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Creative writing instructor skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
Quoted experts
Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.,
Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical creative writing instructor skills. We ranked the top skills for creative writing instructors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 19.6% of creative writing instructor resumes contained literature as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a creative writing instructor needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 creative writing instructor skills for your resume and career

1. Literature

Here's how creative writing instructors use literature:
  • Teach introductory, exploratory literature and creative writing class to adult women residents of the Transitional Housing Program
  • Designed creative writing curricula for elementary through high school levels Facilitated philosophical/analytical discussions on international literature

2. Fiction

Here's how creative writing instructors use fiction:
  • Facilitated discussion of students' poems and fiction intentions at the forefront of critique.
  • Design and teach noncredit courses in fiction writing to more than 180 adults.

3. Course Curriculum

Here's how creative writing instructors use course curriculum:
  • Created the course curriculum, chose required readings, planned each lesson, and evaluated all assignments and exams.
  • Developed and prepared course curriculum, lectures, and writing assignments; assessed student work.

4. English Language

Here's how creative writing instructors use english language:
  • Created resources to facilitate comprehensible English language instruction; maintained a hands-on learning environment with no technology available.
  • Developed and implemented lesson plans to strategically increase English language communication among employees in the hospitality industry.

5. ESL

Here's how creative writing instructors use esl:
  • Summer Creative Writing Workshop Instructor for ESL based after school program.
  • Transformed standards requirements into exciting, culturally appropriate lesson plans and adapted materials to accommodate ESL and other special needs learners.

6. Class Discussions

Here's how creative writing instructors use class discussions:
  • Lectured, led workshops and class discussions.
  • Facilitated class discussions to engage students intellectually.

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7. Syllabus

Here's how creative writing instructors use syllabus:
  • Developed Syllabus and overall course structure, and administered all grades
  • Designed and implemented an original class syllabus along with daily lesson plans for undergraduate courses.

8. Classroom Management

Here's how creative writing instructors use classroom management:
  • Acquired additional hours of professional development in classroom management, curriculum development, and information related to gifted & talented students.
  • Address challenges related to classroom management and student learning immediately Monitor student progress and report on daily session summaries.

9. Non-Fiction

Here's how creative writing instructors use non-fiction:
  • Provided instruction in a non-fiction memoir writing workshop.
  • Related Coursework Rhetoric and The Teaching of Writing Introduction to Advanced Research Advanced Writing Advanced Creative Writing Creative Non-Fiction Writing Poetry

10. Instructional Materials

Here's how creative writing instructors use instructional materials:
  • Developed lesson plans and instructional materials and provide individualized and small group instruction in the subject area of maintaining renewable resources.
  • Designed and developed instructional material for personnel training courses to support equipment needs through technical writing, teaching/training, performance measuring.

11. Group Discussions

Here's how creative writing instructors use group discussions:
  • Present prompts and games, lead group discussions, and offer personalized feedback on all genres of writing.
  • Lead group discussions through theater games, creative play workshops, journaling, and personal projects.

12. Short Stories

Here's how creative writing instructors use short stories:
  • Demonstrated aspects of the craft of writing through the use of short stories and poems by established writers.
  • Evaluated student essays, short stories, poems; maintained contact with students via telephone, email.

13. Public Speaking

Public Speaking or oration, as it is sometimes known, is the act of any one person speaking live in front of an audience. Although in the past the audience was only a physical one, nowadays oration might be done on an online video call, at a digital conference, at an online class, or elsewhere. The art of public speaking is very old, drawing its first established roots from Ancient Greece and likely from before, too. It is an important skill and asset in many industries.

Here's how creative writing instructors use public speaking:
  • Created and taught a variety of interpersonal communication courses including Relational Communication, Communication in the Workplace, and Public Speaking.
  • Facilitate students' personal and professional development through activities aimed at improving leadership, confidence and public speaking skills.

14. RAN

RAN stands for "revenue anticipation note," which refers to a practice where an organization (often the government) borrows money to support a specific project. When these funds are then repaid, the money given to the lenders comes from the profits generated by the business originally funded.

Here's how creative writing instructors use ran:
  • Organized and ran all classroom activities, including homework assignments and grading.

15. PowerPoint

Here's how creative writing instructors use powerpoint:
  • Created PowerPoint presentations for in class lessons and discussions.
  • Developed curriculum for adult learners Created a PowerPoint Presentation for class Assigned and critiqued homework
top-skills

What skills help Creative Writing Instructors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on creative writing instructor resumes?

Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Rhetoric, Louisiana State University

Classroom management and proficiency with digital platforms hold an increasingly important role for writing instructors. Before the pandemic, many colleges and universities were gradually expanding online course offerings to accommodate the varied lives of their students. However, after COVID-19, online classrooms have become ubiquitous within academia, so writing instructors need to demonstrate skills with managing physical and virtual classrooms. Knowledge and expertise with digital platforms go together with classroom management as universities expect writing instructors to prepare incoming and current students to communicate effectively - whether in-person or online.

What soft skills should all creative writing instructors possess?

Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Rhetoric, Louisiana State University

The ability to clearly communicate ideas, theories, expectations, assignments, etc., stands as a paramount soft skill needed for writing instructors. Students already come into the classroom with high expectations concerning the level of attention they will receive in terms of instruction, so writing instructors need to develop methods to deliver information to students in a clear and easily understood manner. Clear communication also contributes to better engagement with course material. When students know what the instructor expects and what they must do, they typically engage more fully in their work. Additionally, listening to students is a second crucial soft skill writing instructors should develop. Including students in the learning process by listening to their perspectives and making small adjustments to accommodate their learning needs shows an attention to detail necessary in the modern writing classroom.

What hard/technical skills are most important for creative writing instructors?

Jonathan Osborne Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Rhetoric, Louisiana State University

Writing instructors must know how to use multiple computer programs proficiently and at times use them simultaneously. Long gone are the days where all you needed to know were the basics of Microsoft Word and Excel. In addition to the learning platform used by the university (Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, Google Classroom, etc.), writing instructors must know how to use Zoom or other online video conference platforms to ensure smooth experiences for students who cannot come to the physical classroom.

What creative writing instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Jerome Miksell

Professor (Musicianship, Technology, Viola), Department Chair, University of Mount Union

An aspiring performer should be practicing and looking for performance opportunities. I would also recommend travel that might enhance understanding of a particular style of music.

Those interested in business opportunities could consider finding a part-time job in a music store.

What type of skills will young creative writing instructors need?

Dr. Lori Gray

Associate Professor: Director of Music Education, Boise State University

For the past several years, it has been clear that employers are seeking graduates with 21st Century Learning Skills (critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration). The four Cs of 21st Century Learning frequently come up during reference calls on my end and interviews for our recent graduates.

I would add that graduates need a strong work ethic, an understanding of professionalism and respect in the workplace, and self-awareness and an understanding of personal needs and limitations both at work and in their personal lives. In these current living conditions during a global pandemic (COVID-19), graduates also need resilience, perseverance, adaptability, and flexibility. These are all skills I would want for our Music Education majors to cultivate, as the climate in K-12 Education is ever-changing. However, I believe these are all skills that would be useful in any new career path.

What technical skills for a creative writing instructor stand out to employers?

John Rieder

Department Chair, Southwestern College

In English, we look for applicants with a demonstrated commitment to the populations we serve in the community college (not just lip service, but proven commitment). Former community-college students and those with peer tutoring experience are always wonderful. We also look for an interest in ongoing professional development, particularly professional development related to "high challenge, high support" classroom instruction, to anti-racist and culturally responsive pedagogy/andragogy, and to overall advancing a culture of care, guidance, equity, and community.

List of creative writing instructor skills to add to your resume

Creative writing instructor skills

The most important skills for a creative writing instructor resume and required skills for a creative writing instructor to have include:

  • Literature
  • Fiction
  • Course Curriculum
  • English Language
  • ESL
  • Class Discussions
  • Syllabus
  • Classroom Management
  • Non-Fiction
  • Instructional Materials
  • Group Discussions
  • Short Stories
  • Public Speaking
  • RAN
  • PowerPoint
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Student Learning
  • Creative Works
  • Creative Drama
  • Blackboard

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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