Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers

27-3043.05 Zone 4 — Considerable Preparation Needed

Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.

Also known as: Author, Blog Content Writer, Blog Writer, Blogger, Children's Author, Comic Book Writer, Comic Writer, Community Blogger, ...

Annual Salary

$72,270

Median annual wage (May 2024)

$52,890 25th – 75th percentile $98,320
10th percentile $41,080
90th percentile $133,680
U.S. Employment: 47,800

Job Outlook

+3.6%

Projected growth, 2024–2034 (About average)

Annual Job Openings 13,400 per year (avg. 2024–2034)
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
On-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training

What You'd Do

  • 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.
  • Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organize material accordingly.
  • Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
  • Follow appropriate procedures to get copyrights for completed work.
  • 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.
  • Confer with clients, editors, publishers, or producers to discuss changes or revisions to written material.
  • Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
  • Attend book launches and publicity events, or conduct public readings.

Top Skills

Writing 4.8
Reading Comprehension 4.3
Speaking 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.8
Active Learning 3.8
Active Listening 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
Complex Problem Solving 3.1

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Knowledge Areas

English Language 4.7
Communications and Media 4.1
Computers and Electronics 3.4
Administrative 3.3
Sales and Marketing 3.2
Fine Arts 3.1
History and Archeology 2.8
Psychology 2.8

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level

Bachelor's
31.8%
Some College
27.3%
< High School
13.6%
High School
9.1%
Master's
9.1%
Professional
9.1%

Technology & Tools

Software and tools commonly used in this role

In-Demand Technologies

Adobe Acrobat Adobe Creative Cloud software Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop Facebook Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word WordPress

Other Tools

Apple iWork Pages Ashley Software Writer's Blocks AutoCrit Editing Wizard Bare Bones Software BBEdit Blogger Contour Storyteller Google Drive Literature & Latte Scrivener MasterWriter OpenOffice.org Power Structure Ravenshead Services WriteItNow Red Sweater MarsEdit RoughDraft ScriptPerfection Power Writer +4 more

Work Styles

Personality traits and work styles important for this career

3.0
Innovation
2.2
Intellectual Curiosity
2.1
Tolerance for Ambiguity
2.0
Achievement Orientation
1.8
Initiative
1.3
Self-Confidence
1.2
Perseverance

Key Abilities

Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role

Written Expression 4.8
Fluency of Ideas 4.3
Written Comprehension 4.1
Originality 4.1
Oral Comprehension 3.9
Near Vision 3.9
Oral Expression 3.8
Inductive Reasoning 3.4

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Activities

General types of job behaviors occurring on this job

Thinking Creatively 4.8
Getting Information 4.4
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work 4.0
Documenting/Recording Information 3.9
Working with Computers 3.9
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge 3.8
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 3.7
Developing Objectives and Strategies 3.5

Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)

Work Environment

Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work

Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
4.6
Freedom to Make Decisions
4.6
Spend Time Sitting
4.6
E-Mail
4.5
Level of Competition
4.3
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
3.8
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
3.6
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
3.5
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
3.4
Written Letters and Memos
3.3
Telephone Conversations
3.3
Time Pressure
3.2

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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.