Arts, Design, Media & Sports
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
Also called: Author, Creative Writer, Fiction Writer, Freelance Writer
US median pay
$76,910
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-0.3%
declining
Openings a year (US)
11,900
140,300 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.
What they do day to day
- Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
- Develop factors such as themes, plots, characterizations, psychological analyses, historical environments, action, and dialogue to create material.
- Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
- Choose subject matter and suitable form to express personal feelings and experiences or ideas, or to narrate stories or events.
- Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
- Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
- Confer with clients, editors, publishers, or producers to discuss changes or revisions to written material.
- Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organize material accordingly.
- Follow appropriate procedures to get copyrights for completed work.
- Attend book launches and publicity events, or conduct public readings.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.2/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Time Management2.8/5
- Persuasion2.8/5
- Coordination2.8/5
- Service Orientation2.5/5
- Negotiation2.4/5
Knowledge
- English Language4.7/5
- Communications and Media4.0/5
- Computers and Electronics3.4/5
- Administrative3.3/5
- Sales and Marketing3.2/5
- Fine Arts3.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree32%
- Some college27%
- Less than high school14%
Who this job suits
Mostly Artistic
Creating, designing and self-expression
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.