I personally like the approach suggested in the “Applying Sideways” blog on the MIT admissions web site. I understand that MIT is not likely to be a good fit for someone interested in “English/Creative Writing”. However, the same approach is valuable for other selective universities, and has helped family members get accepted to several very good programs at other universities.
The point is to do what is right for you, and do it very well. You should not be trying to guess what university admissions might want you to do. Instead do what is right for you.
I would not worry about the lack of awards. You will however want to make sure that you apply to at least one and preferably at least two solid safeties. In some cases these might (or might not) be more difficult to select compared to reaches since reaches are often famous schools.
Things like tutoring other students, volunteering, or working a job are good ECs, even if they do not result in an award. There are of course many other very good ECs that are not going to result in any award.
What is right for you is likely to be very different from what is right for me (and what was right for anyone else will be very different again).