The Writer's Resume

When you start applying for jobs in the writing industry, it will quickly become apparent that the CV you've been pushing over counters and under people's doors will no longer cut it.

You know the CV I'm talking about, the one that lists the amount of GCSEs you received how ever many years ago, states how long you managed to keep at the chicken shop job and how far in your Duke of Edinburgh Award you really got (or didn't, they're not likely to check anyway).

If you want to be taken seriously in the writing industry, you've got to prove that you're serious about joining it. 

So get rid of the waitress job from six years ago, and focus on what you've actually achieved within the industry.

This is the basis for my dissertation:

Becoming an Employable Writer

I'm not going to lie, at nineteen twenty years old, I was pretty proud of everything I'd achieved in the writing industry so far. It seemed that the last three years had been fully focused on 'writing' and I was bound to get a related job straight out of my 'Creative and Professional Writing' degree.

And then I wrote my writer's resume.

And I got a little shock.

I am so unprepared for the real world.

But that's what this year is about, right? Finding out what I enjoy, gaining experience in as many fields and forums as possible, and -my god please- finally mustering the courage to write one of those novels that have been lounging about my head for goodness knows how long.

I'm going to be blunt, but here is my current writer's CV:

Publications

·      Fiction

o   ‘Changing Seasons’ short story: The ‘Art of Nottingham (2013)

o   ‘Eyeland’ short story, excerpt from children’s novel, and ‘Servant’ flash fiction: EnDearing Minds Anthology (2014)

·      Non-Fiction

o   James Blunt music review: Mic Magazine (2013) 

·      Poetry

o   ‘Oh, Nan’ Spoken Word Poetry: The ‘Art of Nottingham (2013)

o   ‘Traveller’ Poetry: EnDearing Minds Anthology (2014) 

·      Scriptwriting

o     

·      Copywriting

o    

Work History

o   Personal Assistant to Head Organiser of ‘Newcastle Writers Festival’.

Writing Awards

o   Holland House Books: Halloween Flash Fiction Competition

Writing Activities and Memberships

·      Arvon Writing Courses;

o   Writing Non-Fiction

o   Fiction

o   Writing for Children

Specialisations

·      Travel:

o   ‘Backpacked’ through Australasia, United Kingdom and South East Asia.

o   Group/Family traveled in America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Education

·      University of Nottingham, UK

o   BA Hons Creative and Professional Writing

·      University of Newcastle, Australia

o   Screenwriting

o   Public Relations Writing

o   Public Relations Campaigning

o   Myth and Fairytales

Author’s Platform/Social Media Presence

·      Blog on the writing process, tips and exercises; ‘The Keyboard’s Creak’

·      Twitter page with fifty followers.

Now, admittedly, if I pushed myself to find more examples I probably could. But that isn't the point. The point is that it doesn't matter how many false starts, novel ideas, completed stories or scripts waiting to be edited are on my computer - they're not out there and therefore are irrelevant.

It's almost humiliating to look at this resume after nearly completing a three-year-degree with very little to show for it.

This is where it starts to change.

Temporary goals:

• I will enter a writing competition in any genre at least once a month.
• I will gain actual experience in the writing industry within this year.
• I will grow my social media presence.
• I will apply for freelance writing jobs.

I'll keep you updated.

Until next time,

Keira