The August 2007 issue of HOW magazine had a great article on planning your professional future (Plotting Your Course, by Julie Sims). It’s geared toward graphic designers, but the tips can apply to other creatives as well.

One of points mentioned is to keep your portfolio up to date. Her suggestion: regularly collect samples of your work and write descriptions to go with each. I think it’s a great idea, as it’s easy to forget details (or to request samples) post-project. And the descriptions come in handy when writing copy for your website or other promotional pieces. (For graphic designers, it’s also useful to note paper stock or other production details)

I’ve created a section in my To-Do List, where I note completed projects, as a reminder to request samples — and now, to start writing descriptions for each!