Top 12 Writer Skills to Put on Your Resume

In today's job market, writers stand out by showing a sharp blend of creative and technical skills. The list below breaks down core abilities worth featuring on a resume—skills that prove you can craft, refine, and deliver content that reaches people and gets results.

Writer Skills

1. SEO Optimization
2. WordPress
3. Copywriting
4. Proofreading
5. Scrivener
6. Content Management
7. Google Docs
8. Editorial Calendar
9. AP Style
10. Grammarly
11. Storytelling
12. Research

1. SEO Optimization

SEO for writers means shaping content to match search intent, weaving in relevant keywords naturally, and structuring pages so search engines—and people—can find and understand them quickly.

Why It's Important

Good SEO expands your reach. Higher visibility leads to more readers, better engagement, and compounding results over time.

How to Improve SEO Optimization Skills

Level up with a deliberate, repeatable approach:

1. Keyword Research: Identify relevant queries, intent, and difficulty. Map primary and secondary keywords to a clear content outline.

2. Helpful Content: Write original, thorough pieces that actually solve problems. Prioritize clarity, depth, and experience.

3. On-Page Basics: Use descriptive titles, headers, meta descriptions, and alt text. Keep URLs short and meaningful.

4. Mobile and UX: Use responsive layouts, clean navigation, and readable typography. Test with Lighthouse or PageSpeed Insights and fix what drags.

5. Speed: Compress images, lazy-load media, cache aggressively, and minimize scripts. Faster pages keep readers around.

6. Internal Links: Build a logical web of related pages to distribute authority and guide readers deeper.

7. Backlinks: Earn links by publishing useful resources, guest pieces, or original research. Quality over volume.

8. Promotion: Share across channels to spark discovery and engagement. Traffic and chatter lift good content.

Keep refining. Measure rankings, click-through rates, and dwell time, then adjust.

How to Display SEO Optimization Skills on Your Resume

2. WordPress

WordPress is a flexible content management system where writers can draft, format, publish, and update posts without heavy technical lift.

Why It's Important

It lets you run your own publishing engine—fast. You control presentation, workflows, and distribution from one place.

How to Improve WordPress Skills

1. Pick a Responsive Theme: Choose a clean, accessible theme that loads quickly and scales well (Astra, GeneratePress, or a solid block theme).

2. SEO Plugins: Use Yoast SEO or Rank Math to handle metadata, sitemaps, and basic checks.

3. Performance: Add caching (WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache), optimize images, and defer nonessential scripts.

4. Block Editor: Master the Gutenberg editor for reusable blocks, patterns, and streamlined layouts; use Classic Editor only if needed.

5. Image Optimization: Compress with tools like Smush or ShortPixel to trim load times.

6. Backups & Security: Schedule backups (UpdraftPlus) and harden with a security plugin (Wordfence or similar).

7. Social Sharing: Add share buttons and auto-publish options (Jetpack Social, Social Snap) to amplify reach.

8. Engagement: Use native comments or plugins like wpDiscuz to encourage discussion.

Keep themes and plugins updated. Audit quarterly. Remove bloat.

How to Display WordPress Skills on Your Resume

3. Copywriting

Copywriting is persuasive writing with a job to do—win a click, earn a sign-up, drive a purchase, or shape perception—across ads, landing pages, emails, and more.

Why It's Important

It turns words into outcomes. Clear value, sharp benefits, and strong calls to action move audiences.

How to Improve Copywriting Skills

1. Know the Reader: Research pains, desires, objections. Speak to one person with unmissable relevance.

2. Clarity Over Flourish: Simple words. Short sentences. No fluff. Make every line earn its keep.

3. Benefits First: Translate features into outcomes—time saved, risk reduced, joy increased.

4. Proof: Add reviews, numbers, demos, guarantees. Believability outperforms bravado.

5. Structure: Use scannable headers, bullets, and strong CTAs. Guide the eye; remove friction.

6. Test: A/B test headlines, offers, and formats using tools like Optimizely, VWO, or native testing in email and ad platforms.

7. Iterate: Analyze click-through rates, conversions, and bounce. Rewrite ruthlessly.

How to Display Copywriting Skills on Your Resume

4. Proofreading

Proofreading is the last line of defense—cleaning grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting mistakes so the final draft reads smooth and looks professional.

Why It's Important

Mistakes distract. Clean copy builds trust and keeps the message crisp.

How to Improve Proofreading Skills

1. Step Away: Take a break before reviewing to reset your eyes and brain.

2. Read Aloud: Your ear catches what your eyes skim past.

3. Use Tools: Run a first pass with Grammarly or Hemingway, then verify manually.

4. Track Your Habit Errors: Build a checklist of frequent slip-ups and scan for them first.

5. Print or Change View: A new format exposes hidden issues.

6. Read Backward for Spelling: Word by word, then line by line for flow.

7. Second Pair of Eyes: An editor or peer will catch what you miss.

When it matters, consult a style guide and stick to it.

How to Display Proofreading Skills on Your Resume

5. Scrivener

Scrivener is long-form writing software built for complexity—research, notes, scenes, and chapters all organized in one workspace.

Why It's Important

It streamlines big projects. Less chaos, more focus, faster drafting and revision.

How to Improve Scrivener Skills

1. Start with the Basics: Learn the Binder, Editor, Corkboard, and Inspector. The core mechanics pay off quickly.

2. Customize Your Setup: Full-screen for drafting, split view for research, custom labels and status for progress tracking.

3. Use Templates: Save standard structures for blogs, books, or scripts so you never start from zero.

4. Master Shortcuts: Small time-savers add up when you’re deep in the work.

5. Compile Confidently: Learn compile presets to export clean manuscripts and formatted deliverables.

6. Back Up: Enable automatic backups and store copies in the cloud or an external drive.

7. Join the Community: Find tips, workflows, and troubleshooting from experienced users.

How to Display Scrivener Skills on Your Resume

6. Content Management

Content management covers planning, creating, organizing, storing, and publishing material using systems and workflows that keep everything moving and consistent.

Why It's Important

It reduces chaos, protects quality, and ensures your content reaches the right people at the right time.

How to Improve Content Management Skills

1. Set Goals: Define outcomes (traffic, sign-ups, sales, retention) with clear metrics.

2. Know the Audience: Use analytics (GA4 or platform insights) to understand behavior and needs.

3. Plan with a Calendar: Map topics, owners, deadlines, and channels.

4. Standardize Quality: Create checklists for voice, formatting, SEO, and accessibility.

5. Optimize: Apply on-page SEO, internal links, and structured data where appropriate.

6. Distribute: Share across email, social, search, and partnerships. Tools like Buffer or Hootsuite help coordinate.

7. Analyze: Track performance (GA4, Search Console, Semrush) and tie results to goals.

8. Iterate: Update winners, retire underperformers, and feed insights back into planning.

How to Display Content Management Skills on Your Resume

7. Google Docs

Google Docs is a cloud-based word processor built for collaboration and quick iteration.

Why It's Important

Real-time edits, anywhere access, instant sharing—perfect for drafting with teams and tracking changes.

How to Improve Google Docs Skills

1. Add-ons: Use tools like Grammarly or ProWritingAid for extra polish.

2. Shortcuts: Learn key commands to fly through formatting and navigation.

3. Voice Typing: Dictate drafts when you need speed or a change of pace.

4. Structure: Apply headings, styles, and a table of contents for longer documents.

5. Collaborate: Work in Suggesting mode, leave comments, and resolve threads systematically.

6. Version History: Name versions and roll back when needed.

7. Custom Styles: Save consistent typography and spacing for repeatable formatting.

How to Display Google Docs Skills on Your Resume

8. Editorial Calendar

An editorial calendar is your roadmap—topics, deadlines, owners, and publish dates lined up so content flows smoothly.

Why It's Important

Consistency wins. A calendar keeps priorities visible, prevents gaps, and aligns content with campaigns and seasons.

How to Improve Editorial Calendar Skills

1. Clarify Objectives: Tie each piece to a goal and audience segment.

2. Research Demand: Use analytics and trend tools to validate topics before you commit.

3. Mix It Up: Balance formats (articles, video, email) and content types (educational, entertaining, inspirational).

4. Pick a Tool: Trello, Asana, Notion, or CoSchedule—choose one and enforce usage.

5. Build Buffers: Add lead time for editing, design, and approvals.

6. Assign Ownership: Clear owners, clear deadlines, fewer misses.

7. Measure and Adjust: Review performance monthly; double down on what works.

8. Stay Flexible: Leave room for timely news, product updates, or audience feedback.

How to Display Editorial Calendar Skills on Your Resume

9. AP Style

AP Style is a widely used set of rules for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and usage—standard fare for newsrooms and many media teams.

Why It's Important

It delivers consistency and clarity across writers and outlets, which makes collaborative publishing far less messy.

How to Improve AP Style Skills

1. Stay Current: Use the latest AP Stylebook and note major updates each year.

2. Practice: Edit older drafts into AP Style to build muscle memory.

3. Create a Quick-Ref: Track house-specific preferences and common edge cases.

4. Read Widely: Study AP-edited work to see the rules applied in context.

5. Edit Deliberately: Make a dedicated AP pass separate from content edits.

How to Display AP Style Skills on Your Resume

10. Grammarly

Grammarly is a writing assistant that flags grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, and tone issues in real time.

Why It's Important

It speeds up editing, catches easy-to-miss mistakes, and explains the why behind fixes.

How to Improve Grammarly Skills

1. Set Goals: Choose audience, formality, and intent so feedback fits your piece.

2. Review Critically: Accept suggestions that help, skip ones that flatten your voice.

3. Add Custom Dictionary: Whitelist brand names and jargon to reduce noise.

4. Use Genre Checks: Enable domain-specific settings for academic, business, or creative writing.

5. Integrate: Run it in your browser, Docs, Word, or desktop editor to catch issues everywhere.

6. Learn from Explanations: Note repeated flags and correct the root habit.

7. Human Pass: Finish with a manual read—or an editor—for nuance and style.

How to Display Grammarly Skills on Your Resume

11. Storytelling

Storytelling is the craft of shaping characters, stakes, and change into a narrative that pulls readers along and leaves something behind.

Why It's Important

Stories make information stick. They turn abstract ideas into something we can feel, remember, and share.

How to Improve Storytelling Skills

1. Read A Lot: Stretch across genres and voices to widen your toolkit.

2. Write Daily: Short scenes, dialogue drills, micro-essays—consistency compounds.

3. Study Structure: Learn frameworks (three-act, Hero’s Journey, Kishōtenketsu) and then bend them.

4. Raise the Stakes: Clear goals, credible obstacles, meaningful consequences.

5. Show, Then Tell: Sensory detail and action first; explanation only when needed.

6. Cut Ruthlessly: Trim filler, tighten beats, sharpen verbs.

7. Seek Feedback: Swap critiques, test with readers, revise with intent.

How to Display Storytelling Skills on Your Resume

12. Research

Research is the disciplined hunt for reliable information, context, and nuance that makes writing accurate and credible.

Why It's Important

It strengthens arguments, enriches detail, and prevents errors that erode trust.

How to Improve Research Skills

1. Define the Question: Know exactly what you need to learn before you look.

2. Diversify Sources: Books, journals, reputable sites, databases, interviews—triangulate.

3. Evaluate Carefully: Check currency, authority, accuracy, relevance, and purpose.

4. Organize: Use tools like Zotero, Notion, or spreadsheets to tag notes and citations.

5. Paraphrase and Quote: Write summaries in your own words; quote sparingly and accurately.

6. Verify: Cross-check important facts across multiple sources.

7. Credit Sources: Follow the required citation style and keep a clean record of references.

How to Display Research Skills on Your Resume