You can start by collecting poems by different literary poets … I.e., Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Robert Browning … and maybe put them together into a portfolio, with a mini-biography of each and some sort of interesting piece of information about them. Or you can collect some stuff about the Bronte Sisters, Mark Twain or William Shakespeare … bio and pictures, as well as samples of their works. You can even include some samples of your own work, if you’re inclined to storywriting or poetry writing. The sky’s the limit here!

Before I start, though … I’d ask the teacher more questions. You don’t want to just go off in the wrong direction with work that she won’t accept! Now, THAT wouldn’t be fun.

research papers

persuasive essays

biographical essays

analytical or comparative essays

technical writing

descriptive essays

creative writing

I’m also not entirely sure what you mean by ‘how to start the paper’ – are you talking about an introduction to the portfolio? If so, I would assume that it would be written somewhat like a cover letter, explaining what skills you have gained and how the pieces in the portfolio display your grasp of those types of writing.

I hope that helps.