How to Create Writing Samples Without Paid Clients

Most Nigerian writers get stuck here. Job ads ask for "links to published work", and Telegram groups tell you to write free articles for "exposure". This guide covers both problems. You'll see which samples fit content writing, copywriting, technical writing and other paths, and how to pick topics that international hiring managers care about. You'll also see how to present spec work without misleading anyone, how to check each piece before you send it, and where to host samples cheaply. The last section shows how to spot the "free test" request that is really unpaid work.

Quick answer

To create writing samples without paid clients, choose one type of writing job, study three or four real examples of that work, then write three to five original pieces in the same format for a realistic audience. Label each piece as a spec or personal project, edit it hard, and host it somewhere a recruiter can open in one click, such as a view-only Google Doc, a free blog or LinkedIn articles.

What counts as a writing sample (and what employers check)

A writing sample is any finished piece of your own writing that shows how you would handle the work in a job ad. It does not have to be published, paid or commissioned. It does have to be yours, finished and relevant.

A hiring manager reading your sample is usually asking four things:

• Can this person write the format we need? A blog post doesn't show you can write a product email sequence.
• Do they understand our reader? A piece for small-business owners in the US should sound different from one for Nigerian students.
• Is it clean? Typos, padding and vague claims get applications closed quickly.
• Did they do the thinking themselves? Original structure, specific examples and real sources show this better than polished but generic text.

Being paid doesn't appear on that list. A strong spec piece in the right format beats a weak paid article in the wrong one.

Spec work, personal projects and volunteer work

These three terms come up often, and they are different things:

• Spec piece (speculative work): Something you write as if for a real company or publication, without being asked. An example is a blog post written in the style of a fintech company's blog.
• Personal project: Writing published under your own name and for your own purpose, such as your blog, newsletter or LinkedIn articles.
• Volunteer or unpaid client work: Real work for a real organisation, such as a church, an NGO, your former school or a friend's business, done free or for a token fee. It is client work, just unpaid, and you need permission before showing it.

All three are fair to use. The only rule is that you describe each one accurately.

Choose the writing job before you write anything

Most beginners write five unrelated pieces: a poem, a lifestyle blog post, an essay on leadership, a product review and a LinkedIn post. That gives a hiring manager no clear signal. Pick one job type first and build every sample around it. You can add a second set later.

The table below matches common remote writing paths with samples that fit them. The role guides linked underneath explain the skills and tools for each path.

The lengths are our editorial suggestion, not an industry standard. Check the job ads you're targeting. If they ask for 1,500-word guides, write 1,500-word guides.

For skills, tools and course options by role, read the remote content writer career guide, the copywriter role guide, the technical writer career path, the UX writer guide and the grant writer guide.

Use real job ads as your brief

The quickest way to pick samples is to treat job ads as the brief. Open five to ten current remote writing ads in your chosen path, on the writing jobs on WorkRemote or on company careers pages, and note:

1. The formats they mention (blog posts, case studies, help-centre articles, emails).
2. The industries that keep appearing (SaaS, fintech, health, e-commerce).
3. The tools they name (WordPress, Google Docs, Surfer, HubSpot, Zendesk Guide).
4. What they ask you to send ("two samples", "links to published work", "a portfolio").

Your three to five samples should cover the formats and industries that appear most often. When an ad asks for "published" work, a piece on your own blog or LinkedIn counts as published. Offer it with a brief, honest note.

Seven ways to create writing samples with no clients

These methods suit different writing paths. You don't need all of them. Two or three, done well, are enough.

1. Write a spec piece for a real company's audience

Pick a company you'd like to write for, read its blog or help centre, and write a piece that would fit there but isn't there yet. If a payroll software company's blog covers "how to run payroll" but not "how to pay contractors in other countries", write that article.

Use only public information about the company. Don't use its logo, don't imply it approved the piece, and don't send it to the company as finished work unless you're pitching. Pitching is covered in how to pitch international clients for writing work.

2. Rewrite an existing page (a before-and-after sample)

This works especially well for copywriters and UX writers. Take a weak public web page, app screen or email, then show your rewrite next to a short note on what you changed and why. Link to the original instead of copying all of it, and keep any quoted part short.

The reasoning matters as much as the rewrite. "I cut the headline from 14 words to 7 and moved the price above the fold because the original buried it" shows judgement a hiring manager can assess.

3. Write for an imagined client with a written brief

Create a realistic fictional business and write a one-paragraph brief for it before you start. Note the audience, the goal, the tone and the call to action. Then write to that brief. You own everything, there's no risk of misusing a real brand, and the brief itself shows you think like a professional.

Example (hypothetical): "Brief: Kora Clean is a UK laundry-pickup start-up for busy parents in Manchester. Goal: get first-time users to book a free collection. Tone: friendly, plain English, no puns. Deliverable: homepage hero section, three benefit blocks and a 3-email welcome sequence."

4. Document a product you actually use

Technical writers can create real samples without access to any company's internals. Write a step-by-step guide for a free tool you already use, such as setting up two-factor authentication on an email account, or exporting a contact list from a spreadsheet into an email tool. Add numbered steps and describe screenshots where useful. If you can, include a troubleshooting section.

Test every step yourself as you write. A technical sample with a broken step undoes the whole point.

5. Publish under your own name

A blog, a newsletter or a series of LinkedIn articles gives you real, published links. It also shows consistency, which a single spec piece can't. Keep it on-niche. If you want SaaS content jobs, write about software, remote work tools or small-business operations, not a mix of everything.

LinkedIn's help centre says all members can publish articles, which then appear in the Activity section of the profile. You can set an article URL and an SEO title and description before publishing. Publishing articles isn't available in the LinkedIn mobile app (as of October 2026), so you'll need a laptop or desktop browser.

6. Do one or two volunteer pieces for real organisations

A real organisation gives you something a spec piece can't: actual constraints and actual feedback. Offer a fixed, small deliverable to a local NGO, a school, a religious organisation or a small business you know. Examples include rewriting their "About" page, writing one fundraising email or drafting a short annual-report summary.

Agree in writing (a WhatsApp message or email is fine) that you can show the piece in your portfolio. Keep it to one or two pieces. The goal is samples, not becoming someone's free writer for a year.

7. Turn your existing knowledge into a sample

Your degree, NYSC posting or previous job is material. A pharmacy graduate can write a patient-education article. A former bank officer can explain how domiciliary accounts work. A teacher can write a lesson guide. Specialist knowledge plus clear writing is what employers pay more for. It also helps with niche paths such as medical writing or financial writing.

If you wrote something for a previous employer, confirm that you're allowed to share it before you use it. Internal documents usually aren't yours to show. Writing a fresh piece on the same topic is safer.

Picking topics that work for international employers

Most remote writing jobs open to Nigeria-based applicants are with companies abroad, often writing for US, UK or global readers. Your samples should show you can write for those readers, not only for a Nigerian audience.

Practical points:

• Match the spelling to the target market. Use American spelling for US companies and British spelling for UK ones. Say which one you used in your sample note, so it reads as a deliberate choice rather than an inconsistency.
• Use units, currency and examples your reader recognises. A US small-business article should talk about dollars and US tools, not naira prices.
• Keep one Nigerian or African piece if it fits the job. Companies hiring for African markets, pan-African fintechs and development organisations value writers who understand local context. A clear piece explaining something Nigerian to an outsider can stand out.
• Avoid topics that date quickly. Prices, exchange rates and election news go stale. Evergreen how-to and explainer topics stay useful in your portfolio for longer.
• Cite real sources. Link to official pages and original data, not other blogs. Hiring managers notice when a writer checks facts.

How to make each sample good enough to send

A sample has one job: to make a busy hiring manager think "this person could start on our blog next week." Before a piece goes into your portfolio, run it through this checklist.

A useful editing routine:

1. Leave the draft overnight, then read it aloud. Rewrite anything you stumble over.
2. Cut 10 to 20 percent. Most first drafts have a padded introduction and a summary paragraph nobody needs.
3. Ask one honest reader (not your biggest fan) where they got bored or confused.
4. Run a spelling and grammar check, but don't accept every suggestion blindly.

What about AI tools?

Many employers now run applications past AI-detection tools or simply recognise AI-style text. A sample that reads as machine-written can end your application. That doesn't mean you can never touch AI. Using it to brainstorm angles or check grammar is different from submitting generated text as your own work. If a job ad states a policy on AI use, follow it. For a fuller treatment, see how to use AI tools responsibly as a remote writer.

Label spec work honestly

Honest labelling protects you. A hiring manager who discovers that a "client" piece was never commissioned will drop you. A clearly labelled spec piece raises no doubts at all.

Put a one-line note above or below each sample. Examples you can adapt:

• "Spec piece: written for the audience of [Company]'s blog. Not commissioned or published by [Company]."
• "Personal project: published on my LinkedIn, March 2026."
• "Volunteer project for [Organisation], shared with permission."
• "Rewrite exercise: original page linked here; my version and reasoning below."
• "Concept brief: fictional client, created to show a landing page and email sequence."

Avoid phrases such as "work for [Company]" or a company logo next to a spec piece. They suggest a relationship that doesn't exist.

Where to host your samples (without spending much)

You need each sample to open quickly, on a phone, without the reader signing in. A fuller comparison of portfolio set-ups is in how to build a professional writing portfolio. Here are the low-cost basics.

A few details from the providers' own pages:

• Google Drive's sharing help explains that "Anyone with the link" lets people open a file without signing in to a Google Account. The Viewer role stops them from editing or commenting. Check this setting on every sample, because a "Request access" screen loses you the reader.
• WordPress.com's pricing page lists a free plan with no expiry date, a yoursite.wordpress.com address, 1 GB of storage and unlimited posts and pages. Free sites show WordPress.com ads to visitors.
• Google Sites help shows the steps: start at sites.google.com/new, choose a template, add pages, text and Google files, then publish.
• Journo Portfolio's pricing page says you can build a portfolio free with no card, but the site isn't published until you upgrade. Its Plus plan is listed at $7 a month billed annually or $9 billed monthly. At the CBN rate of ₦1,362 to $1 (23 October 2026), $9 is about ₦12,300 a month, before any card or bank charges. Plans may bill in other currencies depending on your location.

Most beginners can start with Google Docs links plus a free blog or LinkedIn articles, and upgrade later once paid work is coming in.

Working around power and data limits

Writing samples is low-bandwidth work, which helps. Draft in a word processor that works offline, so a grid outage or a dead MiFi doesn't cost you a session. Save copies in two places. Do your research and source-checking in focused blocks when you have power and a connection, then write offline. When you host samples, avoid heavy images that a recruiter on a slow connection, or you on a data bundle, can't load quickly.

A four-week plan to go from zero to five samples

Example (hypothetical): Amaka is a graduate in Ibadan who wants remote content writing roles with SaaS companies. With about an hour a day, her plan looks like this.

At the end of week four she has four labelled samples in one niche, one published article and a single link to send. She starts applying while writing a fifth piece. There's no need to wait for a "perfect" portfolio.

The timeline is an illustration, not a promise. Some people move faster, and most improve their first samples once they get feedback.

The "free test article" trap

Writing your own samples is smart. Writing a free 1,500-word article on a client's real topic, for their real website, because they called it a "test", is often just unpaid work.

Warning signs:

• The "test" is a full-length piece on a topic that matches their live content plan.
• Several applicants are each asked for a different article, so the "client" collects a month of content free.
• The request comes through Telegram or WhatsApp with no company website, no named hiring manager and no job ad.
• You're asked to pay for "training", "software" or "registration" before getting work.

How to respond:

1. Offer an existing sample in the same format first. Many genuine employers accept this.
2. If they insist on a test, ask whether it's paid, or offer a short piece of about 300 words on a neutral topic.
3. Keep a copy of anything you submit. If the piece later appears on their site, you know what happened.

Legitimate companies do use writing assessments, often short, timed or paid. Preparing for those is covered in how to complete a remote writing assessment. For the wider pattern of fake jobs and fee requests, read how to spot remote job scams in Nigeria.

Common mistakes with no-client writing samples

• Too many niches. Five samples in five industries say "I'll write anything", which hiring managers read as "specialist in nothing".
• School essays as samples. Academic writing rarely matches what companies publish. Rewrite the idea as a blog post or explainer.
• Hiding the sample in a ZIP file or a Drive folder that asks for access. Every extra click loses readers.
• No context. A sample with no note leaves the reader guessing who it was for and why.
• Never updating. Replace your weakest piece every time you write a better one. After your first paid jobs, swap spec pieces for real work (with permission).
• Waiting too long. Three strong samples are enough to start applying. Your first beginner-friendly applications can run while you write more. See remote jobs for Nigerians with no experience for the roles that hire beginners.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use spec work in my writing portfolio?

Yes, as long as you label it clearly as spec or self-initiated work and don't imply the company commissioned it. Hiring managers generally care whether you can write their format for their reader. An honest spec piece in the right format is a fair sample.

How many writing samples do I need for remote writing jobs?

Three to five strong pieces in one niche are enough to start applying. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity. Ten unrelated pieces are weaker than four focused ones. Many job ads ask for only two or three links.

Do my writing samples need to be published?

No. A clean, view-only Google Doc is acceptable for most applications. If an ad asks specifically for published work, a post on your own blog, newsletter or LinkedIn counts as published, and you can say so honestly in your note.

Can I use work I wrote for a previous employer as a sample?

Only if you have permission or the piece is already public. Internal reports, emails and documents usually belong to the employer and may be confidential. If in doubt, write a fresh piece on a similar topic and describe your previous experience in your CV instead.

Should I write about Nigerian topics or international topics?

Mostly write about topics your target employers publish, which for companies abroad usually means US, UK or global audiences. Keep one Nigerian or African piece if the roles you want involve African markets. A piece explaining a Nigerian topic clearly to an outsider can also show range.

Is it okay to write a free test article for a potential client?

A short assessment from a genuine company is normal. A full-length article on the client's real content topic, unpaid, is a red flag. Offer an existing sample first, ask whether the test is paid, and be wary of requests that come only through Telegram or WhatsApp.

Can I create technical writing samples without working for a tech company?

Yes. Document a free tool or app you already use: a setup guide, a troubleshooting article or a short feature explainer. Test every step yourself as you write. Accurate steps and clear structure are what technical writing hiring managers look for.

Can I use AI to write my samples?

Not if the sample is meant to show your own writing. Text generated by AI and submitted as yours misrepresents your skill, and many employers can spot it. Using AI to brainstorm or check grammar is a different matter, but the thinking, structure and sentences should be yours.

Key takeaways

• You don't need paid clients to have writing samples: spec pieces, personal projects and volunteer work all count if labelled honestly.
• Choose one writing job type first, and use real job ads as the brief for your samples.
• Three to five focused, well-edited samples are enough to start applying.
• Write for the readers your target employers serve, which for companies abroad usually means US, UK or global audiences.
• Host samples where they open in one click without sign-in; Google Docs, WordPress.com's free plan and LinkedIn articles all work.
• Treat full-length unpaid "test articles" with caution, and never pay to get writing work.

Next steps

Pick your writing path today and read its role guide, starting with the content writer career guide or the copywriter guide. Then write your first spec piece this week. Once you have three samples, browse remote writing jobs on WorkRemote. Each listing shows the company, its website and where applicants may live, and applying is always free. After a search, use "Get email updates" to save it and receive a free daily digest of new matching jobs. To check what writers in this field earn, see the content writer salary guide.

Sources

• Publish articles on LinkedIn, LinkedIn Help
• Share files from Google Drive, Google Drive Help
• WordPress.com Pricing, WordPress.com
• Create a site, Google Sites Help
• Pricing, Journo Portfolio
• CBN exchange rates by currency, Central Bank of Nigeria