Education

10 Ways a Creative Writing Course Can Benefit Your Career

Are you thinking of singing up for a creative writing course but hesitating because you aren’t sure whether it is a good career move? There are some distinct benefits to signing up for one of these courses, and not just in improved written skills. Check out this list of 10 ways a creative writing course can benefit your career.

1. It will improve your vocabulary. The language used in literature is not the same as what is commonly used in business or personal writing, which means you get to explore some new ways to express yourself. The way you speak and write does convey something about your background and your social standing, and you will want to present yourself in the best possible way when you are at work.

2. The course gives you permission to develop your creative thinking and problem-solving abilities by analyzing different writing styles and working on your own projects. This skill translates well into many career situations.

3. Part of writing involves going having your work reviewed by others. As much as no one likes having his or her “baby” taken apart, the ability to listen carefully and implement constructive criticism is an important skill.

4. You will also have the opportunity to consider your fell writers’ work as part of a creative writing program. This helps you develop your ability to evaluate your colleague’s written work and provide constructive criticism for them.

5. A creative writing course will challenge you to learn to organize your ideas and write clearly. Whether you are working on a short story, novel, play, screenplay or a children’s story, you need to make sure that the “bone” of your plot make sense and that they flow in an organized manner. This type of logical thinking translates very well into the workplace.

6. Taking the course helps improve persuasive ability. This skill is usually associated with people who work in sales, but it can benefit workers in other fields. The ability to persuade or motivate comes in very handy for those in the advertising, teaching, coaching, or communications fields. Any type of work that involves getting a message across from one person or organization to another where some type of action needs to be taken would fit into this category. Web designers would also fit into this broad career field.

7. Coming together to share and debate ideas with your classmates can only help you be a more rounded person. Any time you get the opportunity to spend time with a diverse group of people, you will come away from the experience much richer for it.

8. Seeing your words on paper translates into increased self-confidence. If you feel better about yourself, you will be willing to take on a more challenging role in your work. Writing is hard work, but if you can step up and put your thoughts out there for people to read and comment on, the challenges of your workplace don’t seem nearly as intimidating.

9. Taking the class can help you discover a new passion for writing (or rediscover an old one). You could start by taking one course and realize that your calling is to become a journalist, an educator or a lawyer. People working in all of these careers can benefit from studying creative writing at the post-secondary level. If you have ever put pen to paper and shared your thoughts in this way, it may be worth exploring your career options by taking a course to see whether your passion can translate into a way to earn a living.

10. You can meet new people who share the same interests. Since most of the job market is hidden, don’t discount the value of making contacts outside of the workplace. The person sitting near you in class or your instructor could end up being a key contact in helping you get your next job.

Are you convinced that taking a creative writing course will benefit you? These 10 tips make a good argument for signing up for a program. The skills you gain from writing, analyzing other writers’ work and interacting with your fellow students can be invaluable in helping you advance in your career.

Author bio:
Leslie Anglesey is a freelance blog writer and an editor at essay writing service. She has been a professor for more than 10 years and now works in the University of Southern California.

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