A portfolio should let someone inspect the work itself. This example contains the brief, supplied product facts, weak drafts, finished copy and the reasoning behind the edits. Use it to study the process, then write your own sample for a different brief.
Original practice example: Paper Lantern is a fictional notebook shop created for these exercises. It is not a client project. No orders, earnings, reviews or performance results are claimed.
The brief
Paper Lantern needs catalogue copy for three notebooks. The reader is a student comparing size, page layout and binding. Deliver one factual title and one short description for each product in plain English. Use only the specifications below. Do not invent paper weight, recycled content, water resistance, shipping promises or sales results. Images and store publishing are outside scope.
| SKU | Product | Supplied facts |
|---|---|---|
| PL-A5 | Everyday A5 notebook | A5; 80 lined pages; kraft cover; sewn binding |
| PL-DOT | Pocket dot-grid notebook | A6; 64 dot-grid pages; blue card cover; stapled binding |
| PL-PLAN | Undated weekly planner | A5; 52 weekly spreads; undated; green cover; spiral binding |
Three finished before-and-after examples
Everyday A5 notebook
Weak draft: A handy notebook for everything. Great quality.
Revised title: Everyday A5 Notebook — 80 Lined Pages
Keep class notes, reading lists and daily reminders in one A5 notebook. Eighty lined pages give your writing a consistent layout, while the kraft cover keeps the design simple. The sewn binding holds the pages together. Choose it for everyday written notes.
Pocket dot-grid notebook
Weak draft: The perfect waterproof journal for artists.
Revised title: Pocket A6 Notebook — 64 Dot-Grid Pages
Sketch a layout, map an idea or write a short list on 64 dot-grid pages. This A6 notebook has a blue card cover and stapled binding. Its smaller format suits short notes and planning on the move. The supplied specification does not state paper weight or water resistance; check suitability before using wet media.
Undated weekly planner
Weak draft: Plan your year and become 10x more productive.
Revised title: Undated A5 Planner — 52 Weekly Spreads
Organise a week at a time with 52 undated weekly spreads. Start on the week you choose without crossing out printed dates. The A5 planner has a green cover and spiral binding. Use each spread for appointments and task lists. This is a planning format, not a promise of improved productivity.
Why the edits matter
| Decision | Reason | How to check it |
|---|---|---|
| Move size and page format into the title | A reader can compare products without opening every description | Confirm A5/A6 and lined/dot-grid against the brief |
| Remove “waterproof” | No water-resistance specification was supplied | Ask for evidence or omit the claim |
| Remove “10x more productive” | No measured outcome was provided | Describe the planner format instead |
| State what is unknown | Wet-media suitability depends on facts missing from the brief | Do not turn an unknown into a guarantee |
| Keep examples tied to use | Notes and task lists explain a use without claiming superior quality | Each sentence should explain a fact, use or limitation |
Turn the work into one portfolio page
Use this structure: practice label, audience and brief, supplied facts, final files, and three editing decisions. Put the finished copy before a long explanation of your process. Include a short scope note: “Copywriting practice only; no store launch or customer results.” If you adapt this example, identify it as an adaptation and show your own decisions rather than presenting the supplied copy as commissioned work.
A screenshot may show the layout, but selectable text or an editable file makes the actual writing easier to inspect. Check that a reader can open the sample without requesting access or creating an account. Do not publish another person’s private brief or contact information.
Review your own version
Check every product fact against the brief, read the descriptions aloud, remove unsupported adjectives, and ask someone to identify the difference between the three products. If they cannot, revise the titles and first sentences. Record the feedback you actually receive; do not add a testimonial to fill space.
Next: use the two-week production schedule to create a different sample, or study the proposal written for this same brief.