Getty Images Given that I put myself through four years of undergrad English lit and two of graduate creative writing seminars, it's probably no shock that I value the ability to write well highly. But it's not just word nerds like me who insist that writing is an undersung skill that can help you get ahead no matter what career you're in. A host of business leaders and technologists have long claimed that solid writing skills are essential for advancement even in technical roles. Other experts warn bad corporate writing is a symptom of deeper strategic and cultural problems at writing, and Jeff Bezos has made long-form narrative writing the centerpiece of strategy planning at Amazon.