Writing is a fundamental skill in most positions and careers that aids communication and the expression of ideas and opinions. Yet those who have a particular appetite for letters and the words and phrases that they can create may find writing to be an artistically rewarding profession. Writers and authors produce original content for literary outlets, including books, magazines, web-based publications, news journals, and advertisements.

One writer is distinguished from another based on the concentration of each, and there are myriad specializations that are available in this line of work. Novelists, songwriters, poets, dramatists, technical writers, screenwriters, and biographers are merely a few of the possible specialties. Some writers, working primarily in creative fields like poetry and fiction, use their imagination as one possible impetus for their content. Most writers, including those in the creative sector, perform research to gather their material, a device which helps to lend credibility and trustworthiness to the work; this is especially important for nonfiction and journalism.

Rewriting and revision are other extremely important components of the writing process, and editors advise writers on how to set about using such techniques to improve the material. Technology has become of increasing importance to writers and their work. Word processing equipment, software publishing, the Internet, and the the power of graphics and media are now widely regarded as essential tools for writers, and even those that prefer to create material with pen and paper encounter computing at some stage in the process of writing and publishing. 

Career Specializations

• Copywriting: These writers specifically concentrate on the production of writing for the marketing industry, creating tag lines, slogans, press releases, text packaging, and the like.
• Creative Writing: Songwriters, screenwriters, poets, playwrights, and short story authors are just a few of the artistically based specializations in writing.
• Editing: Extremely experienced writers often transition into editing work, which entails the process of guiding a writer to improve material via such tools as revising; they also hold positions of authority in companies based in written material.
• Technical Writing: This specialization focuses on producing written material that is suitable for technological purposes, such as instruction writing.
• Magazine or News Journal Writing: Many salaried writers are hired by magazines or journals to regularly produce content for the publication; freelance writers may also be enlisted for services from time to time. 
• Textbook Writing: Usually, a pair or group of writers with great expertise in a particular field will partner together to produce literature used for educational means. 

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Degree Levels

• Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
• Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree: 1-2 years to complete
• Doctorate of Philosophy: 3-5 years to complete 

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Education & Certification Requirements

The education for a writer can begin well before an aspiring author's days in college. Writing is a classic component of the entire education process, and those interested in it should demonstrate a passion for grammar, vocabulary, reading, and the mechanics of writing. Advanced classes in high school can be taken to further improve writing ability. It is best for writers of any stripe to pursue a liberal arts education, in which the craft of the written world is paramount. English and journalism are common, but by no means are they the sole majors that can lead to a successful writing career. Job availability for writers is expected to improve mildly into the future. Those writers who are able to attain a salaried position for their work are frequently handsomely rewarded for their services. Freelance work, an increasingly common option for writers, is far more variable in potential pay.

The most essential degree necessary to attempt to secure a career in writing is the bachelor's degree. But before even arriving on an undergraduate campus, students should capitalize on the resources available to them in high school (and in the years before this) to improve their ability. Advanced placement classes in English language and literature can not only provide a replica of a college-like class, but also provide college credit. Writing for the local or school newspaper is another smart step. At the bachelor's educational level, on a campus that emphasizes liberal arts education, nearly any major will prompt students to significantly challenge their writing. But literature and journalism are traditionally the most intensive of majors in terms of writing demands.

Other ways for students to begin to structure writing as a profession include participating in internships with magazines and publications, and also beginning to consider the type of writing that most impassions them. Creative writers (theater, songwriting, poetry, etc.) should look for opportunities to perform or recite their work. Taking classes in fields in which a student would like to specialize is also advised. A budding art critic, for instance, should double-major or minor in art history; politics aficionados should do the same with history or political science. Writers find work by developing reputations for quality material and by consistently submitting work for publication. (BLS)

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Salary Information

Writers that can find jobs that offer a salary, such as magazines or other periodicals, enjoy satisfying pay. Newcomers to an organization can expect to bring in just under $30,000 annually for their work. As they advance up the ranks, this figure improves to close to $50,000; top writers make an average of more than $75,000 per annum. Freelance work is becoming a more frequently enjoyed option for writers, but figures on exact salary totals are not retrievable, due to the variable nature of the work. (BLS)

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Job Outlook

Employment for writers and authors will improve into the future, albeit only slightly. Estimates predict a slim eight percent growth in the number of jobs by the year 2018. Competition in the writing world is historically fierce. Those who prove successful typically demonstrate a facility with technology and new media. Networking is also important in this field, and participation in internships and prestigious writing programs can help improve a writer's base of contacts from which a position may emerge. (BLS)

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Related Careers

Teaching, both in higher education and secondary education, and writing are extremely linked fields and disciplines. Great writers are definitely natural fits to take up positions as instructors of English composition and literature. The variable and financially erratic nature of writing has encouraged many to take up positions as professors or teachers to supplement their income. The teaching process has also been cited as an excellent means to improve a writer's relationship with words and what they can do.

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