Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers

Career Overview

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

Also Known As

• Author
• Freelance Writer
• Novelist
• Songwriter

Alternate Job Titles

• Author
• Blog Content Writer
• Blog Writer
• Blogger
• Children's Author
• Comic Book Writer
• Comic Writer
• Community Blogger
• Content Writer
• Continuity Writer
• Creative Writer
• Crossword Puzzle Maker
• Documentary Storyteller
• Dramatist
• Editorial Writer

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• 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.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• English Language
• Communications and Media

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Writing
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Speaking
4. Critical Thinking
5. Active Learning
6. Active Listening

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Written Expression
• Fluency of Ideas
• Originality
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Comprehension
• Near Vision
• Oral Expression
• Inductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning
• Information Ordering

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Innovation
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Tolerance for Ambiguity
• Achievement Orientation
• Initiative

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Achievement
• Independence
• Recognition
• Working Conditions
• Relationships

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-the-Job Training: None or short demonstration

Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

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

Tools & Equipment

• Computer laser printers
• Laser facsimile machines
• Personal computers
• Tablet computers

Work Environment

• Spend Time Sitting
• Freedom to Make Decisions
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
• E-Mail
• Level of Competition

Salary & Job Market

Wages reported for the broader Writers and Authors occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers.

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$41,080
Median	$72,270
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$133,680

Workers Employed Nationally: 47,800

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.