Writers and Authors
Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.
What it pays
Writers and Authors earn a median of $36.98/hr — about $77,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $21.31/hr; the top 10% earn $67.25/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Writers and Authors earn a median of $36.98/hr — about $77,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $21.31/hr; the top 10% earn $67.25/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information.
- Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
- Present drafts and ideas to clients.
- Discuss with the client the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy.
- Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to determine the best way to promote products.
- Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 62.9% of writers and authors are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are creative, take-charge and analytical.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Editors
- Public Relations Specialists
- Commercial and Industrial Designers
- Interior Designers
- Producers and Directors
- Technical Writers
Quick questions
- How much does a writers and author make?
- The median pay is $36.98 per hour — roughly $77,000 a year, with the real range running from about $21.31/hr (10th percentile) to $67.25/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a writers and author?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a writers and author actually do all day?
- Develop advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to determine the best way to present advertising information. Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium. Present drafts and ideas to clients.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.