We’re living in a creator economy. So having the right skills to stand out is essential. Welcome to my take on the top creative skills to learn this decade.
These are things that I’m personally working on (or using already) and I often see them pop up in podcasts and content from industry leaders.
So whether you’re a fellow creative with an entrepreneurial focus or just looking to get ahead in your career, this post should help guide you in the right direction.
But let’s wrap up the chit chat – let’s get to it.
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What Are Creative Skills?
Creativity is both a hard and a soft skill – it’s something that can be learned and strengthened.
And part of becoming more creative is learning the right skills.
Creative skills are abilities, knowledge or expertise that allow you to approach and solve problems or projects in expressive, artistic or different ways.
I like to split up creative skills into two main categories:
Creative hard skills (the technical, know-how skills)
Creative soft skills (like mindset or learning how to ignore the haters)
Most of the skills in this list are technical and tangible.
But I did include one core creative soft skill as the last item on this list.
It’s something that’s had a monumental impact on my own creative growth, successes and experience.
So let’s jump in and explore my list of the top creative skills to know.
10 Creative Skills to Learn This Year (in no particular order)
This is my list of the top creative things to learn online (or in person).
All of these skills can be acquired for little to no cost (leveraging online courses, YouTube and other free education resources).
So please enjoy, and good luck in your creative journey.
1. AI
AI…the internet’s abuzz!
According to a report by Microsoft, over 80% of global leaders will need employees with AI skills. So learning how to use this technology is a smart move.
As you likely know, the first to really hit the scene was ChatGPT by OpenAI.
But everyday there are new tools, tips and applications coming out. It’s quickly becoming the new skill on the block.
It’s something that will influence every industry and rank. And I see it as a creative skill as much as a technical one.
Learning how to amplify your creativity and efficiency will set you apart from the crowd.
So here are some awesome AI skills worth building:
AI integrations (such as adding an AI chatbot to your website)
AI enhanced writing and brainstorming
Using AI for video creation and editing
AI in social media and content strategy
Creating and/or using AI in art
If you’re looking for a place to condense all the latest in AI, I use The Rundown newsletter.
They condense all the latest news, trends and tools to know in this AI revolution.
I read it daily and then transfer all the most relevant tools and topics to a separate personal document for my own brand and goals.
2. Not Caring
Creativity is better when you don’t care.
This means you’re making things more genuine and more authentic. It’s a soft skill and people resonate with this type of content way more.
So here are some tips to boost your creativity by caring less:
Use your intuition more
Stop chasing metrics
Don’t create for money
Be patient and don’t rush ideas
Manage your creative expectations
Don’t get hung up on “results”
Stay process-oriented
3. Video
Video is an awesome modern creative skill.
From travel filmmaking, vlogs and YouTube content to short-form social media clips, learning video is a hot skill to know.
According to recent data, 91% of businesses use video for marketing and over 70% of consumers prefer short-form video content.
So if you’re looking to hone a creative skill or two, you may want to put video creation at the top of that list.
Creating great short-form videos with memorable hooks and shareworthy content takes practice.
But you don’t need to be an expert with a camera or a pro with complex software.
We have powerful editing tools like CapCut and smartphones that mimic pro equipment. Turning your ideas into engaging content is just a few steps away.
Although, I would recommend studying the basics (like composition, frame rates and transitions). From here, just focus on output and quantity (quality comes later).
With the growing demand and popularity for video-based content and platforms, knowing how to create and edit a high-quality video is invaluable.
(I’d also throw in learning how to talk to a camera as a key video skill)
4. Using Creative Software
Knowing your way around software is a high-value skill.
And understanding even just one platform (whether it's a video editing platform, Photoshop or some other tool) will give you a ton of transferable skills.
A lot of the features, navigation and language resemble each other, which greatly reduces the friction when moving from one tool to the next.
Here are a few creative softwares that I’m using right now (which offer a lot of skill overlap):
Adobe Premiere Pro (for video editing)
Logic Pro X (for music production)
Photoshop (for image editing)
These are all more professional platforms.
But there are simpler, more stripped down versions (which can be helpful if you’re just starting out and prefer stepping stones).
For example, these are simpler tools for beginners:
CapCut or InShot (for video)
GarageBand or BandLab (for music)
Canva or Adobe Express (for design and images)
5. Design + Website UX
Understanding the basics of design, website building and UX are clutch skills to have in this modern world.
Actually, design is a skill that applies to a lot of the other skills on this list (i.e., making quality social media posts, photography or building a personal brand).
But design is especially important in knowing how to build out a beautiful website with great UX (user experience).
Luckily, you don’t need to know any coding or advanced backend programming to create a great looking website.
All you need is a website building platform, a creative vision and some intentional design skills.
6. Writing
Writing is a skill that’s part of nearly every marketing, branding and social media strategy.
It’s the ability to tell a story, capture (and keep) attention and create memorable content.
Here are some ways to use writing in your creativity:
Starting a blog
Scripting a YouTube video
Planning a podcast
Crafting offers and sales pitches
Copywriting social posts
Newsletter writing
Sending DMs or emails
Creative communication
Recommended: Reasons You Should Start Writing
7. Social Media
Knowing how to manage and grow a social media account is one of the most sought-after creative skills these days.
It’s the cat’s pajamas.
Whether it’s YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or Pinterest, growing an audience on social media is a high-leverage skill.
Here are some of the creative responsibilities involved in social media:
Copywriting
Captioning
Creating share-worthy graphics, images and photos
Creating engaging and attention-grabbing short-form videos
Profile layout design
Post topics and ideation
Recommended: Vlog vs. Blog vs. Social Media (how to choose)
8. Digital Marketing
Growing up, when I heard the word marketing or business, I always pictured suits, ties and financial markets.
And while that may be true to some extent, the trend of the modern entrepreneur has redefined things for me.
We are in the creator economy. We are creative entrepreneurs – and digital marketing is more of a creative, tech-savvy pursuit than ever before.
Digital marketing uses technology and the internet to communicate with customers, promote products and services or build brand awareness. Some examples of digital marketing include:
SEO (search engine optimization)
Content marketing
Social media marketing
Email marketing
Affiliate marketing
Mobile marketing
Of course, some facets, stages and types of digital marketing are more creative than others.
But great marketers are often adept at a variety of the skills on this list (from copywriting and campaign ideation to video or image editing).
9. Storytelling
The ability to hook a reader and keep their attention with emotionally compelling content is a high-quality skill.
And short-form content trends require this be done at hyper speed.
This is a skill in understanding who your audience is, what their problems or pain points are and how you can provide them with the solution.
It’s the art of making the viewer (or reader) feel inspired and motivated. It’s storytelling, which is relevant for anyone interested in building a personal brand online (which I recommend).
It’s a creative process and requires some self reflection, testing and patience. Writing was a great starting point for me (for example, blogging, journaling or video scripting).
Getting good at capturing an audience’s attention with emotionally relevant content and context is a desirable, highly in-demand creative skill of the future.
10. Creative Thinking
All of these skills so far have led us up to this exact moment.
Because there is really one core skill that every other creative skill hinges upon.
This is the skill of creative thinking.
Creative thinking is a soft skill. It’s the ability to approach problems and projects with an artistic mindset. It’s the confidence to express yourself creatively.
Trying new things, testing, tinkering and having a playful mindset is essential. There are tons of new tools and trends coming out — and this can get pretty overwhelming.
But approaching things from the perspective of “let’s just have fun and make stuff — no judgment here” is incredibly powerful.
Cultivating a creative mindset is a skill that you can apply to literally anything.
It’s relevant for problem solving, reframing tasks at work and becoming more competitive in your field.
So if you’re not sure where to start on the technical skill side of things, I’d recommend starting with mindset, outside-the-box-thinking practice and simply becoming more aware.
When a problem comes up, approach it with a creative curiosity and try to just have fun.
Because it’s the skill that will ultimately take you to wherever it is you want to go.
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