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Career Details

27-3043.00 - Writers and Authors


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


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
136,500
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
139,700
Estimate
Change in Employment
+3,100
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+2.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Review advertising trends, consumer surveys, and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to determine the best way to promote products.
Generic
  • 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.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 English Language
  • 95%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Communications and Media
  • 88%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
 Sales and Marketing
  • 81%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 70%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 61%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Administration and Management
  • 56%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Clerical
  • 51%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Telecommunications
  • 51%
    Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Removable storage media
  • Universal serial bus USB flash drives
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Content management software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AcrobatHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AfterEffectsHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative CloudHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver
  • Adobe Systems Adobe IllustratorHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesignHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Persuasion
  • Adobe Systems Adobe PhotoshopHOT
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Premiere Pro
  • Apple Final Cut Pro
  • Apple Final Cut Pro X
  • Avid Technology Media Composer
  • Campaign Monitor
  • Corel Presentation
  • FacebookHOT
  • Flipgrid
  • Google DocsHOT
  • Google Slides
  • Kapwing
  • LinkedInHOT
  • Loom
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Quark Xpress
  • Social media sitesHOT
  • WordPress
  • YouTubeHOT
 Data management and query software
  • Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge
  • FileMaker Pro
  • Google AnalyticsHOT
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
  • MySQLHOT
 Development software
  • DrupalHOT
  • Hypertext markup language HTMLHOT
  • PHP: Hypertext preprocessorHOT
 Business function specific software
  • Google AdWordsHOT
  • Google DriveHOT
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
  • Microsoft SharePointHOT
 Information exchange software
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
  • SendGrid
  • Twitter
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific certifications are listed for this career
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Laurel Ridge Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Wytheville Community College