Bylines
A byline portfolio an editor can scan in ten seconds.
Stop pasting five article URLs into a pitch email. Description.me turns your published work into one journalist clip file, filterable by category and sortable by outlet or date, ready to send with a single link.
1 live byline link
Free plan
45s free, 3 min on Pro
Video intro
PDF clip file in one click
Export
Try the clip list
Filter and sort your writing samples the way an editor would.
This is a sample clip list. On your own byline portfolio, every card links to the real published piece and pulls its own preview automatically.
The council vote nobody watched
The Local Record · Reporting
2024-11-02
On leaving a city you never chose
Long Form Weekly · Essays
2024-09-21
Why the ferry line keeps failing
Coastal Review · Reporting
2024-06-14
A conversation with a retiring lighthouse keeper
Coastal Review · Interviews
2024-03-18
Grief has a paperwork problem
The Reader · Essays
2023-12-03
The translator who rewrote a war
Long Form Weekly · Interviews
2023-05-09
Inside the union that beat a deadline
The Local Record · Reporting
2022-10-30
What the archive would not let go of
The Reader · Essays
2022-02-11
What's inside
Clip list, not a resume
List every published work link with outlet, date and a short line on why it matters, in an order editors expect.
Filterable by category
Tag clips as reporting, essays, interviews or your own labels so a visitor can jump to what they came for.
Rich link previews
Paste an article URL and get a preview card with headline, outlet and image, no manual formatting.
A short spoken pitch
Record a 45 second intro that plays before the clip list, useful for pitching yourself alongside the work.
Verified references
An editor you have worked with confirms a short line by email, and it shows as verified on your page.
See who is reading
Know when an editor opens your byline portfolio and which clips they actually clicked into.
PDF export on request
Some editors still want a file. Export your clip list as a PDF in one click when that happens.
Private drafts
Password protect a version while you are pitching a sensitive story, then open it once the piece runs.
Who it's for
Freelance journalists
Send one link in a pitch email instead of five separate article URLs.
Staff writers moving outlets
Keep a running byline portfolio that outlasts any single newsroom's site.
Essayists and columnists
Group long-form writing samples by theme so editors read the right ones first.
Podcast and radio reporters
Attach audio files alongside written clips on the same writing samples page.
Journalism students
Build a published work link page before a first full-time job, starting from student bylines.
Contributing editors
Show a sort by outlet view that proves range across several publications at once.
How it works
01
Add your clips
Paste each article URL. Headline, outlet and date fill in automatically, then tag the category.
02
Choose what leads
Pin your strongest piece to the top, and set a category order that fits how you pitch.
03
Share one link
Send your description.me address in pitches, email signatures and social bios.
04
Track opens
See when an editor opens your clip file and which pieces they read before you follow up.
Instead of
Today
- Google Doc of links
- Five separate article URLs pasted into an email
- A PDF clip file that goes stale after the next piece runs
- No way to know if an editor opened it
With Bylines
- A tidy byline portfolio with previews, filters and a sort toggle
- One published work link that covers all of them
- A living writing samples page you update in minutes
- View analytics on every clip and every visit
FAQ
What is a byline portfolio?
A byline portfolio is a single page listing your published work with links, outlets and dates, so an editor can scan your writing samples in one place instead of hunting through old emails.
How do I add a published work link to my clip file?
Paste the article URL in and Description.me pulls the headline, outlet and a short preview automatically. You can edit any field before it goes live.
Can I organise clips by category?
Yes. Tag each clip as reporting, essay, interview or a category of your own, then let visitors filter your writing samples page by that tag.
Is my journalist clip file free to publish?
The Free plan gives you one live descriptive link with a custom slug at description.me/yourname, which is enough for a full byline portfolio.
Can editors respond directly from my published work link page?
Yes. A feedback inbox lets an editor reply in one line with no account, and the message lands straight in your dashboard and your email.
Send your best work, not a list of URLs.
Publish a byline portfolio free at your own description.me address.