What do they do?
Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.
Also known as:
Book Author, Children's Book Author, Creative Writer, Fiction Author, Freelance Writer, Librettist, Lyricist, Novelist, Poet, Songwriter, Writer
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Ranks #56 in job growth rate290Job Openings
Ranks #21 in net job growth
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- Bachelor's degree (49%)
- Master's degree (27%)
- Some college, no degree (8%)
- Doctorate or Professional Degree (8%)
- High school diploma equivalent (4%)
- Associate's degree (3%)
- Less than high school diploma (1%)
Most Popular Majors that prepare Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
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#1
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Degrees Granted
4,716
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Female Students
2,890
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Male Students
1,826
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Median Starting Salary
$40,000
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#2
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Degrees Granted
537
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Female Students
307
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Male Students
230
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Median Starting Salary
$40,700
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#3
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Degrees Granted
241
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Female Students
124
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Male Students
117
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Median Starting Salary
$40,000
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#4
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Degrees Granted
153
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Female Students
99
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Male Students
54
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Median Starting Salary
$38,900
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#5
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Degrees Granted
73
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Female Students
35
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Male Students
38
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Median Starting Salary
$40,406
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People in this career often have these skills:
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
People in this career often know a lot about:
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
People in this career often have talent in:
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
People in this career often do these activities:
- Write material for artistic or entertainment purposes.
- Edit written materials.
- Discuss production content and progress with others.
- Determine presentation subjects or content.
- Conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work.
- Coordinate artistic activities.
- Obtain copyrights or other legal permissions.
- Promote products, activities, or organizations.
- Collaborate with others to prepare or perform artistic productions.
- Train others on work processes.
This page includes data from:
Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database
by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA
Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics
Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development
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