Writers and Authors
Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.
Also known as: Advertisement Agency Copywriter (Ad Agency Copywriter), Advertisement Copywriter (Ad Copywriter), Advertisement Writer (Ad Writer), Advertising Associate, Advertising Copywriter, Advertising Specialist, Advertising Writer, Article Writer, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (About average)
What You'd Do
- Discuss with the client the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy.
- Present drafts and ideas to clients.
- Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
- 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.
- Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.
- Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to determine the best way to promote products.
- Collaborate with other writers on specific projects.
- Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
- Consult with sales, media and marketing representatives to obtain information on product or service and discuss style and length of advertising written material.
- Edit or rewrite existing written material as necessary, and submit written material for approval by supervisor, editor, or publisher.
- Follow appropriate procedures to get copyrights for completed work.
- Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organize material accordingly.
- Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
- Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
- Work with staff to develop script, story, or advertising concepts.
- Write advertising material for use by publication, broadcast, or internet media to promote the sale of goods and services.
- Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
- Write to customers in their terms and on their level so that the script, story, or advertisement message is more readily received.
- Conduct research and interviews to determine which of a product's selling features should be promoted.
- Invent names for products and write the slogans that appear on packaging, brochures and other promotional material.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.