give you a prompt and ask you to write a piece for their audience to gauge how you will write for their site. The editor might also ask for recent examples of work you’ve published for other sites. Make sure you clearly understand what they are looking for and include any relevant information. 

• For writing examples that have been published, include the link to the site. 
• If you know any details of positive reactions to the article feel free to include that. 
• Include writing examples that resonate with the same audience as the writing gig you are interested in. For example, if you are looking to write legal research pieces, include a similarly research-heavy piece you’ve written as opposed to a blog you wrote for a parenting website. 

If you are crafting new writing examples for their blog as a trial article, 

• make sure you clearly understand the blog and the assignment. 
• Ask for any guides on their voice, tone, and other publication guidelines. 
• Format your article for SEO as much as you are able. Remember to organize your subsections using H2 and H3, include your keywords in your headers and throughout the body, and space out your article to make it easier to read online. 
• If you need more help with your SEO basics – check out our article SEO Writing Explained. There is also a course available from one of our partners at the SEO Content Institute. You can find more info by clicking the image below.

Writing Sample Examples: For a Book Proposal

When writing a book proposal to an agent or a book publisher, you do not usually send the manuscript in its entirety. 

Instead, you will need to include in your proposal a lot of information. You will need to share a little about who you are as an author, who are your readers, a summary of the book, an outline of the book and also writing sample examples from the book itself.

Checklist for writing sample examples from your book for book proposals:

• Follow the submission guidelines for the agent or publisher. If you don’t have any submission guidelines, feel free to reach out and ask how they would like to receive your book proposal. For example, some agents and publishers have strong preferences over receiving submissions electronically versus in the mail. 
• Include a self-addressed envelope if they ask for it and you are expecting to receive the proposal back. However, many publishers receive too many submissions to return proposals. 
• Include at least two chapters of your book. If your chapters are short, consider adding a third. You should include enough of the book that the reader understands the flow of the book, gets a taste of the characters, and wants to read more. 
• Proofread your chapters thoroughly. Even if your book has not reached the final stages of the editing process, you should not have any glaring grammar or punctuation errors. While you might still be refining the content, the chapters should be edited thoroughly. Don’t let anything detract from the chapters you submit.
• Generally don’t include the introduction, first chapter or final chapter. These chapters can feel too introductory or else too final. Instead, include chapters that are compelling, feature memorable scenes, and draw you immediately to the heart of the action. 

For more help writing book proposals, check out these great resources:

• Related: How to Write an Effective Book Proposal
• Related: Book Proposal Academy Review
• Related: How to Write a Book Proposal in 7 Simple Steps
• Related: Book Proposal: a 19 Step Guide for Nonfiction Authors

Writing Sample Examples: For Graduate School Applications

Graduate school applications include a variety of information, some that you control and some that you can’t by the time you are applying. Even with less than stellar grades, you can still win over a potential school by including stellar writing sample examples. 

So what is important to include in these applications?

Checklist for Writing Sample Examples for graduate school applications:

• Follow the writing prompts. This seems too simple of a direction, but truly one of the keys to writing well is to read the details and write to the prompt. Stay within the guidelines you are given for word length and formatting.
• Remember your audience. Writing for a college application is different than blog or website copy. If you are not currently in school and writing in an academic style, spend time reading other successful writing sample examples to get in that mode. 
• Choose a topic that gets you excited. Universities are looking for not only people that are an asset to the university academically but also someone that enriches the student body. Feel free to let yourself shine and include your passions, your goals, and anything else that adds to who you are and will be as a student. 
• Proofread. At this point, proofreading should be second nature, but don’t get caught up in the details of the application and forget to proofread. Have a trusted friend or advisor read your writing sample examples for a second opinion. 

That’s a Wrap

Remember that with careful attention to detail, research and proofreading, you can create writing sample examples that help open doors and get you to where you want to go in life. 

As Stephen King opines in his classic On Writing, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”

If you aren’t reading regularly, you need to be. So how do you choose your books and who do you discuss them with?

It is time to explore the growing community of online book clubs.

Online book clubs have existed for years, but they emerged in greater force during the early stages of the pandemic when people were encouraged to stay home. They exist to connect readers with new books and people. Online book clubs are a perfect place to explore if you are trying to start a new reading hobby or expand on what you already have. 

Here are some reasons you should join as well as a number of specific places to look.

6 Reasons to Join Online Book Clubs

1. Online book clubs give you a chance to connect with a new community

One of the benefits of our modern age is there are so many ways to connect with people all over the world. As a writer, you need to consider your audience you are writing for. When you regularly engage with people in different communities and of different backgrounds it helps you practice your empathy and ability to connect with new people.

Online book clubs that  make it easy to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and worldviews, 

The Rebel Book Club started as an in-person book club but moved online during the pandemic. They strive to create a community of life-long readers with passionate, curious minds. The Rebel Book club hosts meet-ups, events, discussion groups, and more with their active community.

The Poppy Loves Book Club is a paid membership-based book club that connects people first over their shared love of literature. From there they host live book discussions, cook-a-alongs, and other lifestyle events to further help members be involved in their community.

2. Online book clubs give greater visibility to a variety of voices

Discover new authors from diverse points of view by joining book clubs committed to amplifying underrepresented voices. 

The Read Women book club features books by women’s authors following a different genre each month. Featuring women from a variety of backgrounds, this group only features women authors but is open to all readers.

Well Read Black Girl is a book club on a mission to introduce diverse authors to future generations. In addition to monthly book picks, they host both in person events and an in-person book festival to connect their ever-growing community.

3. Online book clubs can help you get through more classic literature

 As a freelance writer, you may not be regularly writing in the style you see in classic literature, but reading these books regularly can help improve your writing skills and reading comprehension. If you want to read more classic literature but don’t always have the willpower to get through these lengthy classics on your own, there are book clubs for that!

The Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club is an active book community that features guest lectures, opportunities to connect with other members, and a focus on exploring classic and vibrant literature. This book club has a minimal membership fee, but it can be broken up month by month for those looking to try out the club before committing to a full year.

Never too late to read the classics is another great group of readers diving through the classics together. You can read and learn from important literature no matter how old you are.

The Big Read, led by TWL Managing Editor Jeremy Anderberg, goes through Leo Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace over the course of a year, reading just one chapter per day. The group is gearing up for another round of W&P in 2022.

4. Online book clubs can help you dive deeper into your favorite genres

If you are a freelance writer that mostly writes non-fiction articles, you may be interested in giving your analytical mind a break and read more fiction. Online book clubs are a great place to discover new authors and connect with people who love similar genres as you.

Do you love fantasy novels? Or are you drawn to exciting but terrifying thrillers? Find a whole collection of niche book clubs through the online book clubs within the Goodreads community. 

With thousands of groups available, you are sure to find a group that will be the right fit for you.

The Reddit Book Club is a great book club to join if you are looking to connect with a huge community of readers from all over (it currently has over 120K members) and then find more niche groups of interests within the thousands of Reddit book club subgroups. Or just peruse through the multiple book suggestions for each month and connect with the people that are interested in the same novels as you.

5. Connect with influential figures by joining a celebrity book club

Are you inspired in your own freelancing work by celebrities that have achieved success? Take a look to see if they have an online book club or give book suggestions. More and more celebrities either recommend books regularly or have their own organized book clubs for fans. These are a couple fan-favorite book clubs led by celebrities:

Hello Sunshine Book Club, Reese Witherspoon’s book club has grown in both popularity and influence. Several of the books featured in the Hello Sunshine book club have gone onto the big screen with Reese Witherspoon’s production company producing the films. Reese focuses on books that amplify women’s stories and voices in powerful ways.

Between Two Books, a book club started by fans of the band Florence and the Machine, now features recommendations from Florence Welch herself. This book club is a great way to connect with fans, the band, and guest musicians and artists.

Andrew Luck Book Club was started by NFL player Andrew Luck as a way to inspire people to read more. Andrew posts two book recommendations per month, one for younger readers  (rookie) and one for older readers (veteran) people to read along and discuss. Andrew Luck records podcasts with authors, and other helpful information for free, no paid membership required.

6. Online book clubs might inspire you to write more for yourself

Are you freelance writing now but interested in writing a book yourself someday? Join a book club that gets you exposed to other new authors and creatives in the industry.

The Rumpus Book Club gives you early access to books that haven’t been released yet with its paid membership. In addition to these unreleased copies of the book, you have access to an exclusive monthly online member discussion with the author of the book for the month.

Connecting Readers and Writers is an example of a book club that seeks to connect readers to new and independent authors. If you are considering writing a book at some point, this group and other groups similar to this are great places to start getting involved in that community of readers and writers.

Don’t overthink it, just find a book club that sounds fun

As a freelance writer, your time is valuable. So while there are a lot of groups to choose from, try not to overthink it or make yourself commit to a group you aren’t excited about. Just find a group that looks engaging with books you actually want to read. 

And remember while you could just read the occasional book from the library or stop in a bookstore and pick up a random book, there is so much more to be gained by following the monthly book selections and getting involved in virtual discussions that come from an online book group. 

Connect with a community of readers, read new books from emerging authors, hear from diverse voices, and expand your horizons with the help of a good book and a book-loving community. 

However, coming from my own experience as an at-home writer and parent, finding time to write while you are also watching kids can be extremely tough and the days can be less productive than you hoped they would be. 

So how can you make it work?

If you wanted to stay home with the kids and avoid a full-time childcare arrangement, you might try to be a stay-at-home parent during the day and just plan on getting all of your writing and work done after they go to bed for the night. 

After all, getting anything done during the day can seem like a lost cause. But while this could work on occasion, watching kids all day and then working all night is a recipe for exhaustion and burnout. 

The key to writing from home as a parent is you need to plan ahead, establish a sustainable routine, be a little creative, and be ready to accept a little help.

Try a few of our tips to carve out more writing time and then use it more effectively.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Delegate like a boss
2. Use a little creativity
3. Know yourself
4. Accept childcare help
5. Schedule non-work time
6. Give yourself grace

1. Delegate like a boss 

As a parent, there is a lot more that goes into a household with children beyond the act of raising them. There are meals to cook, an endless flow of laundry, always something that needs cleaning, grass to mow, and pets to walk. The days can quickly become overwhelming, and writing can become the last priority on the list.

Choose a couple of the tasks that are the least fulfilling and either delegate them to a (hopefully willing) spouse or else hire them out to a paid service. 

A few ideas of household tasks you could delegate include:

• Hiring a neighbor to mow during the summer 
• Utilize a local service to plow the driveway during the winter
• Using a grocery delivery service like Instacart
• Ordering online meal kits like Hello Fresh
• Hiring house cleaning help like Merry Maids (NextDoor is also a great resource here!)
• Hiring a local dog-lover to take out your beloved pup on a walk

Find something you can take off your plate to leave more time for writing, parenting, and the rest of your priorities. Whatever the task you choose, keep in mind that your time is valuable. 

Make sure the time you have at home is spent intentionally — on parenting, on tasks you need to do yourself, and on writing that is both fulfilling for you and earning income for your family.

2. Use a little creativity to carve out your writing time

If you don’t already have a quiet learning time established for your kids, consider adding that to your daily routine, both as a way to get a little writing in while they are occupied but also as a special time for the kids to have for their own. 

Having age-appropriate independent children’s activities is a great tool for fostering creativity and independence. Choose an activity or materials that are reserved just for this quiet writing time and then choose a time in the day that is reserved for this special activity, even if it is just 10 or 15 minutes to start. 

Take a look at your child’s interests and put together special activities that you can pull out during your daily quiet writing time. For older children it might be a chapter book, their own writing prompt or a self-led craft. For younger kids it might be a special toy or a sensory bin with materials that are age-appropriate, open-ended and engaging. For younger kids especially, keep the time the same but rotate the activity throughout the week to keep things fresh but also consistent. 

3. Know yourself as a writer 

Know what you need to be a productive and happy writer.

What are all the steps that go into your work as a writer? Do you need to research SEO terms? Do you need to brainstorm topics? Do you need to make outlines before you can write efficiently? And how much time do you need for writing research in addition to actual writing time? 

Spend a little time documenting all of your steps so you can make an effective plan to get it all done for every deadline. In addition to planning the steps, know what type of work environment and what level of focus you need to get each step done. 

Then you can take a realistic look at your day, at the times you are most and least productive and then plan your tasks accordingly.

Maybe brainstorming topics can be done at the table while the kids are playing with legos in the morning. Brainstorming might be a good activity for when you are waiting in the car for a grocery pick-up. 

I find that I can get some of my best writing done when I have spent bits of time on these other pre-writing pieces throughout the day and then I can sit and write out a first draft in the quiet of naptime. 

4. Accept childcare help

Depending on the amount of writing you are responsible for, some amount of childcare may be your best option. Depending on the ages of your kids, you may have a few different options available to you that give you at least a few hours a week to write without committing to a full-time childcare center. 

Do you have any local “mom’s day out” programs that your kids can attend for a few hours a week? Or maybe you have a trusted teenage neighbor that is willing to play with the kids for a couple hours for an afternoon or two a week while you are writing from home? Do you know any other work-from-home freelancing parents that you can share a nanny with for a day or two a week? 

As more parents are working in more unconventional ways, the options for childcare have become more creative and unconventional too. Find someone trusted that can give you that gift of extra time during the week.

5. Make sure to schedule parent time that doesn’t include writing

As a parent, make sure you are scheduling specific time with your kids that doesn’t include writing, thinking about writing, or planning out writing. Just as you schedule when you will be able to write, also schedule when you are not allowed to write. 

One of the pitfalls that work-from-home parents can encounter is the feeling that they need to be working all the time. Find time, spaces, or outings where you can be with your kids and without work. Be an example of someone who works hard, pursues their passions, provides financially, but also makes it a priority to have a healthy work/life balance. 

Make it a practice to unplug, both to increase your productivity when you do get back at it, and also as a way to force yourself to have uninterrupted time with your kids.

You will never regret carving out intentional time with your kids, regardless of the deadlines you know you still have.

6. Finally, give yourself a little extra grace

Being a parent who is trying to do it all while being a successful writer is no easy task. There will be days that just don’t go according to plan. No matter how well you planned your workload, prepared activities for the kids, delegated extra tasks, and generally just thought it was all figured out, both children and parents are not programmable robots.

Give yourself grace, continue on, and try again.