Top 12 Creative Writer Skills to Put on Your Resume

In today's job market, a creative writer stands out by showing a nimble mix of craft and technique—story sense, clean prose, and the ability to switch voices without breaking rhythm. The skills below deserve a clear spotlight on your resume. They signal range, professionalism, and the kind of narrative instinct that gets readers to lean in.

Creative Writer Skills

1. Storytelling
2. Editing
3. Scrivener
4. Grammarly
5. Plotting
6. Character Development
7. Worldbuilding
8. Microsoft Word
9. Google Docs
10. SEO
11. WordPress
12. Adobe InDesign

1. Storytelling

Storytelling, for a creative writer, is the craft of shaping characters, setting, and events into a cohesive arc that moves a reader—emotionally, intellectually, viscerally.

Why It's Important

It’s the engine of everything. Strong storytelling turns ideas into experiences, builds momentum, and keeps readers tethered to the page.

How to Improve Storytelling Skills

Make the practice deliberate and varied. A few sharp moves:

1. Read outside your lane: genres you don’t usually touch will jolt your instincts and widen your toolkit.
2. Write on a cadence: daily or near-daily sessions build muscle and reduce fear of the blank.
3. Study structure: three-act arcs, midpoint reversals, scene/sequel rhythm—know them, then bend them.
4. Obsess over character wants: desire and stakes steer plot more cleanly than clever twists.
5. Show, then sharpen: use concrete actions and sensory detail; trim exposition until it hums.
6. Collect feedback: swap pages with trusted peers; pattern-match recurring notes.
7. Revise without mercy: cuts create clarity; reordering creates momentum.
8. Read aloud: clunky beats and flat lines reveal themselves instantly when spoken.

How to Display Storytelling Skills on Your Resume

2. Editing

Editing is the art of refining voice, tightening structure, and fixing mechanics—grammar, punctuation, usage—so the story lands cleanly and confidently.

Why It's Important

Polish is trust. Thoughtful editing boosts clarity, pacing, tone consistency, and reader satisfaction.

How to Improve Editing Skills

1. Build distance: step away before edits; fresh eyes catch what busy eyes miss.
2. Edit in passes: one for structure, one for language, one for line-level detail, one for final proof.
3. Use style guides: Chicago, AP, or a custom house style—pick a standard and stick to it.
4. Track changes: version control helps you experiment safely.
5. Read on different devices: new context surfaces new errors.
6. Create checklists: common tics, overused words, timeline logic—hunt them deliberately.
7. Peer review: critique circles sharpen instincts on both sides of the table.

How to Display Editing Skills on Your Resume

3. Scrivener

Scrivener is long-form writing software built for sprawling projects—novels, scripts, research-heavy work—so you can draft, rearrange, and compile without chaos.

Why It's Important

It corrals complexity. Notes, scenes, research, and drafts stay organized, which frees your brain to write instead of wrangle files.

How to Improve Scrivener Skills

1. Finish the built-in tutorial: it’s practical and short, and it pays dividends immediately.
2. Customize the workspace: Composition Mode, split editors, custom labels—make the interface serve your flow.
3. Live on the Corkboard and Outliner: plan beats, shuffle scenes, watch the story breathe.
4. Set Project Targets: word count goals keep pace and scope honest.
5. Master Compile: export clean drafts for beta readers, agents, or print without reinventing the wheel.
6. Sync smartly: use safe, tested sync methods and keep backups versioned.
7. Centralize research: stash references and images inside the project for instant recall.

How to Display Scrivener Skills on Your Resume

4. Grammarly

Grammarly is a writing assistant that flags grammar, spelling, tone, and clarity issues, offering suggestions you can accept or ignore with intent.

Why It's Important

It speeds up the polish phase and catches mechanical slips so your creative choices stand out, not your typos.

How to Improve Grammarly Skills

• Set goals: audience, formality, and intent settings sharpen feedback.
• Study the patterns: recurring suggestions reveal habits you can fix at the source.
• Integrate thoughtfully: use it in your main drafting tools, but keep your voice in charge.
• Expand vocabulary wisely: swap repetition for precise synonyms without dulling tone.
• Use weekly insights: track progress and target high-impact errors.

How to Display Grammarly Skills on Your Resume

5. Plotting

Plotting is the deliberate arrangement of events—setup, escalation, climax, consequence—so the story hits beats that feel inevitable and surprising at once.

Why It's Important

It keeps tension taut, stakes sharp, and character choices meaningful. Without a plan, momentum tends to wobble.

How to Improve Plotting Skills

1. Outline lightly, then refine: start with broad strokes; drill down as scenes take shape.
2. Learn frameworks: Three-Act Structure, Hero’s Journey, Save the Cat—treat them as maps, not shackles.
3. Character-first causality: let desires and fears drive the next beat.
4. Layer conflict: internal vs. external, public vs. private, scene vs. story—stack it.
5. Use purposeful subplots: echo theme, pressure the protagonist, reshape outcomes.
6. Revise the spine: after draft one, fix pacing, remove filler, close holes.

How to Display Plotting Skills on Your Resume

6. Character Development

Character development is how a character’s wants, wounds, and worldview take shape—and change—through story pressure.

Why It's Important

Readers bond with people, not premises. Deep, dynamic characters magnetize attention and power the plot.

How to Improve Character Development Skills

1. Backstories with bite: pin down formative moments that explain present choices.
2. Motivation over mechanics: goals, stakes, and fears should elbow their way into every scene.
3. Arc the transformation: show how events force new beliefs or reinforce tragic flaws.
4. Let dialogue reveal: word choice, subtext, silence—character fingerprints.
5. Test relationships: oppositional dynamics and alliances expose hidden facets.

How to Display Character Development Skills on Your Resume

7. Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding is the design of a believable environment—history, culture, systems, rules—so the story’s reality feels lived-in and consistent.

Why It's Important

It anchors the reader. Coherent worlds make extraordinary events feel plausible and immersive.

How to Improve Worldbuilding Skills

1. Go big, then small: sketch geography, history, and power structures; then detail food, slang, rituals.
2. Codify rules: magic, tech, politics—write the constraints and honor them.
3. Culture drives behavior: beliefs and norms should shape character choices and conflict.
4. Economy and tech level: decide how people work, trade, travel, and communicate.
5. Use the senses: taste the dust, hear the markets, smell the storm.
6. Continuity bible: keep a living document for names, timelines, and systems.
7. Beta test: ask early readers where the illusion thins; patch accordingly.

How to Display Worldbuilding Skills on Your Resume

8. Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word remains a versatile drafting and formatting tool, with styles, comments, and review features that make long documents manageable.

Why It's Important

It’s everywhere. Editors, agents, and collaborators know it, which keeps your workflow smooth.

How to Improve Microsoft Word Skills

1. Lean on Styles: define headings, body, captions; update globally with a click.
2. Navigation Pane: structure chapters with headings and hop through the document fast.
3. Comments and Track Changes: collaborate cleanly and preserve an edit history.
4. Focus Mode and shortcuts: cut friction, boost output.
5. Add-ins: grammar and style tools can speed error-catching.
6. Cloud backups: save to OneDrive or your preferred service and version frequently.

How to Display Microsoft Word Skills on Your Resume

9. Google Docs

Google Docs is a cloud-based editor built for real-time collaboration, easy sharing, and anywhere access.

Why It's Important

Instant feedback, auto-save safety, and teamwork without file ping-pong—handy for workshops, co-writing, and editorial rounds.

How to Improve Google Docs Skills

1. Use the Outline: heading hierarchy becomes a quick table of contents.
2. Version history: compare drafts, restore earlier versions, experiment boldly.
3. Comments and Suggestions: separate questions from changes; resolve threads as you go.
4. Voice typing: draft scenes by dictation to break through stalls.
5. Add-ons: expand with mind mapping, grammar, or citation tools as needed.
6. Custom styles: keep consistent formatting and update it globally.
7. Offline mode: write without Wi‑Fi; sync later.

How to Display Google Docs Skills on Your Resume

10. SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) means shaping content so search engines can understand it—and readers can find it—without diluting voice.

Why It's Important

Visibility brings readers. Good SEO grows audience, opportunities, and long-tail reach.

How to Improve SEO Skills

1. Keyword research: map audience questions and intent; target terms naturally.
2. Write for people first: helpful, original content beats keyword stuffing every time.
3. On-page basics: strong titles, meta descriptions, headers, alt text, internal links.
4. Experience signals: fast pages, mobile-friendly layouts, clear navigation.
5. Topical authority: create clusters of related articles; earn reputable mentions.
6. Measure and iterate: use analytics and search console data to refine.
7. Evergreen updates: refresh aging posts with new insights and examples.

How to Display SEO Skills on Your Resume

11. WordPress

WordPress is a flexible content management system that lets writers publish, organize, and update their work without heavy technical overhead.

Why It's Important

Own your platform. Build a home for your writing, your list, your brand.

How to Improve WordPress Skills

1. Choose a responsive theme: readable across devices, fast, and accessible.
2. Core plugins: SEO helpers, spam protection, caching, backups, and security tools cover the basics.
3. Optimize speed: caching, image compression, and clean code keep bounce rates down.
4. Content cadence: publish regularly; build topical hubs and series.
5. Thoughtful linking: use internal links and cite reputable sources where useful.
6. Engage readers: comments, contact forms, and newsletters turn visitors into community.
7. Back up and secure: schedule backups and enable firewall/monitoring.

How to Display WordPress Skills on Your Resume

12. Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign is professional layout software for books, magazines, brochures, and eBooks, giving you precise control over typography, images, and multi-page design.

Why It's Important

It lets your words wear a tailored suit. Print-ready, digital-ready, brand-consistent.

How to Improve Adobe InDesign Skills

1. Learn the core tools: frames, layers, master pages, character/paragraph styles.
2. Start with templates: jump-start layouts and focus on content flow.
3. Typography mastery: kerning, leading, grids, baseline alignment for crisp readability.
4. Image handling: link, preflight, and export with proper color profiles.
5. GREP and Find/Change: automate tedious fixes and formatting patterns.
6. Scripts and snippets: speed repetitive tasks and standard elements.
7. Preflight and package: catch issues early and deliver clean files to printers or teams.

How to Display Adobe InDesign Skills on Your Resume