Creative Writer CV Example for 2026

Use a clean, text-based CV in reverse-chronological order, usually no longer than two pages. Put your contact details and a prominent portfolio link at the top, followed by a two-to-three-sentence personal statement, experience, selected work, skills, education and relevant extras. The CV itself is a writing sample, so awkward phrasing or inconsistent tense will count against you.

Keep descriptions direct. For each role, show what you wrote, who it was for and what happened after publication. CMS, analytics and style-guide experience can be useful when the vacancy calls for them, but a bare list is less convincing than proof in context. Tailor the order and wording to the brief, and proofread every line for voice, tense and factual accuracy.

Treat each experience bullet as a compact piece of evidence. Start with a decisive verb, identify the assignment and its scale, then finish with a result: "Wrote 24 product stories for a seasonal campaign, contributing to a 16% rise in visits to featured pages." This is stronger than "Responsible for writing product stories" because the reader can see the output and outcome.

Creative-writing results are not limited to sales. Useful measures may include commissioned pieces, readership, completion rates, engagement, approved drafts, turnaround time, repeat briefs or reductions in editing rounds. Choose the measure that genuinely reflects the assignment. If performance data was shared across a team, describe your contribution accurately rather than claiming the whole result.

Good verbs include wrote, developed, researched, structured, scripted, edited, proofread, adapted, repurposed, pitched and revised. Pick the precise verb rather than dressing routine work up as strategy. Creative writers commonly research content ideas, prepare outlines or synopses, check facts, maintain a logical flow and revise drafts after client, publisher or editor feedback. They may also adapt existing material for other channels and review published-content performance before making changes.

Show collaboration through the deliverable: "Worked with two designers and an illustrator to produce a 32-page digital guide, delivered three days before launch." That says more than "excellent team player". Keep every number defensible, preserve client confidentiality and use the same tense across bullets for the same role.

In the UK, there are no set requirements to become a writer. That makes the quality and relevance of your evidence especially important: present your highest or most useful education clearly, then let selected work and experience carry the argument.

Some employers may prefer five GCSEs (grades A* to C), A-levels or an undergraduate degree. These are employer preferences, not universal entry conditions. List qualifications in reverse-chronological order with the institution, subject and completion year. If a course produced a strong relevant project, add one short line about the format, audience or assessed outcome; avoid filling the section with module lists.

For screenwriting, there are no set qualifications in the UK, and a qualification may be in any subject. Freelance writers should judge whether a specific course or training is needed only after choosing their type of writing; a qualification may likewise be in any subject. State that specialism clearly when training is relevant, rather than implying that one route covers every kind of freelance work.

Do not add a generic certifications block simply to occupy space. Include short courses only when they match the work sought and you can name them accurately. Place recent, relevant training beneath education; older or peripheral study can be shortened. Never imply that an optional route is compulsory, and do not conceal dates to make training look newer than it is.