 Action/Adventure: November 08, 2023 Issue [#12263] |
This week: Organizing Your Portfolio Edited by: NaNoKit  
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Could your portfolio do with a fresh look? When is the last time you tidied it?
Is your portfolio structured around a theme?
This week's Action/Adventure Newsletter is all about organizing your portfolio, and why it matters that you do so.
NaNoKit |
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I don’t know about you, but my portfolio can do with a tidy. It’s been a while since I had a dig through to see what to keep, what to remove, where best to place my remaining items and in what order.
It may seem like a waste of time to do this – and it sure can be time-consuming when you have a lot of items – but there are benefits to a well-organized portfolio:
 It looks more inviting to visitors.
It’s easier for them to find items of interest, making it more likely that they’ll read and review your work.
It’s easier for you to find your own work.
It looks and feels like a nicer place to spend time in for you, too. I love visiting my portfolio. It’s pretty. 
There are many different ways to organize your portfolio. Some people opt for themes: a castle, for example, or a university. They name their various folders accordingly. Others (like myself) simply use folders for various types of writing. Whatever road you decide to go down, here are some basic tips:
If you are new to the site, don’t have many works yet, or you cannot create folders, list your items in the order that you’d like to have them read/reviewed. If you have multiple book chapters, for example, place Chapter 1 at the top of your portfolio, with Chapter 2 as the next item, followed by Chapter 3, and so on. Don’t leave them mixed up with other items. If your items are stand-alones, it’s still worth considering that what’s at the top is likely to draw the eye the most.
You can arrange and re-arrange your items by clicking on the wheel next to the word ‘portfolio’, and selecting ‘reorder’.
If you can create folders, it is helpful to have folders for your various item types. I, for example, have a poetry folder, a short story folder, a folder for more personal items such as my blogs, a folder for my various contests and activities, and ones for my articles, higher rated items and a random item one in which I keep my crosswords, word searches, cNotes and such. Imagine the mess if they were all sitting loose in my portfolio! I would get lost, and so would any visitors.
It is a good idea to have a folder for your new items. I have one in which I place any items written/created during the course of the year. The reason for this folder is twofold: it helps reviewers find the items most likely wanting feedback, and it helps me decide which items I want to keep and which were a bit of a miss before finding them a more permanent home in my other folders. There is a third reason to be considered: items created during – or active during – the current year may be nominated for this year’s round of "The Quills" [ASR]. Those kind souls who take the time to nominate have an easier time finding potentially nomination-worthy works if you have a folder filled with eligible items!
Once your main folders fill up, it’s time to consider subfolders. I’ve been on this site since 2004, so I have subfolders aplenty. This is especially the case for my poetry folder – it has 9 subfolders ranging from the personal to the plain silly, as well as a poetry journal containing goodness knows what (told you it’s time for another tidy). Again, this makes it easier for everyone to locate an item of interest. Not everybody has the time or patience to search through dozens of items for something to read.
You can make your portfolio look extra nice with some images. Not surprisingly, perhaps, mine has a feline theme. You can choose your own style and feel. It does take some work creating and adding images to each and every folder, but it’s worth it when you see the end result. People do like pages that are visually pleasing, and indeed seeing all those cat pictures still gives me a smile.
It may take a few goes to find the right method of organization for you. We are each of us different, and what works for me may not work for you. The main idea, though, is to make life easier for you and your potential readers. To create a space that is both functional and welcoming. With any luck you’re going to spend many years on this site. You’ll build up a valuable collection of works. It is worth it, then, to make yourself at home and put out the welcome mat for your target audience.
And with that in mind, you may want to create a guest book. It’s always nice when your guests leave a message.
Happy organizing!
NaNoKit
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Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Action/Adventure Newsletter Team
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