8 Tips to Create Your Writer’s Resume

Writing a writer’s resume is very different from writing a resume in other fields. There is specific information you should include. Writer’s resumes are typically used when applying to grants, residencies and publications and are usually short, informative, easy-to-read and organized chronologically.

So how do you summarize your life as a writer in resume? Here are eight tips to help you:

Organize your categories

Keep your resume visually appealing by organizing it in categories. They will help you stay focused and leave out any information that isn’t necessary. These categories are usually: education, publications, residencies/workshops and recognition and awards.

• Education – List your type of degree, location, year, list achievements and GPA if possible. If you don’t have a writing degree, list your education up top only if it relates to writing.
• Publications – Outline all you publications and writing experience. Include the authorships, tittle of the publication and where to find it.
• Residencies/workshops – Writer’s residencies and workshops you may have attended are good to include on your resume as they show motivation in your professional development.
• Recognition and awards – This is the section to list any awards you’ve received. The list should be specific to writing, only mention other awards if they are extremely notable.

Keep it short

It’s important to list all of your achievements, but leave out the detailed descriptions, as this can clutter the page and make it harder for the reader to digest the information. Only include information pertinent to your writing career. Leave off less important items, such as experience from early in your career and irrelevant work experience.

Be specific

When you mention your accomplishments, be specific as you can with numbers and figures. For example, instead of stating that you wrote some feature stories for a magazine, focus on one or two big stories read by a high number of people and state the impact they had.

Take advantage of online tools

• Resumention – an online tool that offers resume writing and editing services to help your resume stand out.
• Best Australian Writers – this tool will help you evaluate which writing services to trust to help you with your resume writing and editing.
• Resume Genius – a free online software that generates resume templates with thousands of perfectly written bullet points for you to choose from. Use this tool to create a cleanly formatted and persuasive resume.
• Live Career – this online tool allows you to quickly create a professional, job-ready resume. The platform also includes interview tips and career tests.

Proofread your document

It is absolutely crucial for writers to avoid careless mistakes. Meticulously review your resume for grammar and punctuation mistakes. Check for misspellings and typos and ask someone to double-check it to make sure it’s perfect.

Watch your format

Keep your format simple. Make sure your name and contact information are on the first page, and that your name is on every page. Minimize your use of Bold, underline, caps and Italic. You may use bulleted or numbered points, but in moderation.

Pick one font

Don’t get carried away with a variety of fonts, pick a sober one.

Check out other resumes

One of the best ways to improve your resume is to see how other writers do it since there are many different ways of organizing your information. Many writers post their resumes on their website, so you can easily have access to them and use them to improve yours.

What you decide to include in your resume and how you decide to write it can mean the difference of being hired or not. Use these tips to increase your chances of getting hired by writing an exceptional resume. Remember that your resume will actually reflect your writing and editing skills.

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