How to Develop Your Writer’s Resume In 5 Steps
for jobs, MFA applications, residencies, & more
Let’s be real: Writing a resume is never fun. It can even be kind of stressful. How do you condense years of experience into a few pages? What do you include, and what do you leave out? And what even is the difference between a CV and a resume, anyway? For writers, it can feel particularly daunting to communicate your creative endeavors in such a dry, uncompromising format. And yet almost anything you apply for—whether it be an MFA program, a residency, a fellowship, or a job in the literary world—requires a resume or CV. So today we’re going to dive into how you can make the most of this tricky little document as a writer, increasing your chances of your resume being an asset to your application.
To cover some basics first:
What is the difference between a CV and a resume? If you’re application-savvy you may already know this, but a resume is a concise, 1-2 page document that is very focused on what you are specifically applying for. In contrast, a CV (curriculum vitae) is a more extensive, all-encompassing document that tracks your academic, professional, and creative history (2+ pages). Most applications will specify whether they want you to submit a resume or a CV, so it’s generally a good idea to have a template for both handy!
What does the difference between a CV and a resume mean for you as a writer? When it comes to differentiating between a CV and a resume as a writer, the biggest difference is in what you can include. To be honest, I find CVs way easier (and that’s why we are focusing on resumes here!) as you can literally list everything. A CV can include your education history (including any awards or scholarships you might’ve won), your teaching experience (including specific courses), your list of publications, and your job experience. CV’s are incredibly comprehensive, and there generally isn’t a page limit. In contrast, resumes are restrictive—1-2 pages max, which inevitably limits what you can include and makes them harder to write.
Does my resume really matter?
Absolutely yes. It is the most succinct, skimmable aspect of your application, meaning that there is a high likelihood of the people receiving your application looking at this document first before anything else. They are reviewing it for key words and experiences that flag for them you are a good fit for whatever it is you are applying for. While it can be tempting, don’t slack off on the resume part of your application—trust me, it matters.
How to Develop Your Writer’s Resume in 5 Steps
Read the application details for whatever it is you are applying for. OK, I realize this sounds simplistic, but it’s truly the most important first step. One resume does not fit all, so it’s essential to tailor your resume to the specific application you are submitting. If it’s a job, what are they looking for in terms of experience and skills? What are the expectations of the role? If you are applying for an MFA or a residency or fellowship, what are the eligibility requirements? What are the expectations should you be accepted? And, for any application, make sure to take note if they are asking you to be specific about something—your publication record, your teaching experience, your work experience.
Hot tip: As you’re reviewing the application, take notes and start writing down your relevant experiences, skills, publications, etc. This will make developing your resume so much easier.
Determine what are the most important and relevant qualifications. Resumes should ideally be organized in order of importance—whatever is most relevant to the application should be at the top of your resume, with the least important information included at the end. This looks different for different applications, so I’ll give you some examples:
For MFA applications and residency applications, I listed my notable publications at the top of my resume, followed by my experiences in the literary world—from conferences I was accepted into and attended, to workshop groups that I participated in, to literary magazines I worked for. The rest of the space I used for my academic experience (showing that yes, I can be a good student!) and job experience (I am a professional, and I know how to act like one). For an MFA program or residency, your writing and your literary citizenship are incredibly important, making them a natural fit for the top of your resume.
For applications to publishing internships and editorial roles, I started with my experiences in the literary world as a reader and editor for literary magazines, followed by my job experience. It was important to show that 1) I was not new to the literary world and was already building my skills in that area, and 2) I knew how to operate in professional environments, with skills such as software know-how, communication, organization, etc. I followed this with my academic experience, and ended with a few of my more prestigious publications because while you don’t have to be a writer to be a publishing professional, it doesn’t hurt to show that you are an active part of the literary landscape.
For applications to writing jobs (as a ghost writer, content strategist, etc.), I started with my job experience, followed by my writing-relevant academic experience and notable publications. For these roles, my professionalism and skills were most important—closely followed by the fact that I was a writer, with the official credentials to be acknowledged as such.
Hot tip: Whatever you are applying for, note what feels most emphasized in the application and prioritize that at the top of your resume. Is it writing? Is it certain skills? Is it engagement in the literary world?
Overwrite, then cut back. As writers, this should be a natural revision process for you! Chances are that as you draft your resume you will quickly surpass that 1-2 page mark. But don’t worry—this is normal. Once you have everything written down and in order of importance, go through each item you’ve listed carefully, cutting back and revising along the way. For example:
For publications—Have you included every single thing you’ve ever published, or only the most noteworthy? Prioritize publications with well-known literary magazines or presses.
For job experience—Have you listed every single thing you did while working a job, or only the things that match the role of what you are applying for? Have you included every single job you’ve ever had, or only the most recent/relevant ones? Prioritize recent jobs that relate to the role you are applying for, and skills/experience that speak the same language as the role you are applying for.
For extracurriculars (engagement in the literary community, etc)—Have you listed everything going back to middle school? Do you list out all of the writers and mentors you’ve met? Prioritize high-level information, as for these items the most important aspect to reveal is that you are an engaged and active part of the community.
Hot tip: If you are struggling to hit the 1-2 page mark, check every single line against the application. Does what you’ve written match something on
there? If not, consider cutting it.
Steal their language. Are they looking for someone creative and collaborative? Use those words in your resume. Does the role require management? Emphasize your management experience. Do they need you to be proficient in Word, Outlook, or some other software? Make sure to include that as well (assuming you are proficient). You don’t want to lie and claim something that isn’t true, but resume-building is in part a matter of spinning your experiences in a way that fits what they are looking for—and stealing their language is a great place to start.
Hot tip: Synonyms work too! They want cooperative? You’re a team player. They want creative? You’re innovative. They want management? You’ve acted as a project lead.
Format and edit (and edit again). The way your resume looks is also incredibly important, and you definitely want it to be error-free. Use a standard font (12 pt. Times New Roman is a great go-to), make sure it is well-organized with clearly outlined sections (i.e. Relevant Work Experience; Notable Publications; Education; etc.), and make sure there are no grammatical or spelling errors. Everything should look clean and polished, and fit within their requirements (1-2 pages). An error in a resume can indicate to those reading your application that you don’t pay attention to details—not generally a great quality in a candidate.
Hot tip: Ask a friend or colleague with a good eye to read over your resume and flag any errors they see. We are not always our own best editors, so an extra set of eyes (or a few) can help.
Once you have a resume written, it is easy to use it as a template by rearranging and adding/cutting things as needed to tailor the document for each unique application. And in the event that you are applying for similar roles (i.e. applying to multiple MFA programs, editorial jobs, etc.), you can often reuse the same resume with only a few small tweaks!
It’s not the most riveting writing pursuit, but for those looking to step into the professional world as a writer, knowing how to create a resume that maximizes impact and your capability is essential. So find those opportunities and get drafting—trust me, it’ll be worth it.