Writers and Authors

Career Overview

Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material.

Also Known As

• Advertisement Agency Copywriter (Ad Agency Copywriter)
• Advertising Copywriter
• Copywriter
• Freelance Copywriter

Alternate Job Titles

• Advertisement Agency Copywriter (Ad Agency Copywriter)
• Advertisement Copywriter (Ad Copywriter)
• Advertisement Writer (Ad Writer)
• Advertising Associate
• Advertising Copywriter
• Advertising Specialist
• Advertising Writer
• Article Writer
• Author
• Biographer
• Blurb Writer
• Business Writer
• Communications Specialist
• Content Creator
• Content Developer

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• 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.
• Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
• Present drafts and ideas to clients.
• Discuss with the client the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy.
• Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to determine the best way to promote products.
• Write articles, bulletins, sales letters, speeches, and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• English Language
• Sales and Marketing
• Communications and Media
• Customer and Personal Service
• Computers and Electronics

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

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

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Written Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Fluency of Ideas
• Originality
• Speech Recognition
• Speech Clarity
• Near Vision
• Inductive Reasoning

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Innovation
• Achievement Orientation
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Dependability
• Initiative

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Achievement
• Support
• Working Conditions
• Relationships
• Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

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 After Effects
• Adobe Creative Cloud software
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Photoshop
• Asana
• Canva
• Facebook
• Figma

Tools & Equipment

• Copy machines
• Desktop computers
• Laptop computers
• Personal computers
• Teleconferencing equipment
• Universal serial bus USB flash drives
• Videoconferencing equipment

Work Environment

• E-Mail
• Contact With Others
• Time Pressure
• Telephone Conversations
• Frequency of Decision Making

Salary & Job Market

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.