What to put on a writer’s digital card
- Beats or writing services Editors think in beats and formats; naming yours helps them remember you when a relevant assignment opens.
- Languages Writing or translating in Hindi, Tamil or other Indian languages is a distinct skill many clients specifically seek.
- Portfolio of clips Your writing is the proof; one link to curated clips does more than any description of your style.
- Email address Editors pitch and commission by email, and it is the channel they will use for contracts and payments.
- LinkedIn or writing profile Where editors check your recent pieces, publications and mutual connections before responding to a pitch.
- Availability note A line like “open to features commissions” tells editors you want work, not just a chat.
- Types of writing you do Ghostwriting, UX copy, editorial features and SEO blogs are hired by different people; one clear line routes the right briefs to you and keeps the wrong ones away.
- Rate card or brief form link A short form that asks for word count, deadline, topic and audience gives you the details you need to quote quickly, without a long back-and-forth.
When to share it
- At literature festivals, book launches and media events, when an editor or publisher asks where they can read your work.
- Shared with marketing heads at industry events who need content writers and want to see samples in their sector.
- Placed as a QR at the end of a workshop you conduct or a talk you give, so attendees can follow your writing.
- Added to your newsletter footer and pitch emails, giving editors your details and portfolio in one consistent place.
What to say when you send it
A card link on its own is easy to ignore. Add a line that reminds the person where you met and what to do next — for example:
Hi Arjun, thanks for the quick call. My card links to five health explainers, including the one on reading lab reports. Send me the brief, word count and deadline, and I will reply with a quote tomorrow morning.
Where to put the QR code
- The author bio at the end of a guest post or newsletter issue you write.
- Your name tag at a literature festival, book launch or writers’ meetup.
- The footer of a printed writing sample you leave with an editor after a meeting.
Mistakes to avoid
- Linking samples that sit behind a paywall Editors will not subscribe to a publication just to read your clip. Keep a PDF or archived copy on your own site and link that instead.
- Writing a clever tagline nobody understands Wordplay can confuse a busy editor who reads your card in five seconds. Say plainly what you write and for whom, and save the style for the samples themselves.
- Leaving the card without a single topic “Writer” alone makes you hard to place. Editors look for people who know a subject, so name two or three topics you are trusted on, such as personal finance or travel in the North-East.
Tips for a card that gets saved
- Choose featured clips for the audience you expect. Show business writing before a corporate event and literary or long-form pieces before a festival or residency.
- Write the card’s single description line carefully; it is a tiny writing sample, and editors notice clumsy or clichéd phrasing immediately.
- If you write under a pen name, decide which name the card uses and link consistently, so editors do not get confused about who wrote what.