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Last updated on Aug 13, 2021

20 Creative Writing Jobs for Graduates (+ Entry-Level Positions)

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Linnea Gradin

The editor-in-chief of the Reedsy Freelancer blog, Linnea is a writer and marketer with a degree from the University of Cambridge. Her focus is to provide aspiring editors and book designers with the resources to further their careers.

Being passionate about creative writing hasn’t always been associated with a stable career path, but that’s not to say that there aren’t any opportunities out there to bring well-written stories into your job. In fact, we’re here to talk about 20 different creative writing jobs — 20 professions that let the storyteller in you shine! We’ll discuss the industries, entry level jobs, and potential income for each job below. 

When it comes to creative writing, the first thing that pops up in our mind is books! While writing is the obvious option (and we’ll cover that later on in the post), most writers choose to work in one of the following positions in the publishing industry to gain financial stability first. 

❗ Note: The “per book” rates below are made with 50,000-60,000 word manuscripts in mind. 

1. Ghostwriter 

👨🏽‍💼 Entry level positions: freelance writer, ghostwriter, editorial assistant 

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $2,000-$9,000 per book or $0.10-$0.15 per word

If you’re all about creative writing but you’d prefer an upfront payment for your words, then ghostwriting is the job for you! Here’s how it works: an author hires you to help them write their story. It could (and usually is) a memoir or an autobiography which the author doesn't have the time or skills to write themselves. Fiction authors also sometimes use ghostwriters to help them write sequels and satisfy popular demands. 

Ghostwriters are freelancers, so you can start by getting some freelance writing gigs. As a beginner, you might start with short-form projects like articles, white papers, website content. Here are some resources, complete with tips from experienced professionals, that might be helpful:

• How to Start Freelance Writing ( Read here )
• How to Become a Ghostwriter ( Read here )
• How Much Do Ghostwriters Make? ( Read here )

👩🏻‍💼 Entry level positions: editorial assistant

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $25,000-$30,000 per year or $800-$1,000 per book

Writing is actually not all there is to creative writing jobs — if you really love stories and are always finding ways to make a story better, then editing is a suitable profession for you. There are many types of editors: some, like development editors, work more on the plot and theme of the book, and others, like copy editors,  specialize on its language and style . 

Editorial assistant jobs are the common first steps to this career path. Entry-level positions are quite competitive in publishing, so you’ll likely need a relevant degree (English Literature, MFA, etc.) to get the job. 

Freelancing, as always, is an option, but it can be quite difficult to get clients if you start without any editing experience. Oftentimes, editors start working in-house and later transition to freelance . 

Below are some more resources for you if you want to pursue this career path:

• How to Become an Editor: A Guide for Beginners ( Read here )
• Copyediting Certificates: Do You Need One and Where to Get It? ( Read here )
• Editor Salary: Can Your Skills Pay the Bills? ( Read here )
• Working in Publishing: An Insider's Guide ( Read here )

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3. Proofreader

👨🏼‍💼 Entry level positions: freelance proofreader

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $20-$30 per hour or $550-$650 per book 

Proofreading comes after editing — the proofreader reads the manuscript one final time, after all the revisions are made, to see if any spelling and grammatical errors are missed out. They’re incredibly crucial to the production of a spotless book, so there’s never a shortage of proofreading work opportunities . 

This task is often done on a freelance basis, either by full-time freelancers or by editors who want to take on side jobs. You can specialize in proofreading alone, though most professionals will combine editing and proofreading crafts for better income. As a beginner, opportunities for short-form projects will often be more accessible — stay open-minded about taking them up, but also do some proofreading training to prepare for more exciting gigs. 

We’ve also got some resources for this topic for you to check out:

• How to Become a Proofreader: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide ( Read here )
• How to Choose Your Proofreading Rates ( Read here )

There’s more to journalism than just breaking news on CNN, which means there’s plenty of space for the creative writer in you to flourish in this industry! Let’s take a look at a couple of options you can consider. 

4. Columnist 

👩🏽‍💼 Entry level positions: fellowships, junior writer/columnist, freelance writer

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $25,000-$35,000 per year or $100-$300 per piece 

If you like creative nonfiction , you probably have already considered becoming a columnist. In fact, you can even be a books columnist! Job options range from book-specific sites like Electric Literature or Literary Hub, to prestigious newspapers like The Guardian or The New Yorker. But that’s not necessarily the only thing you can write about! You can become a columnist in just about any topic, from social issues to entertainment, as long as you’re interested in the niche. 

Look out for fellowships and junior writing jobs in newspapers and magazines and get ready to apply! A degree in relevant subjects like Journalism or English Literature is a great advantage, though your ability to follow up on leads, conduct thorough research, and keep up with the latest trends in a certain niche will be carefully assessed. You can also be a contributing writer first to forge a relationship with the editors before going after a full-time position. 

👨🏻‍💼 Entry level positions: junior writer, freelance writer

There’s a fine line between a critic and a columnist: critics are usually more academically inclined, and they often work more on the arts than columnists. Columnists cover social issues, sports, entertainment in their more general sense, while critics while home in on a particular piece of art, literature, theatre, or movie to offer expert assessment of it. 

Similar to the columnists, you can begin with junior writing positions and freelance gigs, in which you build up a writing portfolio of relevant work . Ideally, critics will be more savvy to the technicalities of whatever subject you critique — be it filmography or literature. In other words, formal training like a bachelor’s degree is a good launch pad. 

6. News journalist 

👩🏼‍💼 Entry level positions: staff writer/journalist

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $30,000-$35,000 per year 

Writing news articles is different from the writing column pieces: a journalist must maintain an impartial voice and be succinct. Moreover, you’re always looking out for the latest story, whether on social media or on the street (which is where your love for creative writing can come in). 

The most common way to get into news journalism is to get a salaried position. You can also apply to internships as well, and there are compensated ones to look out for. What you will need is a degree and some journalist training so that you can use shorthand, know what makes a good story, and know what sources to chase, among other things. 

7. Investigative journalist 

👨🏽‍💼 Entry level positions: staff writer/journalist

And what if you’re a fan of true crime ? You might find yourself drawn to investigative journalism! You can chase the tail of anything under the sun, from kidnappings to factory production, from local to international events, so long as there’s an uncovered story there. The topic will often be assigned to you by an editor, and you’ll be given some time to collect information and write the article. It’s a slower pace than daily news, but it’s thrilling nonetheless. 

Similar to the news path, you’ll likely start off with an internship or a junior writing position. With this job opportunity, you can build a portfolio that demonstrates your ability to peel back the layers of the onion to reveal new insights to a matter. Again, a degree and training in journalism are essential. 

Copywriting

Copywriting is writing to sell a product or service, and it could be anything from newsletter emails to slogans to even commercial scripts! There’s definitely a creative element to it, as you’re always looking for a unique and memorable way to capture the attention of consumers. And since it's so rooted in consumption culture, copywriting is definitely a writing career that's in demand!

Below are several types of copywriting jobs you can go into. 

8. Technical copywriter

👩🏻‍💼 Entry level positions: technical writer, freelance writer

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $32,000-$38,000 per year 

A technical writer works on instructional materials for manuals, white papers, and other informative pieces of writing. A technical copywriter combines that level of specialty with marketing tactics, thereby focusing on promoting products and services that are a bit more, well, technical. Think electronic companies, software developers, repair and maintenance services. 

Ideally, you’d have some education or experience in technical sectors (i.e. IT, engineering, finance). That way, you won’t take too much time to familiarize yourself with the jargon, and employers are more likely to hire you. You can also begin with technical writing, if you don’t mind working on material that’s a bit less creative. 

9. Advertising copywriter

👨🏼‍💼 Entry level positions: junior copywriter, communications copywriter

For a more creative writing job, you can go for advertising. This often involves a lot of brainstorming with the creative team of your agency to come up with advertisement campaigns that will leave a mark. When working on this you can write all kinds of content, from slogans to image copies to web content. 

Having a bachelor’s degree in marketing or an essay-based discipline is usually beneficial if you’re looking for this kind of job. You can work for a big brand, which will constantly be needing new content, or you can work for a marketing agency, tailoring your work to every client. 

10. PR copywriter

👩🏽‍💼 Entry level positions: junior copywriter

Public relations (PR) is, simply put, the art of building a good reputation, whether that’s for an individual or a brand. You’ll work on press releases, report and presentation writing, material for internal and external communications to present your client’s motivation and direction. 

For this kind of job, the precision of your language and your ability to stay up to date with the competitors will be important. A degree in communications or business administration are a plus point. And as is often the case in most writing jobs, the ability to find the human story behind everything will be your best tool. 

Content Marketing

Nowadays, traditional marketing on TV, billboards, and posters are only a part of the industry, the other is all about online content. And with so many things zooming about on the Internet, every company will be looking for the most creative person to help them stand out. Which means you get plenty of opportunities to be imaginative, working on website content, blog posts, social media posts, and even videos.

11. Social media manager 

👨🏻‍💼 Entry level positions: assistant/junior/freelance social media specialist

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $20-$30 per hour or $30,000-$35,000 per year 

With our evermore online world, social media-related jobs definitely is a writing career that's in demand. So many things can happen on social media — you might very well go viral overnight! The challenge is getting there. As a social media manager, you get to be the voice of the company, interacting with customers in a friendly, casual way, while also learning their habits and preferences so that you and others on your team can better engage with them. 

This is a relatively hands-on job, so experience running a public social media account is the best thing you can have on your CV. A degree in communications can be beneficial, though many job postings don’t require anything specific.

12. Blogger

👩🏼‍💼 Entry level positions: blogger, freelance writer

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $0.10-$0.15 per word

Blogging is probably something you’re familiar with as a writer — but do you know it can earn you a good penny? By focusing on a specific subject (it can be books , technology, fashion, the freelance life, etc.), you can attract companies who are looking to strengthen their brand awareness and will sponsor you. It’ll take time to build an attractive platform, but it’s definitely possible. 

Beyond that, you can write for others as well. There are plenty of websites that promote creative writing jobs all over, so you can sift through them for the suitable ones. No degree requirements for this job, just your skill with a (proverbial) quill! 

13. Content creator 

👨🏽‍💼 Entry level positions: content marketer

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $27,000-$34,000 per year 

If you’re happy to do a bit of everything, then apply to become a content creator. You’ll also get to collaborate with a team to come up with an overall strategy in this position.

You can work for all kinds of companies in this career. A bachelor’s degree in Marketing, English, Communications are highly relevant, though adjacent, essay-based subjects tend to do the job, too. Brushing up on search engine optimization (SEO) is also wise. 

Pop culture, the latest rumors and gossip, interesting observations served on a pretty platter — if any of that sounds interesting to you, you can jump into the media industry. Here are some job options if you want to take this route. 

14. Screenwriter

👩🏻‍💼 Entry level positions: assistant/associate writer

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $20-$30 per hour or $9,000-$15,000 per project 

Everyone of us has probably at one point or another thought about entering the film and TV industry, and that career goal is definitely achievable, if you know where to look. A lot of people start with assistant positions to learn the ropes and get an opportunity to work on bigger productions. If you prefer to write from the get-go, you can go for lower-budget projects. 

To get one of the assistant positions and put yourself out there, touch up on craft skills like plotting, story structures , character-building to be prepared. No qualifications are specified in most cases. 

15. Broadcast journalist 

👨🏼‍💼 Entry level positions: staff writer

We’ve covered written news — now comes broadcast news. From televised reports to radio sessions, you can be the writer behind the words that reporters or presenters read out. It’s a fast-paced job that deals with the latest real-life stories, which can be incredibly rewarding, even if it’s not explicitly creative. 

Many broadcast journalists work project by project (unless it’s periodical news), almost like a freelancer. You’ll still need to have all the skills necessary to put together a good news story, so some journalist training will be beneficial. 

16. Podcaster 

👩🏻‍💼 Entry level positions: assistant/associate writer or producer 

💰 Potential beginner’s earning: $18-$25 per hour, or $26,000-$32,000 per year 

Along the same lines as a broadcast journalist is the job of a podcaster. This is a bit more topical than journalism, and you can really home into certain fields and explore it in depth. Another special thing about podcasters is they usually host the shows, too! So if you’re confident about your voice, and about interviewing others, there’s no reason not to try this out. 

As with screenwriting, the route to get into this sector can be a little bit challenging, since it’s often a case of catching an opportunity from the right people at the right time. Which is why assistant jobs are a strong start. 

And finally, we arrive at the section that hopeful writers often dream about more than anything else. Getting your book out in the world is not easy, it requires not just time and effort but also finances, if only to keep you afloat while completing the manuscript. That said, it’s possible to do it on the side with another full-time job, as is the case for most published writers. 

The cool thing about this career is that you are your own boss — i.e. there are no entry level positions. You are an author the day you call yourself one. 

17. Short story writer

Short stories are charming in their own right, and with the booming literary magazine sphere , there’s no shortage of space to get your words out there into the world. Publishing an anthology with a publisher is also an option but it’s harder — you often need to have an established career first. 

In any case, most magazines aim to have enough funds to pay their contributors. Small ones can pay $15-$20 per story, bigger ones $100-$200. You can also enter writing contests to win higher prizes .

18. Novelist 

Being a novelist comes with the difficulty of having the time and finances to write a full draft before you can propose it to publishers, or even publish it yourself. It’s a long commitment, and it doesn’t guarantee a payoff. If it does get printed, a book deal can get you an advance in the $5,000-$15,000 range. If you self-publish, what you get depends on how well you market your books — emphasis on the plural noun!

That said, it’s not impossible. We’ve got a whole post on how to become a novelist here if you want some pointers from famous writers like Anne Lamott and Zadie Smith! Read it here .

19. Nonfiction author 

Who says creative writing jobs have to be all about fiction? Creative nonfiction is a growing field that’s always welcoming new stories. From memoirs and biographies to true crime, from self-help to essay collections, you can focus on many different topics with this option. 

The nice thing about it all is that unlike fiction writers, you can pitch your book to publishers before you complete a whole manuscript for nonfiction titles, meaning you can be guaranteed some kind of results before you start writing. The advance amount is similar to that for novels.

And last but not least, you can become a poet! Poets tell stories with rhythm and rich imagery, and not just on paper but also with their voice. Performing poetry is one of the special advantages that comes with this form of writing. Not only does it let you and the audience experience in a new way, it’s also a great opportunity to grow as an artist. 

On top of that, you can also dabble in other industries (advertising, music producers…) as a lyricist. As it’s a gig-based employment, you probably want to diversify your work portfolio to make sure there’s always something you can work on. The rates are usually similar to that of a ghostwriter.

And voila, that’s the end to our master list of creative writing jobs! Hopefully, there’s something to help you passion live on among this many options.

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Earning A Creative Writing Degree: All About A Bachelor’s In Creative Writing

Updated: Aug 24, 2023, 11:05am

When thinking about creative writing, you may recall Emily Dickinson writing evocative poems, Nicholas Sparks penning love stories or Ernest Hemingway tapping away on an old typewriter. While these are all creative writers at work, not all professionals in the field are authors; there are other career options for you if you love writing and want to make it your career.

Though not always required, many writing jobs call for a bachelor’s degree. From writing novels to reporting news stories, a creative writing degree equips you with strong writing and communication skills to prepare you for a fulfilling, imaginative career.

This article discusses bachelor’s degrees in creative writing, admission requirements, common courses and job options. Read on to learn how a creative writing degree prepares you for a writing career.

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What Is a Creative Writing Degree?

A creative writing degree teaches you the techniques behind many writing projects, including fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, biographies and poems.

A bachelor’s degree in creative writing focuses on the principles of effective storytelling, writing for different genres and developing believable characters. You hone essential skills through giving and receiving feedback from peers and instructors, preparing you for many jobs requiring strong writing skills.

A bachelor’s degree in creative writing requires about 120 credits and takes four years of full-time study to complete. Accelerated programs may take less time.

Admission requirements for a bachelor’s in creative writing typically align with the university’s general admission requirements and include a completed application, transcripts from previous coursework and English proficiency. Because each school is different, these requirements may vary.

Specializations for Creative Writing Majors

Many creative writing programs offer areas of concentration, which allow you to focus your studies. Offerings vary by program, but below are a few typical specializations for students pursuing creative writing degrees.

This concentration covers all aspects of fiction writing, including character development, storytelling, plot development, narrative voice, various genres, publishing techniques and the mechanics of fiction writing. It prepares you to write engaging stories and bring them to life.

A nonfiction concentration allows you to explore many types of nonfiction writing, including autobiography, travel writing and magazine writing. It also touches on publishing technologies and teaches you how to use research and reflection to create stories that resonate with readers.

With a poetry concentration, you learn to tap into your imagination to write work that creates engaging imagery and inspires others. Coursework includes poetry writing workshops where you and other students share your work for feedback and support.

Screenwriting

A screenwriting concentration prepares you to write for Hollywood productions, such as television shows, documentaries, short films and movies. With this concentration, you learn about story structure, character development and visual storytelling.

Common Courses in a Creative Writing Degree

Introduction to creative writing.

This course covers the essential mechanics of creative writing, such as point of view, setting, dialogue, imagery, scene development and characterization. As a student in this class, you can expect to read and critique your peers’ work and get feedback on your own.

Writing with Digital Media

Since digital media has become an essential medium for disseminating information, no creative writing program would be complete without a digital media course. This course covers writing and publishing across digital media formats and how to use audience, purpose and context in your writing.

Introduction to Screen and TV Writing

If you are interested in working as a screenwriter for films or television, this course helps get you started. It provides an overview of narrative screenwriting, the history and development of screenwriting, and storytelling principles used in writing for film and television.

Introduction to the Writing of Creative Nonfiction

Creative writing students need to know how to write both nonfiction and fiction. In this course, you learn the mechanics of writing original nonfiction while reading and studying contemporary nonfiction.

Fiction Writing Workshop

In this course, students explore writing different types of fiction pieces. They then share their work with each other and engage in discussion and group commentary.

Creative Writing Degree vs. English Degree: What’s the Difference?

While there are overlapping subjects in the English and creative writing disciplines, these degrees are a bit different.

An English bachelor’s degree focuses on both writing and literary studies. In this major, learners study various types of writing, such as creative, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, digital and professional writing. They also explore literature and build analytical, editorial and cultural literacy skills. It’s common for programs to offer English concentrations such as literature or creative writing.

A creative writing degree more narrowly hones students’ writing skills rather than focusing on literary subjects. This degree prepares learners for careers as screenwriters, novelists, journalists, poets and other writing professionals.

If you know you want to work in a creative writing career , a creative writing degree may be a good fit. If you prefer a broader degree that includes a more in-depth study of literature and literary theory in addition to writing, an English degree may be a better option.

What Can You Do With a Creative Writing Degree?

Below are a few popular jobs you can pursue with a creative writing degree. We sourced salary data for this section from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Payscale .

Writer or Author

Median Annual Salary: $73,150 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree; high school diploma sometimes acceptable Job Overview: The roles of authors and writers vary depending on the type of writing they do. They may write content for various mediums, such as books, magazines, advertisements, blogs, films, television programs, biographies or speeches. Writers often work closely with editors, advertising agencies and other stakeholders to create pieces for print or digital publication. Some writers are freelancers who work with multiple clients.

Median Annual Salary: $73,080 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree Job Overview: Editors review and revise written content to ensure clarity, concision and accuracy. They must have excellent grammar and proofreading skills. These professionals may also plan and develop story ideas and collaborate with writers to ensure high-quality final products. Editors often work for magazines, book publishers, advertising firms and television broadcasters.

Median Annual Salary: $55,960 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field Job Overview: Journalists write stories about current events and newsworthy issues to inform the public. Successful journalists have strong interviewing and investigative skills. They may work for broadcast news organizations, newspapers, magazines, or other print or digital publications. Some journalists are freelancers who write for multiple publications, and some work as columnists, news anchors or news correspondents.

Average Annual Salary: Around $57,300 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree; high school diploma sometimes acceptable Job Overview: Copywriters are persuasive marketing writers who craft copy that advertises or encourages readers to take a specific action, such as purchasing a product or signing up for a newsletter. These professionals often write advertisements, company slogans or taglines, website copy and marketing emails. Copywriters commonly work for advertising agencies or marketing departments; some are freelancers.

Screenwriter

Average Annual Salary: Around $71,000 Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree; high school diploma sometimes acceptable Job Overview: Screenwriters , sometimes called script writers, write, revise and test scripts for television shows, commercials and films. These scripts may be original stories or stories based on books. Screenwriters need a firm grasp of dialogue and character development.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About a Creative Writing Degree

How many years does it take to get a creative writing degree.

A bachelor’s in creative writing typically requires 120 credits and takes four years to complete. Your degree may take longer if you study part time, and accelerated programs may allow you to complete your degree faster.

How much do creative writers make?

Salaries for creative writers vary drastically depending on their job title. For example, a best-selling author earns much more than a small-town newspaper journalist. According to the BLS, writers made a median annual salary of $73,150 as of May 2022.

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Sheryl Grey is a freelance writer who specializes in creating content related to education, aging and senior living, and real estate. She is also a copywriter who helps businesses grow through expert website copywriting, branding and content creation. Sheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Indiana University South Bend, and she received her teacher certification training through Bethel University’s Transition to Teaching program.

Is a Creative Writing Degree Worth It? Let’s Get Into It.

In my day—by which I mean the early 2000s—a creative writing degree was considered one of the less practical academic pursuits, only a little more reasonable than a philosophy degree and a theatre arts degree (which, incidentally, is what I have).

These days, we have a bit more appreciation for what a person can do with some well-rounded creative writing skills. Such a person can write novels and poetry, sure, but they can also compose speeches for politicians, create written content to refresh a major corporation’s brand, and craft compelling ad copy.

There’s no question about it. Creative writing is a skill that earns , depending on how you use it.

But as is the case in a lot of modern industries, we’re starting to see that a degree doesn’t carry the weight it used to. And not having a degree isn’t always a barrier to entry.

So where does that leave aspiring writers? Should you bother to pursue a creative writing degree? If so, what should you be trying to get out of it?

We’re about to go over all the ins and outs of this educational path. We’ll talk about:

• The advantages of pursuing a degree in creative writing
• The different types of creative writing programs
• How to choose the program that’s best for you
• How creative writing is taught
• The career opportunities that come with a creative writing degree

Let’s start by looking at the perks.

Benefits of Pursuing a Creative Writing Degree

I’m about to list the four biggest benefits of attending a creative writing program. But I want to be clear about something:

Every one of these perks is something you can also get without a degree in creative writing.

I don’t say that to discourage you from taking this path. This might still be the best next step for your career. See, the biggest difference between getting a formal education and DIY-ing one isn’t what you learn but how you learn it.

That’s why we’re not just looking at what these four benefits are but also how you achieve them in a creative writing program.

Develop Strong Writing Skills

This is the reason most creative writing students pursue a degree. A good program offers a range of courses to help you sharpen your skills, faculty members who have real-life experience with the publishing industry, and access to visiting writers who can offer additional inspiration and insight .

Most programs incorporate writing workshops where you and your fellow students share and give feedback on your work, all under the guidance of a professor. Many universities also put out literary journals, giving students the opportunity to participate in the publishing process .

And of course, enrolling in a creative writing program ensures that you’ll be constantly writing , which is the best way to sharpen your skills.

Explore Diverse Genres and Styles

A self-guided learner has full authority to choose which areas of writing and literature they’ll explore. This is mostly a good thing, but the benefit of pursuing a creative writing degree is that your professors will see to it that you get familiar with a range of formats, genres , and styles .

This is especially true in undergraduate creative writing programs. Expect to read and analyze a wide spectrum of literature, from ancient epic poems to modern mainstream novels.

Build Your Network

This is such a notable perk that many of my friends who went to graduate school for screenwriting highlight this as the number one benefit.

Of course, you can build a network of peers and mentors without shelling out a ton of money for a formal education. But in a creative writing program, you spend all your time with other writers. You read each other’s work, struggle through the same coursework, and connect on a personal level.

Plus, if you happen to go to a school with a robust alumni network, you might find it easier to connect with those in your industry who share your alma mater after you graduate.

Widen Career Options

There are plenty of writers who don’t have a degree in creative writing—or don’t have a degree at all —who are making a decent living off of their words.

Nevertheless, a formal education can offer a wider range of options. It will give you a better shot with employers who place high value on college degrees or want to know that you have specialized knowledge regarding a specific type of writing.

And if you think you might enjoy teaching creative writing, a degree is a must. 

Types of Creative Writing Degrees

Intrigued? Then let’s explore your options more in depth.

There are several different types of creative writing degrees you can pursue, each with a slightly different focus and different opportunities once you leave school to practice your craft in the real world.

We’ll break this down one by one.

Undergraduate Degrees

It typically takes four years to complete an undergraduate creative writing program, though the timeline can be longer or shorter depending on your schedule and any credits you’ve already earned and transferred over.

We’re covering some general creative writing degrees available at the undergraduate level, but I highly recommend doing additional research. There are several more specific degrees that zero in on a particular aspect of writing, like a Bachelor of Arts in Communication or Journalism.

If you have a clear-cut vision for your writing career, start there and work backward to find the degree that makes sense for you. If you only know that you want to be writing one way or another, start by looking at these three options:

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Creative Writing

When you pursue a Bachelor of Arts, you can expect to get a well-rounded education that includes writing instruction as well as a balanced emphasis on the sciences and humanities.

It’s a liberal arts degree, basically, and it’s the most common choice for students seeking a creative writing education. 

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Creative Writing

BFA programs are much rarer than BA programs, but it’s worth considering one if you want an education that puts a heavy emphasis on the “arts” part.

This type of program focuses less on sciences and humanities. It often includes hands-on writing workshops (more on those in a bit) and is favored by students who fully intend to become authors, playwrights, screenwriters, or poets.

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Writing

If you think you might enjoy applying your creative writing skills to something more scientific or analytical, a BS might be the best option for you.

This is a popular option for students who see themselves getting into technical writing, cultural studies, or communication.

Graduate Degrees

Postgraduate education—or grad school, as the cool kids call it—comes after you’ve earned an undergraduate degree. The most common reasons to seek out a graduate degree in creative writing include:

• You think you might like to teach creative writing at the college level one day
• You earned an undergraduate degree in a different field and now you want to study writing
• You just really want to go deep on this subject

Just as with undergrad degrees, there are highly specific grad programs you can explore. Or you can dive into one of these:

Master of Arts (MA) in Creative Writing

While an MA program doesn’t have the humanities and sciences components of a BA program, it still maintains a balance between participating in the arts and observing them. 

That is to say, you’ll do a ton of writing in this program, but you’ll also read and analyze a fair amount of literature.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing

MFA programs tend to be super hands-on, with workshops in which students share and give feedback on each other’s writing. Over the course of the program, you’ll complete a book-length work like a novel or poetry collection.

You also might find that you need more credits to earn an MFA degree than an MA in creative writing. 

PhD in Creative Writing

Now you’re just stalling. Write your book already.

I’m kidding. A PhD is a perfectly reasonable option if you want to study literature and creative writing in great depth. Most students who take their writing education this far are also planning to build a career in academia in addition to being a published author.

PhD programs are extremely rigorous, can last four years, and conclude with a dissertation project.

Writing Workshops vs. Writing Courses

At this point, we should probably discuss the difference between writing courses and workshops in an academic setting. You’ll find both in many programs, but the balance between these two educational experiences will depend on which type of creative writing degree you pursue.

It will also influence your entire learning experience.

What Makes a Course a Course?

A creative writing course is exactly what you think of when you imagine any class in a formal education setting.

In a course, a professor lectures on specific topics, assigns projects, and grades students on their performance. There may be class discussions and even opportunities for students to share and engage with each others’ writing. But the overall structure of a course focuses on conveying information.

What Makes a Workshop a Workshop?

A creative writing workshop is more hands-on. While the professor will share insights and guide discussions, the primary purpose of a workshop is to help students refine their craft. They share their work and give each other feedback.

You see much more of this learning style in BFA and MFA programs, which put greater emphasis on honing creative skills. If you want your writing education to include analyzing literature or studying the business end of publishing, you’ll probably want to look into more course-heavy BA or MA programs.  

Renowned Creative Writing Programs

This is usually when a person wants to know where they should go to get these degrees. What are the best creative writing programs out there?

Really, the best program is the one that fits you. Reputation is just one of many factors you should consider when you decide where to pursue a degree in creative writing. 

That said, it’s always a good move to know the respected institutions in your field. It helps you sound informed at cocktail parties. To that end, here are some of the most revered schools in the world of creative writing (in the U.S., anyway):

• The Iowa Writers’ Workshop
• Brown University
• Columbia University
• Duke University
• Emory University
• Mizzou (Journalism)
• Northwestern University

Choosing the Right Creative Writing Program

If prestige shouldn’t be a top consideration when deciding where to earn a degree in creative writing, what should you prioritize?

Here are a few factors to keep in mind as you research your options:

Career goals - Do you want a program that’s going to prepare you for a job in marketing that pays the bills while you write poetry on the side? Do you want to become a globe-trotting journalist or a high-earning technical writer?

Decide what will be the best degree for you, then zero in on the schools that excel in that area of study.

And don’t forget to consider genre! If you want to earn an MFA but are interested in commercial fiction writing, make sure you find a program that matches your goals. Literary fiction tends to get all the love in higher education.

Faculty - Research who you’ll be learning from. Do they seem like the right folks to guide you on your professional journey?

Curriculum - Learn everything you can about a school’s course options and creative writing majors before you commit. Will you be able to focus on the area of writing that matters most to you? Will the skills you learn help you do fun things in the real world like eat and pay rent?

Location - There are accredited creative writing programs that are entirely online. However, many of your best options will be in-person or low residency . Not only is the location relevant for practical reasons—you have to be able to get there—it can also influence how much you pay to go. 

If you attend a state school in your own state, for example, you can expect to pay less than the out-of-state students.

Results - Do a little digging to find out what graduates say about their experience in the program. What did they like about it? What didn’t they like? Would they say it was worth it? What are they doing with their creative writing degree now?

Cost - You’re probably way ahead of me here, but I’ll mention it, anyway. The less you pay for a degree in creative writing, the greater your return on investment will be. Look at tuition costs, possible scholarships, out-of-state versus in-state expenses, and the local cost of living.

Career Opportunities with a Creative Writing Degree

Maybe you decided long ago that you definitely want to go to college. Maybe for you, the question isn’t whether you want a degree at all but whether a degree in creative writing is a good use of your college fund.

In that case, we should talk career opportunities. What exactly can you do with a creative writing degree?

A lot, as it turns out. In fact, we have this ridiculously long list of jobs that require strong creative writing skills. You can follow the link to explore them in depth, but here’s a quick sample of what’s in there:

• Proofreader
• Content writer
• Technical writer
• Social media writer
• Screenwriter
• Speechwriter
• Literary agent
• Brand strategist
• Corporate communications specialist

That’s really only scratching the surface, and it doesn’t even touch on the ways your writing skills might serve you in less creative professions. I know multiple lawyers with a creative writing degree they credit for making them significantly better at drafting legal arguments. (On the flip side, an alarming number of lawyers become screenwriters or novelists.)

The important thing is to consider different creative writing majors carefully. Between the different schools, degrees, and areas of concentration, you’ve got lots of options and plenty of opportunities to select the education path that leads to your ideal writing career.

Whatever You Do, Keep Learning

Only you can decide if a creative writing degree is the right move for you. Whether you go for it or not, remember that continuous learning is the best thing you can do to ensure a successful and fulfilling writing career.

Keep reading work that inspires you. Build and nurture your writer network. Proactively seek out workshops, seminars, conferences , books, articles… anything you can get your hands on that will help you sharpen your skills.

And while I wouldn’t claim it’s a one-to-one replacement for the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, remember that Dabble is always here for you with a shocking amount of free educational resources and a supportive community in the Story Craft Café .

Peruse the hundreds of articles, templates, and worksheets in DabbleU . Subscribe to our newsletter for weekly guidance delivered straight to your inbox. Download this free, 100-page ebook walking you through the entire novel-writing process.

Even if you need a little more time to decide if you want a degree in creative writing, you can start boosting your skills now.

So what are you waiting for?

Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. When she’s not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that.

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10 Jobs for Graduates with a Creative Writing Degree

Do you have a creative writing degree? Here are 10 jobs where you can put that degree to good use.

Customers Interviewed by:

Congratulations! First of all, you should be proud of your achievement. You just accomplished something that will open many doors that could lead you to a rewarding career.

Some may think that a Creative Writing Degree doesn’t lead you to many job opportunities, but that’s just not true.

Not only can you create any type of content you want and promote it online all by yourself, but every big company, especially the ones that have social networks to keep alive, need a creative writer.

Your career options are unlimited, especially if you take a look at the freelance world.

In order to show you how many opportunities you have we’re presenting our top 10 perfect jobs for graduates with a Creative Writing Degree or Diploma.

1. Content Writer/ Author

Even though it might be the most obvious job, it is still many people’s dream to become a writer. Now you have a degree to back you up, and a lot of knowledge to help you be successful.

You can write about anything you want – or anything a company wants! Novels aren’t the only things you can write; there’s poetry, prose, drama, short story, and the list goes on. If you have a dream, make sure you chase it until you make it because one of the most important keys towards success is our genuine passion.

2. Copywriter

Copywriting is probably the best way to start your career as a writer. And it pays well, even if you’re a beginner. But what is copywriting really about?

Copywriting means writing with the purpose of advertising and other forms of marketing. The product is called “copy” and it is actually written content whose purpose is to raise brand awareness and to make a possible customer take action. There are many forms of copywriting and it’s a crucial piece of any successful marketing strategy. That means a lot job opportunities.

3. Journalist

To be a journalist takes a lot of creativity. And journalism doesn’t only include the news or politics! You can be a journalist for the fashion world, sports, or even entertainment. There are a lot of options to choose from.

But beware, the competition in this field is very high. Consider this option only if you’re truly passionate about journalism and if you believe that you can make a change. It’s not for the faint of heart.

4. Travel Blogger

If writing and traveling are your two main passions, Travel Writer is the perfect job for you. You’ll get to travel all around the world and write amazing articles about your amazing experiences!

The best part is that you don’t really need to find someone to hire you to be a travel writer. You can take your backpack and start a blog about your own experiences. From there, you might become a leading influencer in the field or earn a few job offers.

5. Social Media Specialist

Most companies today leverages at least one social network. That’s where most customers spend their time and you can easily target them. But to make a possible customer take action and actually buy a product, you need well-written, compelling text. That can be written by you!

There are always hundreds of job offers for various types of companies, so it will be almost impossible to not find work in this field.

If you think of yourself as a persuasive and creative person, this job might be just right for you.

6. Email Marketing Specialist

If you’re usually giving your email to every website you’re purchasing things from, then you already know what email marketing looks like. If you ever bothered to read one of those emails you received, you’ll notice that their purpose is to give you some new information and to make you feel like a member of the community – and to make you buy their products.

To be an email marketer requires a lot of creativity. This job can be very well paid because you can make a real difference in their profits – the better you write, the more customer is convinced to make a purchase.

The writing process is not only about the creation part, the writing itself. It is also about improving and correcting the first draft until it is perfect and ready to send.

To be an editor doesn’t only mean to correct grammar errors and misspelled words.

It also means to make what the writer originally wrote sound better – take their idea and ensure that it will express the message effectively. Many writers make great editors because of their training.

8. Columnist

Many writers dream of having their own column in a famous magazine like Cosmopolitan, Vogue, or Forbes. They all started small – at local magazines and so on – but most importantly, they all started with a degree, like you.

The competition is high in this field too, but if you’re skilled and you believe in yourself there’s nothing to worry about. We all know that if you have a column in a magazine you are well paid and it can be a really nice and rewarding job, not to mention that you get to go places and meet amazing people, depending on the subjects you’re writing about.

9. Ghostwriter

One of the best ways to start your writer carrier is with  ghostwriting , especially if you’re not ready to put your name out for the public’s eyes. As a ghostwriter you have tons of opportunities – the  freelance world   is full of such opportunities, you can write anything you like or anything one demands, from books of all sorts, articles, blog posts, and the list can go on and on.

You can write articles about whatever topic you like and then just sell it to a company that needs it. You can work for some  essay writing company  as a ghostwriter. Or, if you want something more stable, there are many companies that are looking for ghostwriters to write their articles under the name of inexistent writers that have created.

10. Screenwriter / Songwriter

Probably the most creative jobs for a creative writer graduate are songwriting and screenwriting. Of course, is not easy to make a name of yourself in this field, but this is where your passion lays, you should definitely go for it.

In these jobs, you can dream as big as possible and the bigger you dream the more successful you’ll become. So, don’t let anyone stop you become a songwriter or screenwriter just because it is hard, or do you believe that you’re any less than anyone who already succeeded; they’re only human after all.

Above are just 10 great opportunities that you can leverage in your future, but remember, there are so many more opportunities that are waiting for a great writer like you to discover. Creative writing is a great career and the most important thing about it is that it will never die (hopefully), or, at least, not any time soon. You can write novels about your unbelievable fantasies, you can write for a blog that shares your main interests, and you can work from home as the freelance world has hundreds if not thousands of job offers for creative writers.

Your future looks bright from now on and never discourage yourself if you struggle at first to get a job because some things simply aren’t meant to be. Look at things from this point of view: you didn’t get the job because it is not the best option for you and a better job is waiting for you. You just have to be patient because great things take time.

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Creative Writing Jobs – What You Can Do with a Creative Writing Degree

A creative writing degree opens many doors, but which one is right for you?

Creative writing skills are highly sought after in various industries. From publishing to advertising, and academia to digital media, the creative writing jobs you can venture into are numerous. Let’s take a closer look at some of these options – we’re pretty sure you’ll easily identify at least one that suits your writing style and personality.

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an artistic process, one that involves the expression of thoughts, feelings, and emotions, rather than just presenting the facts.

It includes multiple genres such as:

• scriptwriting
• creative non-fiction

Creative writing is often characterized by its imaginative narratives and expressive language, aiming to captivate the reader and evoke emotion. For a deeper understanding of creative writing, you can visit our article on what is creative writing .

Skills Acquired from a Creative Writing Degree

A creative writing degree goes beyond just teaching you how to write creatively. It equips you with a variety of skills that can be applied in multiple industries. Here are some of the key skills you can acquire:

• Writing Skills: A creative writing degree naturally enhances your writing ability, teaching you how to construct engaging narratives, develop characters, and create vivid descriptions.
• Critical Thinking: Creative writing encourages you to think outside the box and approach problems in unconventional ways. This fosters critical thinking skills, enabling you to analyze situations from different perspectives.
• Research Skills: Whether you’re writing a historical fiction novel or a science fiction screenplay, research is a crucial part of the process. A creative writing degree helps hone your research skills, teaching you how to gather information effectively.
• Communication Skills: Through creative writing, you learn how to communicate ideas effectively and articulate thoughts clearly, skills that are valuable in any profession.
• Time Management: Writing projects often come with deadlines. Balancing creativity with discipline helps improve your time management skills.

These skills make creative writing graduates highly employable in various fields. From creative writing jobs in publishing and digital media to opportunities in academia and freelance writing, the scope is vast. This makes a creative writing degree a valuable asset, providing a strong foundation for a diverse range of careers.

For more on the value of a creative writing degree, check out our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Types of Creative Writing Jobs

A degree in creative writing opens up a plethora of opportunities in various fields. Let’s delve into the various creative writing jobs that you can pursue with such a degree.

Being a novelist is one of the most recognized roles in the realm of creative writing. A novelist crafts fictional stories, often drawing on their imagination, life experiences, and observations of the world around them. This role requires a deep understanding of character development, plot construction, and narrative techniques. A degree in creative writing fine-tunes these skills, thus providing a solid foundation for aspiring novelists.

Screenwriter

A screenwriter creates scripts for television shows, movies, and web series. This form of writing requires a unique skill set, including the ability to write dialogue and stage directions , and the capacity to visualize scenes in a way that can be translated to the screen. Screenwriters often work closely with directors, producers, and actors to bring their scripts to life. A creative writing degree can provide the foundational skills needed to excel in this field.

Poetry is an art form that requires a keen understanding of language, rhythm, and imagery . Poets often express their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on various topics through their work. They may publish their poems in literary magazines, anthologies, or self-published collections . A creative writing degree can enhance a poet’s ability to manipulate language and craft evocative pieces of work.

A copywriter creates compelling and persuasive text for advertising and marketing campaigns. They write content for a wide range of mediums, including websites, brochures, emails, and social media posts . The goal of a copywriter is to engage readers and motivate them to take a specific action , such as purchasing a product or signing up for a service. A degree in creative writing can help develop the creativity and persuasive skills necessary for this role.

Content Marketer

Content marketers create valuable content to attract, engage, and retain an audience , with the ultimate goal of driving profitable customer action. They produce a wide range of content types, including blog posts, articles, white papers, and social media posts. A creative writing degree can provide the storytelling skills needed to create engaging content that resonates with audiences.

These are just a few examples of the many creative writing jobs that are available for those with a degree in this field. Whether you’re interested in crafting fictional stories, writing for the screen, expressing yourself through poetry, or creating persuasive advertising copy, a creative writing degree can provide the skills and knowledge needed to excel in these roles.

To learn more about the value of a creative writing degree, visit our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Creative Writing in Publishing

The publishing industry offers a range of opportunities for individuals with a creative writing degree. Let’s delve into two prominent creative writing jobs in publishing: Literary Agent and Editor .

The Role of a Literary Agent

Literary agents play a crucial role in the publishing world. They act as intermediaries between authors and publishing houses , negotiating contracts and ensuring that the author’s work reaches the right audience. A literary agent needs to have a keen eye for compelling narratives, a strong understanding of the market, and excellent negotiation skills.

A degree in creative writing can provide a solid foundation for this role, equipping individuals with the ability to evaluate and critique a wide range of literary works.

Working as an Editor

An editor is another key player in the publishing industry. Editors work closely with authors to refine their work and prepare it for publication. This process can involve:

• correcting grammar and punctuation
• restructuring content for better flow
• providing feedback to improve the quality of the work

Much like a literary agent, an editor needs to have a strong understanding of narrative structure and a knack for spotting errors. A creative writing degree can help develop these skills, fostering a deep understanding of storytelling techniques and attention to detail.

Both of these roles are integral to the publishing process , helping to bring an author’s vision to life and sharing it with readers worldwide. Whether you’re interested in becoming a literary agent or working as an editor, a creative writing degree can provide the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in these roles.

If you’re considering pursuing such a degree, our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it provides valuable insights.

Creative Writing in the Digital World

In the modern age, the digital world offers a plethora of opportunities for those with a creative writing degree. This digital landscape allows writers to venture into different styles and platforms, expanding the scope of creative writing jobs . Let’s delve into three aspects.

Blogging is a popular outlet for creative writers. It allows them to express their thoughts, share their knowledge, and engage with a global audience. With a blog, they can write about any subject they are passionate about, from travel and lifestyle to technical topics and personal experiences.

A creative writing degree equips individuals with the skills to create compelling content , develop engaging narratives, and use language effectively to capture the reader’s attention. Blogging also offers the opportunity to write in a less formal tone , which can be a refreshing contrast to more structured forms of writing.

For more insights into the world of creative writing, check out our article on what is creative writing .

Social Media Writing

Social media platforms have become a powerful medium for storytelling and communication. Creative writers can leverage these platforms to showcase their skills, engage with audiences , and even promote their own work.

Writing for social media requires a unique blend of creativity and brevity , as most platforms limit the length of posts. This can be an exciting challenge for creative writers as they must convey their message in a concise yet impactful way.

Those interested in inspiring others to pursue writing can find tips in our article on how to teach creative writing .

SEO Writing

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) writing is another area where creative writers can excel. SEO writing involves creating content that ranks well in search engine results , making it more visible to online users. This requires not only engaging writing but also an understanding of keywords, meta descriptions, and search engine algorithms.

While it may seem technical, SEO writing still allows for creativity. Writers must create content that is both SEO-friendly and engaging for readers, striking a balance between readability and search engine visibility .

For those considering a creative writing degree, our article is a degree in creative writing worth it provides a comprehensive overview of the opportunities and challenges involved.

In the digital world, the possibilities for creative writers are vast and varied. From blogging and social media writing to SEO writing, there are numerous ways to apply creative writing skills and carve out a successful career in the digital sphere.

Creative Writing in Academia

The field of academia offers a plethora of opportunities for individuals with a degree in creative writing. From teaching creative writing to conducting research in this area, the academic world can be a rewarding path for those looking for creative writing jobs .

Teaching Creative Writing

One of the most fulfilling roles in academia for those with a creative writing degree is teaching.

As a creative writing teacher, one can:

• impart essential writing skills
• inspire creativity
• help students discover their unique voices

Creative writing teachers can find work in various settings , including elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities. They might also lead workshops in community centers or offer private lessons. Their duties typically include developing lesson plans, providing feedback on student work, and fostering a supportive learning environment .

For more on how to inspire young minds through creative writing, see our article on creative writing activities for kids . If you’re considering teaching creative writing, our guide on how to teach creative writing offers valuable insights.

Research in Creative Writing

Another academic route for those with a creative writing degree is research. Creative writing researchers delve into various aspects of writing, exploring themes such as storytelling techniques, narrative structures, character development , and the role of creativity in writing.

Research in creative writing can lead to new insights into how stories are crafted and understood, contributing to the broader field of literary studies. Researchers may present their findings at conferences, publish them in academic journals, or use them to inform their teaching practices.

The world of academia offers a rich and rewarding path for creative writers, providing opportunities to inspire the next generation of writers and contribute to the understanding of creative writing as an academic discipline .

As you consider your path, remember that the skills acquired through a creative writing degree can open many doors. For more on the value of such a degree, see our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Exploring Freelance Opportunities

The versatility of a creative writing degree opens up a world of freelance opportunities. Writers can lend their talents to a variety of sectors, allowing for creative expression and the freedom to choose projects that align with their interests and strengths. Among the popular freelance creative writing jobs are freelance writing and ghostwriting , scriptwriting for theatre and radio , and speechwriting .

Freelance Writing and Ghostwriting

Freelance writing provides the flexibility to work on a variety of projects across different platforms. It can involve writing articles, blog posts, reports, or even books . Ghostwriting, a subset of freelance writing, entails writing on behalf of someone else. The ghostwriter’s work is officially credited to another person . This is common in the world of book publishing, where many prominent figures hire ghostwriters to pen their memoirs or novels.

Freelance and ghostwriting involve a high degree of creativity, the ability to adapt to different writing styles, and the capacity to work to tight deadlines. For more insights on the nature of creative writing, visit our article on what is creative writing .

Scriptwriting for Theatre and Radio

Scriptwriting for theatre and radio is another viable option for creative writers. This involves writing dialogues and narratives to be performed on stage or broadcast on radio . It requires a deep understanding of character development, plot structure, and dramatic tension. Additionally, scriptwriters need to keep in mind the auditory and visual elements that can enhance the performance.

Scriptwriting can be a collaborative process , with the writer working closely with directors, actors, and sound designers to bring the script to life. This requires strong teamwork skills and the ability to accept and incorporate feedback.

Speechwriting

Speechwriting involves crafting speeches for individuals in various sectors such as politics, business, or entertainment. A speechwriter must be able to capture the speaker’s voice and convey their message in a compelling and engaging manner. This requires a strong understanding of rhetoric, audience analysis, and persuasive writing techniques.

In addition to writing the speech, the writer may also need to assist the speaker in rehearsing and delivering the speech effectively. This can involve coaching the speaker on pacing, intonation, and body language to ensure a successful delivery.

Freelance creative writing jobs offer a wealth of opportunities for writers to apply their skills in diverse and exciting ways. Whether you’re crafting articles as a freelance writer, weaving narratives as a scriptwriter, or shaping public discourse as a speechwriter, each role offers unique challenges and rewards.

For more insights into the world of creative writing, check out our articles on creative writing prompts and creative writing activities for kids .

Tips for Landing Creative Writing Jobs

When it comes to securing creative writing jobs , there are several strategies that can help you stand out from the crowd and showcase your unique skills. The following sections will discuss the importance of building a portfolio, networking, and constantly improving your craft.

Building a Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of your work that showcases your writing skills and range. It can include:

• short stories

When creating your portfolio, it’s important to include a variety of pieces that demonstrate your versatility . Be sure to highlight your best work and examples that show your ability to write in different styles and genres.

A strong portfolio can be an excellent tool for showing prospective employers what you can offer . It can be especially useful for those seeking creative writing jobs, where the quality and creativity of your work can be a deciding factor.

Editor’s Note : To add credibility to your portfolio, aim to get published, either in print or online. This might entail crafting content for free for reputable sites, but having your name against a published piece of work signals that you’re a serious and capable writer to future clients.

Networking and Making Connections

Networking is another important aspect of landing creative writing jobs. This involves making connections with other writers, editors, publishers , and anyone else in the industry who can provide opportunities or valuable advice.

Joining writing groups, attending literary events, and participating in online writing communities can all provide excellent networking opportunities. These activities can:

• help you meet like-minded individuals
• learn about job openings
• gain insights into the industry

Don’t underestimate the value of personal relationships in the world of creative writing . Many job opportunities come from word-of-mouth referrals, so the more people you know in the industry, the better. If you’re interested in learning more about the value of a creative writing degree, you can read our article on is a degree in creative writing worth it .

Constantly Improving Your Craft

To be successful in any creative field, you must be dedicated to constantly improving your craft. This means regularly writing, reading, and seeking out new ways to improve your skills.

Consider participating in writing exercises or prompts to challenge yourself and explore new genres or writing styles. Our list of creative writing prompts can help inspire new ideas and push your writing boundaries.

Additionally, seeking feedback from others can be invaluable for growth. Share your work with others and be open to constructive criticism. This can help you identify any areas of weakness in your writing and give you the opportunity to improve.

Finally, don’t forget to keep reading . Reading a wide variety of literature can expose you to different writing styles, techniques, and perspectives that can inspire and influence your own work.

Remember, the path to securing creative writing jobs often involves a combination of talent, perseverance, and strategic career moves. By building a strong portfolio, networking with others in the industry, and continually working to improve your craft, you can increase your chances of landing a job that allows you to make a living doing what you love.

What Kind of Creative Writer are You?

Be sure to choose a path that aligns with your personality and your writing style – this will ensure the maximum job satisfaction possible. You want to enjoy your writing, whether it’s detailed research papers or fashion blog posts – your best writing will reflect your passion and love of words.

Stay true to yourself, keep writing, and find a way to share your world’s with the world – it’s a journey you don’t want to miss out on!

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

25 Creative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Creativity

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What Can I Do With a Creative Writing Degree?

Krystle Dodge

Managing Editor

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In this article, we will be covering…

To name a few:

• Your favorite stories growing up
• Your favorite shows and movies
• Educational and technical materials
• Marketing copy
• Speechwriting

And while many degrees are meant to help you become a better writer, none spend quite as much time drilling you on the finer points, and supporting growth as a writer as a creative writing degree.

You may ask yourself why you need a degree in writing. Few of the greatest writers majored in the craft. One answer is that few of the greatest writers set out to write as a career.

In today’s information-rich society, we’ve created more media in a handful of years than the rest of history combined. While very little of this media is truly top-notch, the market for talented writers can be lucrative and rewarding. A creative writing degree can be a great jumping off point to landing your dream job as a writer.

If you think you may be interested in a creative writing, be sure to peruse the topics in our guide, listed below:

Table of Contents:

What Creative Writing Degrees Are Available?

Can i pursue a creative writing degree online, how do i gain admission to a creative writing degree program, differences between creative writing and related degrees, what can i do with a degree in creative writing.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Be sure to check out some of our related resources throughout the site:

• How can you prepare for being a professional writer while earning your degree?
• What is the difference between a technical writing degree and journalism?
• What is the difference between a bachelor’s degree in professional writing and technical writing?
• 10 creative careers that won’t require you to be a starving artist
• What can I do with a liberal arts degree?
• What degree do I need to be a technical writer?
• What are my degree choices to be a film or tv producer?
• Why you should pick a degree in communications?

• Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Bachelor of Arts
• Master of Arts
• Master of Fine Arts

In recent years, doctoral programs in creative writing have started to be introduced.

You may wonder where there aren’t associates-level degrees in creative writing. This is likely to do with the fact that the best writers are highly literate. And a little more higher education is often viewed as important for those seeking to become truly good writers. As any professional writer can attest to, even bachelor’s-level graduates that took a writing-intensive course of study still have a long way to go in growth as a writer when they graduate.

So what’s studied in a bachelor’s degree in creative writing?

For bachelor of arts degrees in creative writing students begin their 120 credit journey by working through the standard general education requirements of a bachelor’s degree. These typically include courses in the following:

• Social Sciences
• Natural Sciences
• Math and Quantitative Literacy
• Composition
• The Humanities
• The Fine Arts
• A Foreign Language

The aim of these courses is to ensure that you have a well-rounded understanding, are articulate, and are generally qualified to call yourself worthy of a bachelors-level degree.

As you work through your course of study you will begin taking classes within your major. Creative writing programs can vary to quite a great extent. But a “typical” bachelor of arts in creative writing program may offer courses like the following for major requirements:

• Creative Writing Intro
• The World of Writing, Writers and Publishing
• English Language
• Creative Writing Advanced
• Literary Theory
• Shakespeare
• Workshop for Playwriting
• Workshop for Poetry Writing
• Workshop for Nonfiction Writing
• Additional Focus Area Workshops
• An Internship
• A Capstone Project

While you should come out of either a BA or a BFA with a portfolio of your writing, BFA degrees tend to spend more time on the production of portfolio work.

At the master’s level, there has traditionally been a single degree in creative writing, a master of fine arts (MFA) in creative writing . MFA programs typically allow established or at least somewhat experienced writers a chance to get together in a workshop-heavy program to hone their craft.

Before we go any further, let’s discuss what is a writing workshop?

Writing workshops — the context of a bachelors or masters degree — help to teach writers how to hone their craft in a predictable and organized fashion. In many workshops, the instructor (an established writer) will instruct students to focus on one writing technique, or a type of writing.

Students will work together to generate ideas, often pairing up as they work their way through their creative process. At set intervals, student writers wille exchange their writing with other students in the class who will comment on their writing in a constructive manner. Once constructive criticism has been given, each writer returns to their work to hone it. At the end of the workshop, students will present their work to their peers and receive a final grade.

The act of workshopping provides structure to moving from the realm of ideas to writing. It shows writers how to sit down and productively push through writing, receive criticism, give criticism, and then hone their writing. At the end of a workshop, writers are ideally a little better at planning writing, writing, reading the writing of others, and communicating about their writing.

In an MFA program in creative writing, a majority of the coursework is often structured around workshopping.

In addition, students will attend master classes , lectures , and networking events to attempt to catapult their writing career to the next level.

Coursework within Ph.D. programs in creative writing is focused moreseo on the education of creative writing than workshops to hone your own writing. Though there is a bit of both.

Students thinking about pursuing a degree in creative writing should also be aware that there are a number of related degrees with slightly different curricula. Links to the respective guides on these academic degree types on DegreeQuery are included below:

• Communication
• Strategic Communication
• Public Relations
• Technical Writing
• And some marketing programs

While a good number of creative writing programs are still primarily brick and mortar programs, there are a handful of creative writing programs offered online at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.

Students that think they would like to pursue a creative writing degree online should be aware of some of the most common pros and cons of online education. While online degrees are growing in popularity — around one in four students currently studies online — and work amazingly well for some students, they aren’t for everyone.

Below we’ve listed some of the most common “selling points” and problems (that some students have) associated with online degrees.

Common “Selling Points” of Online Degrees

• Fully online degrees mean you don’t have to move for your education
• Asynchronous coursework degrees mean you can log on when you can
• Many online degrees are slightly more affordable than in-person degrees
• There is no mention of the fact you studied online on your eventual degree
• A wide range of support services are offered online

</ul. Common Problems With Online Degrees

• Online degrees have less structure telling you when to work on assignments
• It’s harder to forge meaningful relationships with classmates or instructors online
• You have less access to on-campus events online
• Support services are not as varied online

For bachelor of fine arts degree programs, students are expected to have already spent some time honing their portfolio within their craft. Similarly to programs within art of music conservatories, BFA programs often require students to submit a portfolio, as well as attend an interview.

Some BFA programs err on the side of allowing a student to choose how best to represent themselves. In cases such as these, students may elect to pursue entrance as in a typical bachelor’s admissions process, or as in a conservatory setting.

Master of fine arts in creative writing programs often have quite rigorous admissions standards. In many, applicants must elect to pursue admissions within a single “path” such as playwriting, poetry, or creative nonfiction writing. Applicants are then judged based on past published work as well as an unpublished portfolio. Admissions standards vary, with some programs expecting to recruit hobbyist writers while some of the top programs require writers to be quite well established in their trade already.

Degrees that may be used to find the same employment opportunities, or that explore one facet of writing include:

• Creative Writing
• Public Relations with an Emphasis on Writing
• Marketing with an Emphasis on Writing
• Scientific Writing
• Communications
• And Strategic Communications

In a sense, creative writing is the most “pure” of all of the above majors, and can be used to pursue employment in nearly any of the fields for which non-creative writing degrees listed above prepare students for.

All of the above degree programs may require students to craft a portfolio of written work. And nearly all writing (as a product) can be creative. So there is potentially a great deal of overlap.

Some of the key differences between creative writing and other degrees listed above is that nearly every degree is “applied.” These degrees set aside a substantial portion of the curricula for professional-centered courses aimed at preparing students to take careers in a specific industry. These courses may center around a tool set or a set of techniques you could use in business, science, education, or journalism. While writing can still be central to all of the above degrees, you’ll get even more writing-specific education in a creative writing degree.

If you think you may be interested in a degree related to creative writing, be sure to search through DegreeQuery’s offerings.

We’ll work through some of the most common careers those with creative writing degree pursue below.

First, copywriters provided engaging, and wide-ranging text-based content primarily for corporate clients. Copywriters may be tasked with crafting creative assets like the words to a jingle or a script, or more descriptive content such a guide on how to use software.

While there are a number of jobs in our list that share attributes with copywriters, one element in which copywriters contrast with other writing positions is their place of employment and subject matter. Copywriters tend to work in traditional advertising and marketing settings, or for traditional corporate clients. While someone may essentially have the same job as a copywriter in another employment setting, it may be called something different depending on the industry.

The average salary for copywriters is presently $47,838.

Secondly, technical writers (sometimes called science writers as well) aid in STEM-related fields to translate dense science and technology-related concepts into readable prose. Technical writers may come from a purely writing background, or may also hold a degree in technology or the sciences. These writers can become quite specialized depending on the subject matter they tackle.

Media producer can mean everything front front end developer to data journalist to a writer in a newsroom. So as one might expect, the range of salaries varies greatly. With that said, the average salary for this role is presently $55,224.

Finally, many creative writing majors enter journalism at some point in their career. Journalists tell a story in an objective way, and focus on ethical and solid investigative skills. Creative non-fiction creative writing graduates are the most direct “fit” with this profession, but creative writers of all stripes have found themselves recruited into the ranks of journalists.

Salaries vary greatly depending on the location in which you work as well as the critical acclaim of what you have produced. With that said, the average journalist makes a salary of $40,900. Other careers in which there are many creative writing majors at work include:

• Self employed writers
• Public relations professionals
• Communications managers
• And Lawyers

Still didn’t see what you were looking for? Be sure to check out some of DegreeQuery’s related content in the following guides:

• What is a degree in strategic communications?

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• SEP 23, 2024

Creative Writing Major Guide: Salary Rates, Career Paths & Best Colleges in 2024

by Imed Bouchrika, Phd

Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist

In today’s job market, many students are looking for ways to protect their careers from the threat of automation by choosing academic paths that are less likely to be replaced by AI. One such field is creative writing. A degree in creative writing can lead to a variety of career opportunities such as becoming a poet, author, or publishing editor. Additionally, as creative writing majors have a strong grasp of the English language, they can also explore other career paths such as copywriting or technical writing.

This article will examine the current job market for creative writing majors and writers in general, highlighting the flexibility and range of career options available. It will also emphasize the importance of being adaptable and well-rounded in order to navigate the dynamic job market. And, it is not to discourage pursuing passion projects but to help cope with the difficulties of getting them off the ground.

Creative Writing Major Table of Contents

• The Job Market for Creative Writing Majors

What is a creative writing major?

Top creative writing major programs, things to consider before taking creative writing, what can you do with a creative writing major.

There is nothing wrong with big dreams. But it is best to temper one’s expectations with accounts of reality supported by known facts. This is especially important in planning on achieving those dreams. This is because there are so many possibilities in terms of routes to get there and alternative end goals. This is especially true for people who pursued creative and artistic fields in college. Many times, graduates of these fields, including creative writing majors, have to take on odd jobs not related to the field before landing their dream jobs or projects.

As you may know, literary figures T.S. Eliot and William Faulkner, among others, worked odd jobs before and even during their literary careers. Eliot worked as a banker and Faulkner as a postmaster (Petit, 2013). Many English or creative writing majors, of course, never had notable literary careers. Some ended up working in other fields like Nobel Prize Laureate Harold Varmus who graduated with a B.A. in English Literature but ended up as a physician. Of course, statistically speaking, many creative writing majors end up not having a career in literature per se.

In fact, in 2019, the most common occupations for creative writing and English majors were elementary teachers (91.7k), postsecondary teachers (91.3k), and lawyers, judges, magistrates, and other judiciary workers (74.1k) (Data USA, 2021). The most specialized jobs with the highest concentration of English majors are (1) proofreaders and copy markers, (2) editors, and (3) writers and authors. However, the number of jobs available to these occupations is significantly lower than the most common ones.

Statistics also show that the industries with the highest pay for creative writing and English majors are not writing- or literature-centric. They are the wholesale electronic markets, agents, and brokers, electric lighting and electrical equipment manufacturing, and communications, audio, and video equipment manufacturing industries. The average salaries for English majors in these industries are significantly higher than the most common occupations for them.

What these statistics show, firstly, is that there are many career options for creative writing and English majors away from literature itself. This is because writing is an essential skill needed by any business in any industry today. The skills gained from creative writing training can also translate to many occupations. So, getting a job with your degree to stay afloat while pursuing your career goals is statistically highly probable.

A creative writing major is an academic program that trains students in creating original compositions of a vast array of literary works and in many different genres. Creative writing programs also teach to understand the various theoretical underpinnings of contemporary writing. Among these are aesthetics and technical aspects, including conventional formats for different types of works. These include poetry, fiction, non-fiction, scripts, and screenplays, among many others.

Programs may include courses for television scriptwriting, biographical writing, article writing, science writing, and many others. Theoretical courses are also offered and some are required. These typically include courses for various literary genres, literary devices and concepts such as “ what is imagery “, general literature, and other specialized classes like Shakespeare. Largely, the classes offered by a program depend on the specializations of its faculty. Of course, general technical writing courses and seminars are ubiquitous.

Schools may also require students to attend seminars and workshops for credits, including other skill-building activities like internships. In order to graduate, students will also be required to submit their B.A. thesis in the form of a polished manuscript. This is to train students to specialize in a literary form or genre. It could come in the form of a play, a novella, or a collection of poems or short stories.

Creative writing programs are usually offered by the English department of a college or a university, particularly for an English degree . There are several factors to consider when choosing a college or a program that is right for you. These include the general reputation of the school and the program itself.

Moreover, as pointed out by Heimbach (2021), the better its graduate programs for English, creative writing, and fine arts, the higher the likelihood that its undergraduate program will be very good. She also added that having a good graduate program is a sign that an institution has great alumni networks and many internship opportunities and, thus career opportunities.

Here are some of the best creative writing major colleges and universities in the country in no particular order.

Creative Writing Major Requirements

To get into a creative writing program, one must present the usual requirements and credentials when they apply to a college or university. Creative writing major requirements, however, can vary from institution to institution. These include minimum GPA and SAT scores. Note that because of issues in logistics brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, testing requirements have been waived by many institutions. The general requirements are the following:

• High school diploma or something equivalent (GED)
• Application and processing fees
• Letter of intent
• Recommendation letter(s)
• Minimum GPA (varies)
• TOEFL/IELTS for international students

These aside, it pays well to take your time in improving reading skills . This will prepare you for the rigorous reading requirements associated with this field of study.

If you are one of those people who are lucky enough to study what you love without worrying about money, then some of the things in this section would not really apply to you. However, if you are like many of us who have to earn money, then all of the things discussed below could help you temper your expectations and make contingencies while pursuing your passion. So, here are some of the things that creative writing majors could call their list of “what I wish I knew as a creative writing major."

Market saturation? Find a niche. Choose a good minor.

As you can tell from the job statistics, the immediate prospect of English and creative writing majors are teaching. However, if you want to find work as a writer and considering the saturated job market today, it is best to have some expertise on things other than creative writing. As you may know, there are many types of writing and many other writing jobs. So, if you want to get a job as a writer, it is best to be good in other forms of writing as well. You can find a fallback niche in this way if you do not get a creative writing job or gig after you graduate.

Also, one good way to find this niche is to choose a good minor or enroll in courses other than writing. In this way, you can find decent work or even writing projects for specialized content or publications. For instance, you can get a job as a science communicator or a business writer. Taking journalism courses would also help if you are not opposed to working as a reporter or a content writer.

Find good internships

Many creative writing programs require students to undergo internships in order to graduate. Students should take advantage of this opportunity to learn on-the-job skills, including other non-writing-related skills and social skills. Moreover, internships are a good way to make industry connections. So, it is best to choose the ones that could help you get your foot in the door. It is your chance to build and maintain relationships with industry insiders. Plus, you will also get the opportunity to learn how businesses work. Thus, when you get to intern, be observant and take notes about how operations are being carried out. This includes the different job roles, departments, and company culture. Understand how everything is being put together and also the things that make the company successful.

Internships, however, can be costly. One can also spend long hours depending on where you are assigned. You can even be given odd tasks where you do not really learn anything new. But it is part of the experience of being employed and you are getting a taste of the real thing. Hence, you should get yourself mentally, emotionally, and financially ready for an internship. Just remember that you, first and foremost, are there to learn. So learn all you can while you are there.

In fact, you may learn about writing more during internships than in school. Campbell and Jacobs (2010) asked a rhetorical question in the book chapter “Toward a description of undergraduate writing majors" in What We Are Becoming: Developments in Undergraduate Writing Majors. They asked, “How many opportunities should undergraduates have to write in courses the specific kinds of documents—such as reviews, grants, or usability studies—that they might be expected to write in internships or in their careers?" They elaborated that many programs, depending on design, might not be the best way to prepare undergraduates for multifarious careers in writing as they focus on the general rather than the specifics that working writers do every day.

Thus, if you land a good writing internship, do the best you can to learn other types of writing, especially if these types of writing, not creative writing, will be your day job.

Day job and passion project

Many of us have to find employment to make ends meet. For many people, their jobs do not have a single thing to do with their dream careers. There are those who get disheartened and give up on their goals. However, this is not the way to go, especially when you know that you have not tried enough or did your best. If you are in this situation, it is best to think of your work as just your day job and find the time to pursue what you really want.

This can be hard but it is doable. As mentioned, major literary figures have done so as well. In fact, as you may well know, the prolific Stephen King has worked as a janitor before publishing his breakout novel. As Palmer (2013) has pointed out, it might be his experience as a janitor that led him to write the opening girl’s locker room scene in Carrie . T.S. Eliot worked as a banker and a clerk. He found time to compose passages while walking to work. Consider that Einstein—although not known for being a writer—also worked as a clerk at a patent office. It is general knowledge now that he might have used some inspirations from submitted patents to form his famous thought experiments.

Like them, you too can keep a day job and work on your passion project. Moreover, if your creative writing does not pay you enough, then you better be efficient using this setup. There is also another benefit to this as you can see below.

Learn other skills, get non-writing jobs

Author and educator David M. Harris (2009) pointed out that when your day job also involves writing, it will be hard to do some creative writing at night. It can be hard to churn out good material for your day job and more good material for your passion projects. Thus, he advised creative writing majors to find other work that does not involve writing, like plumbing or carpentry. In this way, your creative stamina will not be burnt out when it is time to work on your novel, script, or poems. So, it is best to learn other skills that are not related to creative writing per se.

You could also learn some skills in business such as marketing, PR, SEO, and management. These are something that modern businesses need and the demand for these skills is quite high. As Harris (2009) pointed out as well, you may find inspiration while working jobs other than writing. You may find inspiration for scenes or for characters from the people you meet, among other things. It helps you keep the boat afloat and see the world more, which could give you inspiration from your firsthand experience. These will also be handy when creative writing major salaries are not up to your needs.

Consider freelancing and online jobs

If you want a flexible work schedule, you can also consider freelancing. This can help give you more time and the wiggle room to work on your creative writing projects. There are many job marketplace platforms out there today and they are one Google search away. The competition can be tight, so you have to build your profile for employers. However, the demand for freelancers is quite high. There are also many other freelancing gigs that do not involve writing. If you have other creative skills such as video editing, graphics design, photo-editing, and the likes, you can also find gigs or, even full-time jobs online, with these.

A creative writing degree does not equate to a job. So what can you do with a creative writing major?

As it turns out, there are many jobs where your writing skills and knowledge of literature can be used. In this section, we are going to highlight popular jobs that are a good fit. So, here are what you can do with a creative writing major:

Elementary and Middle School Teachers

Average salary: $50,704

One of the most interesting education statistics concerning creative writing majors is that most graduates become teachers. As indicated by the first table of this article, these occupations have the most share of creative writing graduates. Elementary and middle school teachers have a 6.34% share of creative writing majors. While most may teach English, language and writing skills are not the only things needed to be successful in these occupations. The top skills required are instructing (81%), speaking (81%), learning strategies (78%), critical thinking (75%), and active listening (75%) (O*NET OnLine, 2021). Work activities include coaching, organizing, and evaluating for compliance (O*NET OnLine, 2021).

Postsecondary Teachers

Average salary: $79,640

Teaching in colleges is the second most popular job among creative writing majors. The occupation has a share of 6.31% of all creative major graduates, with 91,727 people in the workforce according to the latest statistics. Creative writing majors in this occupation do to their students what their college or university teachers have done for them: teach them and evaluate their performance (O*NET OnLine, 2021). Core tasks include teaching writing or communication classes, evaluating and grading students’ work, preparing course materials, facilitating classroom discussions, and maintaining student records. They may teach other humanities courses depending on their expertise or minors. They can also create collaborative courses with other instructors or professors.

This is because creative writing skills can be very useful in other fields as well. In Nicholes’ (2020) article “Lab reports and horror stories: Exploring chemistry majors’ evaluations of scientific and creative writing" published in the Journal for Learning through the Arts , the author stated that creative and imaginative writing skills can also be leveraged by educators to “demonstrate how creative narratives do not lie beyond the boundaries of scientific discourse, as well as for reflective and writing-to-learn purposes for students." So, creative writing skills can be used to convey scientific and philosophical views. Famous science writers with both imaginative and scientific styles of writing include Neil deGrasse Tyson, Matt Ridley, and Malcolm Gladwell. Interesting special courses can be made focusing on these styles of delivery.

Proofreaders and Copy Markers

Average salary: $48,588

The main tasks of proofreaders and copy markers are to mark copies to show errors in arrangement, type, grammar, and spelling among others (O*Net OnLine, 2021). They may also do some research work like comparing information from one source against others. Top skills needed for these occupations include reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and critical thinking. Among all occupations, proofreaders and copy markers have the highest concentration of creative writing majors with a revealed comparative advantage (RCA) of 20.9. However, only 0.05% of the overall population are creative writing majors, at 2,140, in the United States.

Average salary: $57,142

Editors’ top tasks intersect with those of proofreaders and copy markers. These include checking for errors in punctuation, syntax, and spelling (O*Net OnLine, 2021). They also verify information, facts, statistics, and dates using reference sources. However, depending on the place of work, editors may also develop story or content ideas for writers with consideration to audience or reader appeal. Creative writing majors make up 1.59% of the total 22,983 editors in the United States.

Writers and Authors

Average Salary: $53,872

These might be the most popular occupations for writers in general and in terms of conventional wisdom. Many people with these occupations work in different industries but are especially very popular in advertising. According to surveys by O*NET OnLine (2021), the most important task (88%) is discussing the products, advertising themes, and methods with clients for advertising copies. Other important tasks within these occupations also include writing articles, sales letters, bulletins, speeches, and other materials that are informative, including marketing and promotional ones. Also, the authors within this wide category of workers write fiction and nonfiction books according to their expertise and their audiences. The average salary for these occupations is $62,070, with the highest concentration in LA City (Data USA, 2021).

Technical Writers

Average salary: $63,665

There are more than 60,000 people who have listed technical writer as their occupation in 2019 in the United States (Data USA, 2021). Also, they are most often employed by the computer system design industry. Top tasks include the organization of material and the completion of writing assignments; maintaining records of work files and revisions; and editing and standardization of materials (O*NET OnLine, 2021). The highest paying industry for technical writers is the internet publishing, broadcasting, and web search portals industry (Data USA, 2021). Also, 7.5% of technical writers work in the management, scientific, and technical consulting services industry. This is only second to the computer system design industry with a share of 23.2% of these workers. Only 5.03% of technical writers work in the independent artists, writers, and performers industry.

Poets, Lyricists, and Creative Writers

Median salary: $67,120

These occupations might just be the dream careers for creative writing majors. People with these occupations write materials for entertainment or artistic purposes (O*NET OnLine, 2021). The top work activity, of course, is thinking creatively for the creation of artistic contributions. Core tasks could include writing fiction or nonfiction prose. These include biographies, articles, short stories, and novels. Some may even write essays and descriptive or critical analyses of other works. Depending on the place of work or the project, they also prepare works in the appropriate format. Other important skills to be successful in these occupations are organizational and social skills.

Is a creative writing major right for you?

Well, it depends on what you want to do with your career, especially with the many types of work you can get as a writer. Remember, however, that creative writing skills and prowess alone would not let you survive in most occupations. This is until your breakthrough—when you would not need a job to stay afloat. Even when you are on your way to being a successful creative writer or author, you will still need many other skills as shown by the facts and statistics above. These include organizational skills, people skills, technology skills, and general knowledge of how things work.

Also, remember the main point of this article: temper your expectations with known facts about the general state of things in the job market. Of course, this is not applicable to everyone. Some are lucky enough to be born into a creative environment with many connections and jobs waiting for them after graduation. However, as the world of media and entertainment is getting wider and wider, thanks to the internet, it seems that the field is wide open for anyone who can write or create content well. There are so many niches now and avenues for publications that even web novels or fan-made fiction are getting traction. Even art, nowadays, can be technically forgiving, given the wave of conceptual works. But many of these things figure in the “what I wish I knew as a creative writing major" department.

Even if you lose interest in your initial field, there are also many other occupations that you can take up. Many English majors have ended up being in politics, being astronauts, physicists, and whatnot. It is all about being driven and inspired by what you value the most. Of course, a good deal of career planning is needed. So, good luck.

Key Insights

• Diverse Career Opportunities : A degree in creative writing can lead to various careers such as poet, author, publishing editor, copywriter, and technical writer.
• Skill Versatility : Creative writing majors possess strong writing and communication skills applicable to many fields, including education, law, and journalism.
• Adaptability and Marketability : Being adaptable and well-rounded is crucial for navigating the dynamic job market, allowing creative writing graduates to find work in multiple industries.
• High Earning Potential in Non-Literary Fields : Industries like wholesale electronic markets, electrical equipment manufacturing, and communications offer higher salaries for creative writing graduates than traditional writing jobs.
• Education Sector Dominance : The most common careers for creative writing majors are in education, with many becoming elementary, middle, and postsecondary teachers.
• Importance of Internships : Internships provide valuable on-the-job experience, industry connections, and opportunities to learn practical skills not covered in academic programs.
• Freelancing and Online Jobs : Freelancing offers flexibility and the chance to work on passion projects, with high demand for skills like video editing, graphic design, and SEO.
• What is a creative writing major? A creative writing major is an academic program that trains students to create original literary works in various genres. It includes courses on poetry, fiction, non-fiction, scripts, and screenplays, as well as theoretical courses on literary genres and devices.
• What career options are available for creative writing majors? Career options include poet, author, publishing editor, copywriter, technical writer, teacher, lawyer, journalist, and more. The degree equips graduates with versatile skills applicable to many fields.
• What is the average salary for creative writing majors? Salaries vary widely by occupation. For example, elementary and middle school teachers earn an average of $50,704, while writers and authors earn about $53,872 annually.
• How can internships benefit creative writing majors? Internships provide practical experience, industry connections, and the opportunity to learn on-the-job skills. They are essential for building a professional network and gaining insight into business operations.
• What are some top universities for creative writing majors? Top universities include Columbia University, University of California, Harvard University, Emerson College, and New York University, known for their robust creative writing and English programs.
• What are the requirements to enroll in a creative writing major? Requirements typically include a high school diploma, transcripts, application fees, letters of intent and recommendation, a minimum GPA, and for international students, TOEFL/IELTS scores.
• What should students consider before pursuing a creative writing major? Students should consider market saturation, the importance of finding a niche, choosing a good minor, securing internships, and being prepared for non-writing jobs while pursuing their passion projects.
• How does freelancing benefit creative writing majors? Freelancing offers flexibility, allowing creative writing majors to work on their passion projects while earning an income. It also opens opportunities in various fields beyond writing.
• What types of writing jobs have the highest concentration of creative writing majors? Proofreaders and copy markers, editors, and writers/authors have the highest concentration of creative writing majors, although these jobs are less common compared to teaching positions.
• Is a creative writing major right for me? A creative writing major is ideal for those passionate about writing and literature. It provides versatile skills applicable to many careers, but success often requires additional skills and a willingness to adapt to various job markets.

References:

• Campbell, L., & Jacobs, D. (2010). Toward a description of undergraduate writing majors. In G. A. Giberson & T. A. Moriarty (Eds.), What we are becoming (pp. 277-286). University Press of Colorado .
• Data USA. (2021). Creative writing . Retrieved October 7, 2021, from Data USA .
• Data USA. (2021). Writers & authors . Retrieved October 7, 2021, from Data USA .
• Nicholes, J. (2020). Lab reports and horror stories: Exploring chemistry majors’ evaluations of scientific and creative writing. Journal for Learning through the Arts, 16 (1), n1. ERIC .
• Harris, D. M. (n.d.). Writing career advice: Careers for creative writing majors [Video]. eHow Channel on YouTube .
• O*NET OnLine. (2021). 25-2021.00 Elementary school teachers, except special education . Retrieved October 7, 2021, O*NET OnLine .
• O*NET OnLine. (2021). 25-2022.00 Middle school teachers, except special and career/Technical education. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from O*NET OnLine .
• O*NET OnLine. (2021). 43-9081.00 Proofreaders and copy markers . Retrieved October 7, 2021, from O*NET OnLine .
• O*NET OnLine. (2021). 27-3041.00 Editors . Retrieved October 7, 2021, from O*NET OnLine .
• O*NET OnLine. (2021). 27-3043.05 Poets, lyricists and creative writers. Retrieved October 7, 2021, from O*NET OnLine .
• O*NET OnLine. (2021). 27-3043.00 Writers and authors . Retrieved October 7, 2021, from O*NET OnLine .
• O*NET OnLine. (2021). 27-3042.00 Technical writers . Retrieved October 7, 2021, from O*NET OnLine .
• O*NET OnLine. (n.d.). 25-1123.00 English language and literature teachers, postsecondary . Retrieved October 7, 2021, from O*NET OnLine .
• Petit, Z. (2013, October 4). Before they were famous: The oddest odd jobs of 10 literary greats . Writer’s Digest .

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26 Creative Writing Careers

by Melissa Donovan | Aug 4, 2022 | Creative Writing | 164 comments

Creative writing careers — they’re out there!

If creative writing is your passion, then you’d probably enjoy a career in which you could spend all day (or at least most of the day) pursuing that passion.

But creative writing is an artistic pursuit, and we all know that a career in the arts isn’t easy to come by.

It takes hard work, drive, dedication, a whole lot of spirit, and often, a willingness to take big financial risks — as in not having much money while you’re waiting for your big break.

When we think of people who make a living through writing, novelists and journalists come to mind immediately. But what other jobs are out there for folks who want to make creative writing the work that puts food on the table?

The Creative Writing Career List

Here’s a list of creative writing careers that you can consider for your future. I’m not making any promises. You have to go out and find these jobs yourself, but they do exist. You just have to look for them and then land them.

• Greeting Card Author
• Comic Book Writer
• Copywriter (business, advertising, marketing, etc.)
• Writing Coach
• Screenwriter
• Songwriter (Lyricist)
• Freelance Short Fiction Writer
• Web Content Writer
• Creative Writing Instructor
• Legacy Writer (write people’s bios and family histories)
• Critic/Reviewer
• Ghostwriter
• Article Writer (write, submit, repeat)
• Video Game Writer
• Personal Poet (write personalized poems for weddings, funerals, childbirths, etc.)
• Speechwriter
• Write sleep stories
• Blogger (don’t tell me you don’t have a blog yet!)
• Creative Writing Consultant
• Specialty writer (food, travel, fitness, etc.)
• Write guided meditations

I’m not saying you’re going to make a lot of money with some of these creative writing careers. You might have to earn your creating writing income part-time or on the side. But if you do what you love, the money (i.e. the success) just might follow. You’ll never know unless you try, right?

Do you have any creative writing careers to add to this list? Share your suggestions by leaving a comment.

164 Comments

I find it so difficult to consolidate my thoughts when it comes to career paths. I know this is only a short post with some fairly obvious suggestions, but I really have to say cheers for arranging them in a way that means I can go “Oh yeah. I could do that. Or that..”

Baffled in the world of writing.

Thanks, GrapeMe. I’m sure there are many more creative writing career paths, and hopefully some folks will stop by and add their suggestions. What I wanted to do with this post was present some starter ideas for career building. If you’re in school or have a full-time job, then these are great ways to get your feet wet, and you never know where these jobs will take you! Good luck to you!

Great post!

I can tell you from personal experience that it IS possible to make a career in creative writing. My dream was to launch an on-line store where I could showcase and sell e-mail subscriptions to my collection of short stories. Additionally, I wanted to foster other short story writers by sponsoring short story contests.

Now, nearly three years later, LongShortStories is happily chugging along like The Little Engine That Could, bringing the best in short fiction to an ever-widening appreciative global audience.

It does take patience and perseverence, along with a huge leap of faith in yourself and the reading community at large, to create and maintain such an ongoing venture.

Am I successful? Yes. Am I rich? Yes, if by that you define success and richness as living out one’s creative dream. For that, I am so grateful to my loyal readers and contest entrants who see the power in the short story form.

Go for it, I say!

Wayne C. Long Writer/Editor/Digital Publisher

That’s one of the reasons I wanted to present this list — you never know where it will lead if you just start by dipping your toes in the water. And I think for those of us who are creative or artistic, there’s a true need to engage our creativity even if it’s not our full-time work. And if we can bring in a little extra spending money doing something we love, all the better!

Hi Wayne Hi. Felt great to see your view and understande your perspective,on this important and required art. Writing is something which will indeed shape the future have already writen poems, want to publish them. Am a Multiple Sclerosis patient would appreciate support in my persuit to make my work visible.

I’ve heard of most of these, except personal poet. Of course, the creative job (though not about writing) that I wonder most about is: who gets hired to design those patterns on paper towels?

I’ve been to several websites for personalized poetry. Actually, that’s something I briefly considered doing many years ago, but ultimately I chose another path. Funny you mention the paper towel patterns, because I have wondered the same thing many, many times!

Probably a clever little robot..

Children’s book author. 🙂 I completely agree with you that there is usually a way to turn your passion into a successful career, even if it involves looking for unconventional routes to do what you love.

Yes, those unconventional routes are the ones forged by pioneers, people who were compelled to follow their dreams. Reminds me of the saying, “Do what you love and the money will follow.”

Nice list, Melissa.

I routinely participate in two of the twenty on your list. However, I would be hard pressed to call either a career. More of a labor of love, compulsion, passion than a reliable way to pay the bills — even though I participate daily. Still, I am incredibly fortunate. I would not change my vague professional choices for anything. Best of success to all who tackle anything on the above list.

Thanks, Devin. I believe that if we combine our passion with a desire to make a living doing what we love, anything is possible. Best of luck to you!

I couldn’t agree more. I mostly just do what I love and somehow the bills get paid. believing in yourself is also very helpful — of course there is no reason not to.

Mrs. Melissa Donovan,

I wanted to write for theater newsletter a friend created.

She gave me the opportunity and not a thought would come to me.

Not a theater professional but I like theater and felt I had something to say about it.

Upon returning a few theater books to the library, I got lost in a Exploring Theater Playwriting, a topic jumped on me Rules of etiquette.

Finally, I have the first draft.

I need guidance to help me orient myself with writing and I hope to find it online. This list is a good start. I scrub toilets for a living, can’t help but read and write before and after work. Words, concepts and definitions are very important to me, can’t imagine not pursuing writing soon, yet I need to sell it too somehow. Custodian/janitorial work speaks for itself, words require a lot more compelling.

Great list of creative writing careers, Melissa. To this list, I would like to add:

1. Letter writer — writing personal and business letters for clients. 2. Resume writer

…and you’re right. If you do what you love, the money frequently DOES follow!

Thanks, Christine! These are great additions to the list. Resume and cover letter writing are especially notable because one can make a good living in that field. However, I’m not sure it constitutes as creative writing so much as business writing. In any case, definitely worth mentioning!

I’m not quite sure what I would want to do in the writing field. I don tknow because so many of them I think I could do well in. I am so grateful for this list because it shows a very organized way of showing so many possibilities in this creative field.

If you try different forms, styles, and genres of writing, you’ll eventually find the one that fits! Good luck to you!

Melissa. I hope I could maybe get into non fiction writing or even journalism.

Good luck. Just keep writing and submitting, and you’ll get there.

Im just a 12 year old girl who wants to know what I want to do with my life when I get older. All of my other friends know exactly what they are going to be, but I wasn’t sure. So, I went and looked on some websites about jobs that have to do with writing, and this website gave me a very good idea of what I want to be, a song writer because I also love singing. Thanks! 🙂

Songwriting is an excellent career. I love that songwriters get to be creative, work with lots of other artists, and are immersed in music but don’t have to deal with the spotlight and publicity (unless the songwriter is also a star). Nice career choice! Good luck to you.

I am too and my parents have recently asked me what I may have wanted to be and I didn’t even know so it kinda scared me and I have recently realized I like to write stories.I know how this economy works though with the unemployment and it makes me wonder if a writing career would work.I love to write though,am I crazy or something?

At twelve years old, there is no reason to be scared if you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up. You have plenty of time! Lots of people start college without declaring their field of study, and lots of people start college thinking they’re going to do one thing and then change halfway through. But if you really love writing and want to pursue it, then there’s no better time to start than right now. No, you’re not crazy. Writing is a wonderful adventure. Also, you are living in the best possible time in history to be a writer. There are tons of wonderful opportunities available to writers that we did not have ten or twenty years ago. I wish you the best of luck, Thatgirl!

Melissa, I’m a former high school English teacher who realized a few years into teaching that writing was what I really wanted to do. I have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education but am trying to change careers. I’ve been working on a YA novel and have been getting EXTREMELY frustrated. I have to say I found your post on accident but have found it to be very inspiring. Thanks for surge of reassurance that it can be done!

You’re welcome! I think it’s wonderful that you’re working on a novel and normal that you’re frustrated. Just keep at it and the frustration will eventually pass. You’ll find that in a battle of willpower, commitment wins out over frustration every time.

I really want to write and it has always been a favorite passtime of mine. If i am not writing I feel empty inside like something is missing. The problem is I am scared to take that ‘leap of faith’ and make a career out of it. Instead, I search for everything else to become in life just to run from the truth that writing has been and always will be my destiny. It started back in high school when I was told writers don’t make much money. I let that get in the way of what I could be now and I quit. Now, I see writers that are better and are doing better than I am and I get jealous because I feel I am a better writer than them all!! Then I realize that talk is cheap without evidence to back it up. Can anybody offer a advice or words of encouragement for me to finally persue my one and only true love and happiness in life?? It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you..

Well Skyi, I personally don’t think jealousy is going to get you anywhere. If you obsess over comparing yourself to your peers, you will be in a constant state of negativity. Also, you should keep in mind that regardless of how well you write, you are not entitled to success, especially in a field that you chose not to pursue. I think your best course of action would be to accept that you are where you are right now because of the choices that you (and you alone) made. Once you accept responsibility for your life, you can set a new course and start pursuing a career in writing. It’s never too late to become a writer. Stop focusing on what other writers are achieving and concentrate on writing the best you can. The only way to be a writer is to write.

Hey Melissa,

I think your website is great! I ran by it by mistake and really found the info helpful. I am venturing out into my writing career and can use all the info I can get my hands on. I do have a question: I have started a career and have ppl supporting me in this career but I am for certain that writing is where I belong and want to do. How do I make the transistion smoothly and let my supporters down easily? 🙂

Thanks in advance for the advice,

Thanks for your kind words. Your question confuses me. Why would you be letting your supporters down if you transition to writing as a career? If they are truly your supporters, it won’t be a let-down at all.

Wow! Is all I can say..I honestly thought that I was in this boat all by myself! Like you, I have ping ponged myself between careers and have always found my way back to writing. I mean literally I have been a secretary for over five years, graduated with a assoicates business degree, taken cosmetology courses and actually done freelance makeup artistry and STILL I find myself unhappy. I had to really sit myself down and think of what I was taking myself through…it didn’t make any sense for me not to pursue my passion; the one thing that I enjoyed most whether I was sad, mad, happy, etc. I have been writing since the tender age of six from poems to short ficition stories, won many rewards for my writing while I was in elementary through middle school. When I reached high school, I didnt want to be labeled as a “geek” and compared my life to peers which led me to where I am today. Don;t get me wrong, my life is not horrible; I have a good job and work with ppl that I am respected by but I know that life can be more fulfilling and better if I was to just do what in the heck I want to do! lol. It’s easier said than done and I know EXACTLY where you are coming from.

Like Melissa has mentioned, don’t spend your time comparing your life to others; your path to success is truly in your hands. 🙂 I wish the very best for you.

Thank you for this list! My dream career though is to be a show/concept writer for a theme park like Disney. There are stories for each ride and I would love to be one of the minda behind them.

Wow, writing a theme park ride would be a pretty awesome job. That never even occurred to me as a creative writing career. Thanks for adding it, Ren!

Hi Melissa, I’m coming up to my last year of high school and I’m trying to think of a career path. I love to write, but I’m not sure what the best way to start. What I would like to do the most is writing lyrics, and if not that poetry. However, I don’t think I would be able to. Do you know how I can get my writing out after college? How difficult was it for you? How did you start making a career out of your writing? What helped you the most? Thank you for your time, -Jessica

I believe it’s pretty difficult to make a living writing lyrics and/or poetry. But there are some careers in those areas, and just because it’s a challenging path doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it. As a lyricist, you will need to partner with musicians, so building a network of musicians and learning about the music industry would be a good start. I understand that some slam poets are now making a living in poetry, but their form requires live (and recorded) performances, something not all writers are crazy about. (Search for “slam poetry” or check out IndieFeed Performance Poetry podcast for more info.) You can also write poetry for greeting cards (you’ll have to do a little research on how to get work in that field).

A good start for a poet like yourself is to take some poetry workshops, which will help you understand whether your work is publishable. But you should also submit your poetry to journals and literary magazines. Visit their websites, check their submission guidelines, and then send them your work. That is how you start.

I made a career out of writing by studying creative writing at university, which gave me the skills (and more importantly, the confidence) to start my own blog and copywriting business.

What helped me the most? Writing a lot and reading even more.

Good luck to you!

Thank you so much for this list. This will be my last year in high school before I start collage, and my dream has always been to be a writer, but sadly I have always been told that writing doesn’t pay very good unless your amazingly good. The comments as well as the posting, has given me hope about having a job in writing.

One could argue that few careers pay well unless you are amazingly good. I would further qualify that to say you don’t even have to be good, just hardworking and driven. There are plenty of viable career opportunities in writing. It’s probably easier to make a good living as a technical or scientific writer than as a novelist (assuming you acquire the proper training in those fields), but if you are sufficiently motivated, you can succeed at whatever you want.

I’ve always loved writing and video games. Me and some of my friends would literally sit and talk for hours about ideas for video games we had and would start writing them down. Even before graduating from high school, I’ve been trying to find a path that would allow me to become a video game writer. It’s been three years since I graduated from high school and I’m still left without answers. I went to college for two years for secondary English education but it just didn’t interest me the way writing for video games do. A few days ago, I went to Pittsburgh University of Greensburg and talked with a professor there to see what I should do if I want to become a video game writer. Once again, I was left without answers. She pretty much told me that she had never heard of such a thing before. Please, if you could provide me with any information, anything at all, I would greatly appreciate it.

I would suggest studying creative writing with a focus on fiction. Another good option might be screenwriting. Video games are stories, so you would want to develop writing skills in general and storytelling skills specifically. You might also take some courses in programming or application development. That’s not my area of expertise, so I can’t be more specific. You best bet is to find someone who writes for video games and ask their advice.

I came across this on accident. I was looking for different options to take for a career path on writing. I have not written much in my life. When I was in middle school and in high school I used to write in my Journal a lot. I had a couple friends who wrote poems and short stories I thought they were good and I wanted to try too. I wrote in my journal about many different things, but it never seemed satisfying to me. I was too embarassed to show everyone what I could write. So I continued to write secretivley. I stopped writing, and 2 years later when I felt as if my whole life was nothing I started writing again, and now I feel alive! i still don’t think my writing is the best but it has made me feel so much better about myself.I started writing a novel. My fiance is excited for me and wants me to follow my dream and do what I want to do. When I came across this I felt like someone was nudging me. Thank you so much! This has inspired me entirely!

Thank you for sharing your writing experiences. I’m so glad you found Writing Forward inspiring. I know what you mean about coming across something that gives you a little nudge. All my life, I’ve experienced little nudges and they have always pointed me toward writing (even way back when I had my sights set on other career paths). Those little nudges really make one wonder about destiny.

I’m one of the few that lived the dream, earned money from writing and hated it! It sounds terrible, but writing for money sucked all the joy out of the creative process for me. I loved to write for school and my unpaid internship (I have a Bachelor’s in English), but the minute I needed to pay bills with my writing, the whole process felt like a soul-suck. Suddenly it wasn’t enough to write when the inspiration hit throughout the week (when my best writing happens anyway), but I had to be witty and original at the snap of a finger. Yet it wasn’t enough to be witty: you have to care about what sells, what different editors think “good” writing even is and follow contradictory style guidelines. It wasn’t that I wasn’t used to these things, but now if it didn’t happen or I didn’t sell, my power goes off. I had panic attacks every time I sat down to write. I had to go back and get a traditional job.

But if I’m out of it, why search this stuff a month and a half after admitting defeat? It’s because I love the art of writing: the creative process, the big dreams of those starting out, the insights others have, the glory of a sentence fashioned just right after five pages of terrible ones. The monetary aspect destroyed that for me. Just goes to show, it’s not for everyone. To anyone that wants to write for a living, be willing to work long hours, open to constant criticism and have a plan B.

Hi Michelle. I would say there’s a big difference between commercial writing and creative writing. Commercial writing means you’re writing for payment rather than to express your own ideas. I can certainly understand how writing commercially zaps creativity or feels like a soul-suck. I’ve experienced it myself. But I hope you’re still pursuing your creative writing. In fiction and poetry, I believe the best writing comes from the heart and is not driven by money or the marketplace.

I am a senior in high school and plan on going to college to major in journalism. However, I do not know exactly what field of work to go into. I was thinking about writing for People’s Magazine. I know it seems far-fetched, but hey, it’s my dream! Do you know how a person might have a chance at writing for a such a successful magazine??

Jamie, it sounds like you have decided which field of work to go into (journalism). More specifically, it sounds like you want to write for a Hollywood gossip publication. There are probably many opportunities in that area, not limited to People Magazine. For example, there are tons of websites that focus on celebrity news, and you could also work as a writer for one of the entertainment news shows (like ET or Inside Edition). That’s definitely not my area of expertise, but it sounds to me like you’re already heading in the direction that’s right for you.

Thanks for the comment! I am not exactly positive that I want to write for People Magazine, but I do know that I want to write. What do you do for a living (if you don’t mind me asking)? I would love to write for any company, really. I just like to write. I am interested in entertainment. Which is why I want to write for a magazine. But, writing for something a little more discreet is fine too.

I’m a web designer and copywriter by trade. I help small businesses build effective online marketing campaigns. My livelihood is somewhat supplemented by the work I do here on Writing Forward. I’m also working on a couple of big writing projects (a novel and a book of creative writing exercises). The exercises book will be out soon and available here. The novel could take years! There are many opportunities for writers; you just have to find them.

That is really neat! I just want to do anything to make my family proud! I love to write! 🙂 I can’t wait to gain a higher education. Thanks for taking the time to read my comments and commenting back!

It fills my heart with hope to see a young person so excited about education. Something tells me that you’re going to do quite well, Jamie.

Hey, i found this while looking for it, oddly enough. I am currently attending college and in pursuit of a Creative Writing degree, I am about two years in! with almost completed half of my courses for my four year, I still have some question’s as most. My concentration will be in Technical writing, Grants and contracts, but i will be writing on the side to keep the creative spark. I was curious, however, if you could point me in the direction of a detailed description of a day in your shoes as a copy write. i would much oblige Thnx again.

That would be a lengthy essay indeed. I will say this: every day is different. Also, most of my time is not spent writing. It’s spent on marketing and taking care of administrative tasks.

Liberating thought: even if writing does not provide a full living, it can provide enough of one to let a person withdraw from the pressure to move upward in another career. A decent-paying day job plus supplemental writing can add up to as much or more income as a hated rat race job.

I agree 100%. For many writers, it’s an outlet for creativity or it supplements their income — small things that have a big, positive impact on quality of life!

Melisa, Thanks for the list. I am a writer who intends to find my feet more in the art of writing. I am inspired by the list. My contribution is, if you love to write anything at all, start writing. You can’t imagine where it might take you. God bless you.

Thank you for your inspiring words.

hi I would like a career in writing but I just dont know what to do. I was into journalism but had a talk with a journalist a few weeks ago and got really discouraged. I have a blog and write short stories. But I just dont know what to do in my life. I am 18 years old and would like to stop wasting time and money in lectures I am not going to use. Currently I am doing a course on media production and I’m liking it. But it is like there is something missing. When I write I feel whole.

Many eighteen-year-olds have no idea what they want to do. It sounds like you know you want to write; you just need to figure out what form. College is a great place to figure that out. You can take classes in different types of writing (fiction, journalism, business writing) and find what fits. If you’re drawn to journalism, I don’t think you should give up on it just because one journalist discouraged you. Talk to more journalists, take some journalism classes, and do a little citizen journalism. Experiment and stick with your studies!

I am a short story writer, and a poet. But I am only 13. Trying to hook myself into this early <3

I started writing when I was thirteen too. Stick with it!

I will! Haha, even my boyfriend likes my writing.

That’s good. It’s important to have a support system. Try to find others who will appreciate and support your writing, too. Good luck!

I’m having a hard time finding a career path. I’m still in high school, but it’s not going too well.

My odd circumstances are going to leave me in dire straights soon, where I can either choose to drop out of high school and get my GED or go through with two more of high school. (I’m a senior, kind of. I left public school for home school, and it’s not working out. For myself or my mother.) So, I figured that now would be the best time to find a career path that is both logical but suited to my creative side.

Is there any security in being a creative writer? I mean, this list is comparatively small when you look at more practical things like nursing degrees or business degrees. I understand that the big blow up in internet culture, creative writing via blogging is becoming a fast hit with book publishers, but how likely is it that creative writing will be a degree that I can support myself (and/or a family) on?

In this day and age, I don’t think there is true security in any career field. Perhaps there never has been. Careers in the arts have a reputation for being harder than other careers, but I am not sure I believe that to be true. I think these careers are different in that you usually don’t have an employer, benefits, etc. You are hustling rather than working set hours for a regular paycheck. In my experience, people with self-discipline and drive create their own job security (in any field). Also, there’s a kind of competition in the arts that doesn’t exist in many other industries.

In terms of your education, my advice would be to finish high school. However, I’m not privy to the details of your circumstances. I just think there is a greater value in getting a diploma alongside your peers.

Nobody supports themselves on a degree. You can get a degree in astro-engineering and end up homeless. Success is the result of making smart choices, working hard, internal drive, external support system, and luck. You might find yourself eventually making a choice between living a more secure, conventional life and pursuing your dream of becoming a career writer. Sacrifice of one kind or another is inevitable.

My cousin has his undergrad degree in English and MFA (master’s in fine arts) in creative writing. He’s taught technical writing in college and now works at home as a contractor for corporate companies (tech writing.) He recently finished the first draft of his sci-fi novel by saving up and taking a few months off at a time. And, yes, he certainly is not a starving artist.

I am studying creative writing and education, both of which are terribly impractical, income-wise. But it’s possible to make a decent living if you’re passionate, dedicated and willing to take day jobs that you won’t necessarily enjoy.

See, I just don’t think these fields of study are impractical, especially studying education (we will always need teachers). With all the budget cuts, a career as a teacher might look improbable right now, but these cuts only apply to public schools. There are many other opportunities for teachers and places where their skills can be used.

Thank’s Melissa for the encouragement.I will surely look into that.This blog page of yours is really helpful for all the aspiring writers.

I read the article and I loved it. I am an aspiring author (Junior in highschool), and wish to one day publish a succesful fiction novel, like many others. I always knew I wanted to write, but I was told constantly that it would not suit for a career, and that healthcare and buissness were far better choices, money-wise. I am aware that sacrificing wealth over happiness is a nessecity in this pathway, but I am not so interested in wealth. My love for writing and spreading messages to inspire people, and even entertain is what I strive for. I realize it is hard to make a successful fiction novel. I will forever write them, but I need a job that will at least get me by. I’m not so sure which would be best for a fiction novelist. I was leaning more on article writing, but that is more technical, I believe. I was inspired by the coments and your responses. Recently, I firmly decided to go with creative writing, but the desicion to pick what to do is dificult. I will continue writing, and hopefully, I’ll make it one day. 😀

You sound like my kind of writer, Karolina.

I once heard someone say that money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy comfort. Well, many writers find comfort in the craft. I wish you the best.

Hi there guys! I’ve really enjoyed reading everyones opinions and experiences. I could really do with some advice of my own- I’ve always considered myself a creative soul; I’m a songwriter, have written screen plays and am currently working on my first novel. My major passion in life is professinal wrestling (eg.wwe), I currently write a wrestling blog and love the idea of one day writing creativtly for the tv shows. Having scouted my dream job with wwe, I learnt that they require applicants to have a ba degree in creative writing or a similar field aswell as experience in scriptwriting for tv. I am 22 yrs old and looking to settle down with my girlfriend however the idea of finally going to uni and gaining the skill set to at least improve my writing has big appeal. I realise my chances of ever workibg in such a niche field are slim and would settle for any work in which I could contribute to a creative process, but is uni with all its costs and time it takes to complete worth it?

I majored in creative writing in college, and I definitely think it’s worth the time and money, especially if you plan on a career in creative writing. If the job that you’ve got your eye on requires a BA, then you should certainly pursue it if you can. Dream big!

This is a wonderful post and I thank you for it. I have been struggling over the last few years when it came to finally making a decision in regard to what I want to do with my life. This has definitely given me a few ideas and I will be getting the ball rolling as soon as I possibly can! :]

Thanks, Lisa-Marie. I’m glad you got some ideas out of this post, and I wish you the best of luck in your writing future!

I recently just started a hobby of writing, they’re fictional based stories, but i was inspired by real events in my life & though the stories i write are fictional, they are realistic to a certain extent as well. Guess you could consider them historical fiction &/or drama & suspense stories. I’m kind of new at writing & i don’t know very many people that are well to do writters, so I’m kind of on my own. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of where i should start?

There are plenty of writers on the internet, and you can easily connect with them. You can search for writers’ groups. Look for writers on social media. Start a blog. Writers love to discuss the craft and share information, and the web makes it easy. If you’d prefer to do something in person, check your local community college for creative writing classes and workshops or poke around and see if you can find a writer’s group that is accepting new members. Best of luck to you, Matt.

OK, thank you !!

You’re welcome.

Hello Melissa! Thanks for this list.. I’m an English major with a Creative Writing minor, and lately I have been struggling to make a decision about my future career(s). I write poetry but my main focus is writing fantasy/mystery fiction, and I’d like nothing better than to just write novels for the rest of my life. However, I know I may never be able to support myself by doing just this. I’ve been stressed out lately thinking what career I could get into, but technical writing doesn’t appeal to me and I don’t have a burning desire to teach. This list reminds me that I have more options than I thought!

That’s great, Monica! I too majored in creative writing (at my school, it was called a concentration). I’ve also found that most employers appreciate a worker who has strong writing skills. I got more than one promotion and/or raise because of my writing when I was an office worker! I wish you the best of luck!

I have always aspired to become a published author, and now that I am in the last years of my life I find myself wanting to have a writing career more than ever. All my life I have worked hard to make a living to raise my family, the physical demands of my jobs have paid their toll on me, and I think it is about time I settled down and did something I could enjoy. I have always excelled in the creative arts, from writing to acting to art, but have never held a job in which I could use these talents. Following is a list of the creative writing jobs I could do from your list: Greeting Card Author, Advertising (Creative), Freelance Short Fiction Writer, Columnist, Video Game Writer (includes storytelling/fiction!), I would also like to get a few novels published. I can also draw just about anything-ultimately I would like to get my own stories published- with not only my creative writing, but my illustrations as well. I have written several books and have ideas for many more, but because I have to make a living I have been unable to get anything published because the cost is too much. In other words, because I have had to take physically demanding jobs that paid little wages I have never had the capitol to get started. I have sent out many submissions and have entered many contests, but made little ground in the creative field. I want to write, I’m good at it, and I just need to find a way to get my work noticed-this has been very difficult. I would merely like to make a living in something I’m good at and I have a driving desire to do. Is there any advice you can give me, or any contact information for agents and publishers who might be interested in helping out a new author?

Hi Tim. It sounds like you’re passionate about art and writing. I’m not sure how much you’ve submitted your work, but I would say keep at it. If you have a lot of completed material, you can polish it and just keep submitting it. Chances are that eventually, your work will be accepted. You might also want to start a website to build a readership and audience. A professionally designed site will be an expense, but you can start with a free platform like WordPress.com. You can use your site/blog to post your writing and your art. You can also self-publish and build your own readership. However, I would note that running your own website is time consuming, and there can be a lot to learn in terms of marketing, so you might want to pick up a couple of books or hire someone to help you with the process. I wish you the best of luck!

Wow! Thank you so very much for creating this list! I actually haven’t really thought of doing some of the jobs listed on here. I’m only 20 years old and I’m finding it EXTREMELY hard to make it in the writing business! However, I am pursuing my dream and I am planning to do whatever it takes to make it. Thank you ever so much Melissa!

Many blessings to you,

Good luck to you, Nada!

I wish to be a writer some day.I am currently working in a IT company which offers a decent pay.But I have always loved writing since my school days even though I eventually graduated in Engineering.I want to make a career switch and pursue a career in writing.I now the pay is not that great in writing but then arts is always difficult.I want to take a shot at it and live my dream.I am very apprehensive about the future and don’t know how to tell it to my parents.I keep a blog for short-stories and poems.

Most writers start their careers while they have full-time jobs. You can definitely ease into a writing career. If you can get paid for a few freelance projects, get a blog and audience going, you’ll be able to lay a solid foundation for a future career. Best of luck to you!

Hello, my name is quadree Breeland and I am a 19 year old college student in Delaware and I am looking to transfer to Columbia college in Chicago. I might not be the greatest writer but I love it. I have written 2 full short scripts. One is a police procedural and the serial killer who kills people with their own video games. Literally and the other is a thriller about a guy who quit the CIA because of problems with his father and a Russian terrorist comes back to try and kill him and anything around him. I love writing and I am very creative. My dream career is to write the dialogue, story, or the missions in video games. Basically, I wanna write for games. I know I won’t get a job like that as soon as I get out of college, but I have no problem applying for a job as a comic book writer, game or film reviewer, or writing for a web series. Im not really a novelist, but I wouldn’t mind taking a job like the ones I stated above when I graduate. I guess all I want is a reply with school advice and career advice. I am trying to find a good blog or site to post my stories at. I’m trying to find schools for me with film, or writing in the entertainment industry. I’m trying to find schools with dorms, clubs, and a good social life. You know, parties and stuff.

You have some great story ideas that would work well for scripts or video games. I would suggest that you try to find an internship with a company that produces video games. If you do that while you’re still in school, you’ll have a much better shot at landing a job in your chosen field when you graduate. Good luck to you!

Blogging sounds interesting and fun, but I don’t know how to pinpoint a topic to dedicate a blog to! I’m not an expert at anything and don’t do much of a hobby that I think could carry out well as a blog. Any ideas, suggestions, etc?

Hi Rachel. You could always write a personal blog in which you share your personal stories, ideas, and experiences. You can also do a photo or art blog. You do need some central theme or topic to write around.

When I was purusing an art undergraduate degree in philosophy and graduated in 2009, I had no idea that a career in the liberal arts can be this tough. My hobby of writing has started upon graduation, and had been looking for work that can utilize my writing skills ever since.

I have seen job posts that requires a degree in journalism if were to pursue staff writer, but no mention of a degree in philosophy.

I came across your website and like what you blog about.

Thanks, Katherine. Yes, it’s tough to get these jobs, and many work best as second jobs or extra income. Part of what determines whether you can land these positions is your skill level. It’s all about practice and getting in those 10,000 hours. Keep at it!

I want to add Medical Writing/Editing to this list. Although some may think that it is not “creative writing”, it can be very creative depending on the type of medical writing that you do. Medical Regulatory writing is more factual, but consumer medical/health writing can give you the chance to be creative and factual at the same time. Medical Writers/Editors are paid very well ($45,000 to $100,000) and you do not have to be a medical professional to write about health topics.

Resources to learn more about medical writing:

American Medial Writing Association

Hi J. I appreciate that you mentioned medical writing, but when we differentiate between business, academic, and creative writing, medical writing definitely does not fall under the creative category. It is a form of scientific writing. Copywriting (what I do) requires a lot of creativity but it’s still not creative writing; it’s a form of business writing. However, I’m glad you mentioned it, because for creative writers, there are a lot of opportunities in the field of business, scientific, and technical writing. While some of these careers may require education in their respective fields (and some may not), they are industries where one can make a good living as a writer.

Thank you SO MUCH for creating this article!

But isn’t making a career in writing only just … too dangerous. Because I’ve always wanted to be a novelist but I also want to make a (possible) career in the medical department. So I was thinking isn’t having a “back-up” plan better? And if so does it have to be from the same branch?

I wouldn’t call creative writing a dangerous career choice. There’s no reason you can’t study medicine and write. You could even be a medical writer. You might look into majoring in medicine and minoring in English. There’s nothing wrong with having a back-up plan, and no, it doesn’t have to be in the same discipline.

Thank you, Melissa, for this wonderful post. I have a BA in Creative Writing and really wish I had done more during uni to try out different writing careers, as internships seem extremely hard to come by for graduates. Any words of wisdom on how a graduate might gain professional experience in a particular writing field, short of going back to school?

Well it depends on which writing field — fiction, poetry, journalism? One thing you can do is submit your work to professional magazines and journals and build up your writing credits. You have a blog (that would have been my next suggestion). Get your work out there; that’s the best way gain experience.

I would really like to try my hand at journalism, but I’m starting to think the only way to do that (as a graduate without experience in the field) is to offer my services for free. But I also like your suggestion about submitting to magazines. I once read “Do good work. Then put it where people can see it.” Exposure is definitely something I need to work on! Thank you again.

Thanks, Julie. Writing is one of those careers where you may have to do some free work or take an internship to prove yourself before landing a paid gig. Musicians have to do the same thing. They play for free (or for pennies) — sometimes for years — before they start getting paid. Submitting to magazines is a great way to get experience and get paid since they often buy articles based on merit. Good luck to you, and keep writing!

Thank you so much for making this website, and I can see that you are very dedicated to helping people pursue a writing career. I’m a junior in highschool, and I have considered many careers, but whenever I thought i knew what I wanted to do, deep down I knew it wasn’t. I finally figured out why I’ve been unable to pick a career, and it’s because I absolutely love to write. I would write all day, everyday if I could. I just thought that writing was a hobby, and I couldn’t make a career out of it. I now know that I can make a career out of writing, and this is what I wish to pursue in college. Only problem is that my parents want me to be a doctor or something, but this doesn’t interest them. All they care about is me making enough money, but I feel that money isn’t everything, and I would rather do what I love, and be happy. I have faith in myself, that someday I can be a sucessful writer. I just wish my parents could see that this is what I love to do. By reading all your posts on this website, it has really helped brighten my day, and it has shown me that I’m not alone, and that I can do what I love, if I have faith in myself. thank you

You’re welcome! I’m glad you found strength and inspiration here, and I wish you the best of luck with all your writing and education. Keep writing, no matter what!

“Now, I’m not saying you’re going to make a whole lot to live on with some of these creative writing jobs but if you do what you love, the money (i.e. the success) just might follow.”

Therein lies the problem with this article. That’s not how writing works; “success” is not synonymous with “the money.” The vast majority of novelists could not live completely off their book sales, and I can think of no short fiction writers who could make that claim. Don’t even get me started on poets; getting published in the most highly regarded journals in the country leads neither to fame nor fortune. 

Writing isn’t accountancy or business management. You don’t get into creative writing to fulfill some sort of career desire. You do it because you feel compelled to write, because you have something to say. It is the effective communication of the idea that defines success, not the money attached. 

The problem with your comment, Jane, is that is disregards the title of the post that it criticizes. Young and new writers often ask me about whether they can make a career out of creative writing. This article answers the question can I make a living doing what I love (writing)? You may feel there’s something wrong with that, but I don’t. In fact, I admire people who pursue their passions and attempt to turn them into viable careers. People do need to eat.

“You don’t get into creative writing to fulfill some sort of career desire. You do it because you feel compelled to write, because you have something to say. It is the effective communication of the idea that defines success, not the money attached.”

I don’t think anyone has the right to tell other people why they should write or how they should define success. You and I come from a similar place since these ideas reflect my own personal feelings about writing, but I would never tell someone else what constitutes a valid reason for writing or how they should define their own success. There are, indeed, people who get into writing to fulfill a career desire and who define success by how much money they make.

“The problem with your comment, Jane, is that is disregards the title of the post that it criticizes.”

It does indeed, because it’s a faulty premise. Let’s look at your list: there are very, very few novelists who are able to live completely off their royalties, and I don’t know of any short fiction writer anywhere who could make that claim. As for “personal poet,” even professional poets who win the country’s best prizes don’t “make a living” from their poetry sales. Calling these “careers” would be misleading.

But notice how many novels, shorts stories and poems get published every year. My point was that writing is a field not exclusive to professionals. Anyone can write a novel with the possibility of publishing, but it is disingenuous to call this a “career” when it’s not a main source of income for most.

“There are, indeed, people who get into writing to fulfill a career desire and who define success by how much money they make.”

Writing is not economics or finance, it’s a process of communication. Using this communication tool as a money-making strategy would involve telling people what they want to hear. There are descriptions reserved for those who only tell others what they want to hear.

Jane, you seem to be more interested in looking for minute points to argue rather than grasping the full intent of this post. There are plenty of novelists and other creative writers who have built full-time and part-time careers with their work. I happen to know “personal poets” who subsidize their income by writing personal poetry. Might I suggest that you open your mind to the possibility that the people you know and experiences you’ve had are not definitive? You are merely presenting your opinions and personal experiences as facts, and they are not facts.

I don’t care if a writer’s work is a main source of income, a part-time source of income, or if it doesn’t lead to any income at all. My job here is to encourage writers to pursue their dreams and that includes trying to make a career out of their writing, if that is what they want to do. I never said that writing is economics or finance. I said that some writers get into it as a career (James Patterson is an example — he himself says he’s a better marketer than writer). If you think such people are hacks or sellouts, then that is your opinion. I have my own opinions about it, but I don’t go around publicly judging other writers because I have not walked in their shoes. I do not know what is in their hearts. And neither do you.

“Using this communication tool as a money-making strategy would involve telling people what they want to hear. There are descriptions reserved for those who only tell others what they want to hear.”

There are also descriptions reserved for people who go around the internet stirring up malicious arguments and for people who lack manners. I neither appreciate nor welcome your insinuations. Such insults, however cloaked in wit, will only get you banned from commenting here. I built Writing Forward to be a positive, uplifting space for writers to explore their craft. It’s a shame that you’re so pessimistic about other people’s potential and what is possible for aspiring writers.

Thank you for your ideas in writing career paths, it gives me some things to think about. As a child and in my teen years I used to write short stories. However, as an adult I have lost that creative side and find that I am empty and in need to be creative. I have considered pursuing a MA in creative writing with hopes that I can find that creative side of again. I feel, however that spending the time and money on this degree may not deem worthy because it is incredibly difficult to obtain a job that pays well enough to keep the bills paid. Do you have any suggestions?

Yuly, I don’t think anyone can tell you whether it would be best for you to pursue writing on your own or to get an MA. If you are disciplined, I think you can do it on your own. If you need a lot of direction, guidance, and support, then an MA program might be better for you. Either way, you can pick up plenty of books to inspire you. When I’m uninspired and need to get more creative, I usually go through creative writing exercises and prompts, which always get my ideas flowing again. Good luck to you!

I’m in the 8th grade, and it seems that whenever something is needed, such as a testimony of my school, a farewell speech for a retiring teacher, or a greeting at an event, my name always seems to come up. Then I get a phone call, saying what is needed and the deadline. I’m glad to do it, and obviously I don’t charge anything. However, if adults always think of me, a kid, when they need something written, surely other people will do the same when I’m older. Is my reasoning off, or is that a possible job opportunity?

If the school is calling on you for writing, then that is certainly a testament to your writing abilities. It’s a good indicator that you are a talented writer, and yes, I would say that if you enjoy writing, these are all signs that writing might be a good career option for you.

I just completed my engineering(Civil Engineering). I have absolutely no aptitude for that subject. I did it due to pressure from family. Now, its my career. My life. I feel its high time I take a stand. I have great passion towards writing. I have thereby, developed decent writing skills. So, I would like to pursue a career in the same. Right now, I need some place to start and venture into the world of writing. That’s exactly where I need help!

I have to admit that I honestly don’t understand why some families pressure kids to pursue one particular career. I guess I can empathize when it’s a family tradition (five generations of doctors or something like that) but I can’t get behind it at all. I think each person should pursue what’s in his or her heart. Do what you love!

What if their not sure what they want to do or where their passion lies? What should they do?

Every person has to find his or her own path. If I wasn’t sure about my passion, I’d try lots of different things until I found it.

I agree. Kids should decide for themselves. And where are the guidance counselors in all this?

Maybe some schools don’t have guidance counselors or the kids simply aren’t going to see them.

I’ve experinced the delima’s first hand similar to you,concerning family and friend’s who where great math major’s but couldn’t get through college without the English major’s writing their paper’s?I was the English major who didn’t even finish my assocites in literature because I couldn’t do Algebra.Yet my god given passion is english and the art’s ,and especially writing.All I can say is ,especially in are high tech world today,pursue what your gifted at,and if it’s writing ,do what your heart’s telling you,don’t be like so many and waite till your 50ty,you can still do it,don’t let friend’s and family say different,one dedicated art person that does give a dam.

There is a lot to learn by getting a degree, so I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t finish your associate’s in literature. However, there is a lot you can learn about the craft by simply reading and studying on your own. With or without a formal education, it takes a lot of work to make it as a writer. Good luck to you.

I’m a college student and I need some advice for a journalism career career. I love the entertainment industry as a whole. Video Games, movies, tv shows, celebrities, and music. I am currently in school for journalism and I just need help what kind of journalist I should be. I’ve already looked into entertainemt journalism and I live that. Writing articles/pieces about the entertainment industry looks like an awesome job. But what do entertainment journalists focus on. Do they just focus on being on the red carpet all the time or writing articles about celebrities all day? Do entertainemt journalists write articles about Video games, movies, tv shows, music, and other celebrity stuff. Should I become a freelance journalist? I guess my dream job is to write articles or do reports for ign in New York or another entertainment company with an office. Maybe a staff position?

Or maybe I should try games journalism? But dont entertainment journalist write about video games too? I’m a gamer and I would love to write about the newest games or movies coming out or do reviews.

I’m not an entertainment journalist (or a journalist for that matter), so I cannot give you career advice, but you might try reaching out to an entertainment journalist who can answer some of these questions for you. Good luck!

I am currently studying for a PhD in Creative Writing and I have to say that this is one of the most accurate lists I came across. What is good for aspiring writers to keep in mind, especially those with CW degrees, is that writing is a craft. It’s very practical, so unlike history, philosophy or literature degrees a writer has transferable skills. If you are a writer looking to make some money while writing a novel or a collection, you can offer editing and proofreading services. Becoming a content writer is a profitable pathway as well. A lot of companies look for skilled writers to produce their online articles and they usually pay well. And for the more daring, there is online publishing. Is not a guaranteed route but it gives you a boost of confidence; no matter how much you make, it’s good to know that somebody paid to read your work.

Thanks, Stephanie. I’ve taken the online and self-publishing route and haven’t looked back.

Just a little quibble: A history degree does produce transferable skills related to research and analysis, writing, word processing, etc.. It’s not “just learning names and dates.” 😀

Thinking about chaning careers. Although I got my B.G.S – General Studies and and a Masters in Management – I took a lot of creative wirting classes in college and it is something that I think I could be good at. This might be a good place to get some ideas on getting started. Thanks!

You’re welcome, and good luck to you!

i am doing engineering first year..i took the decision as i have always been quite good at maths and stuff..but i started writing last year simply for the passion that was ignited by some great novels and i am totally a novice in it..yet i like it a lot. So right now i am in a dilemma which career path i should take…one thats based on my interest but im not so good at(writing).. or the one in which i am good at(maths,science)??

I think most young people struggle with this same dilemma. Unfortunately, nobody can tell you which life path is best for you. You must find that answer within yourself. I do think that you can pursue both science and writing (you could, for example, become a science writer). You can also study writing and become better at it. It’s up to you.

I want to get into freelance writing in the entertainment industry. I love writing and I’ve looked into copywritimg and story producing. Any advice or any writing careers I should take on?

The best advice I can give you is to study writing and the entertainment industry. If you want to write entertainment news, you might want to major in journalism at a university. For screenwriting, you can major in film studies at many universities. Get to know the industry and keep working on improving your writing. There are also tons of resources you can get if you don’t go to university. Start with the “Writing Resources” section here at Writing Forward, then head to your favorite bookstore and search for books on your field of interest. Good luck!

wow! you guys really love writing. Me too but I’m taking up pre dentistry right now but i really love writing much more. Actually i just wanna try this course but i think i’m not gonna continue because writing is really my passion and i’d love to pursue it. my parents don’t know any of this yet and i’m planning to tell them..any advice for me guys? thanks to whoever answers this.. 🙂

One thing to keep in mind is that you can study dentistry and writing. You can choose writing courses for your electives and set aside a little time each day for your writing. As far as changing your studies, I believe that each individual has to find his or her own path. Once you find your path, I think you should follow it, because I believe one of the worst fates is a life of regret. Hopefully, the people in your life will be supportive, although unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Ultimately, only you can make this decision. It is a big one. Take your time to think about it. Consider talking to a career counselor, who should be open-minded and objective.

Okay, so I’ve been thinking about the popular question, “what do I want to be when I grow up?”. Writing has been my passion for as long as I can remember, and I LOVE books. Seriously. If I wasn’t on a competitive, year-round swim team, I could read all day. I have been thinking about jobs that circle around the actual “writing” idea, if you know what I mean. I’ve considered being an editor, since I love books, but I’m not quite sure what an editor does. Any ideas?

Editors do some writing but their main function is to make editorial decisions. Their duties vary depending on where they work. A magazine editor, for example, decides which stories go into each issue, which one gets the cover spot, and will also assign articles to the writers. An editor at a publishing house makes decisions about which books to publish. Editors also actually edit, meaning they review the writers’ work and make changes to improve it. I don’t know for sure, but I would think (hope) that someone would start out as a writer before becoming an editor. I suggest using Google to learn more about different careers for editors.

First of all, thank you for this post and all your replies. It’s very good of you to reply to everyone who needs direction. So, my dilemma is that I will be commencing my masters degree in September and lately I’ve been thinking of pursuing a creative writing masters instead.

I’ve just finished my undergraduate degree in communications and I was deputy editor and features editor of the monthly university arts magazine, which I absolutely loved and learned so much through. My undergraduate thesis was in the form of a creative writing novella, which was roughly 18,000 words. I had always wanted to try my hand at fiction writing and by completing the thesis I became fully aware how much I enjoyed it. I also received very positive feedback from lecturers.

Once I finished my undergraduate degree, I applied for and received a place on a masters in public relations, which I think I would enjoy as it’s media related. However, as mentioned, I’ve been seriously considering giving up the PR masters and applying for the creative writing one instead. My issue is that I am torn between a course that’s practical and could very well lead to a successful career, and a prestigious CW course that I’m highly interested in but may be quite impractical in the long run. I have this dream of travelling and writing novels (long shot I know) and a CW masters could help me bring my writing skills and ideas to the next level. So, I guess I’m asking if you think a CW masters is necessary in becoming an author?

And what would your opinion be on switching courses into CW or staying with the original choice? Would it be more wise to stick with PR (which I’m currently interning in) and try do some writing on the side? My only problem is, with writing I feel I need guidance, direction and deadlines. I may find it hard to do it on the side, especially when the majority of my energy would be going elsewhere.

Any info/advice would be great 🙂 And sorry for the long post.

No, you definitely do not need a CW masters to become an author. My guess is that most published authors don’t have masters. I once heard a bit of advice from an author (can’t remember who) that I thought was sound. She said if you’re self-driven and will do your writing and study the craft on your own, then you don’t need a masters. One of the benefits of a masters program is that it forces you to write and learn. If you do that on your own, you don’t really need the coursework (unless you want it for prestige). Having said that, my guess is that there is value in a masters program, in being immersed in writing and literature and surrounded with other writers, even for those who are self-driven.

Nobody can tell you what to study. It’s a classic dilemma: follow your dreams or do the “smart thing.” Only you know what is the right path for you.

I just graduated with a BA in creative writing about 5 months ago, and I’ve been applying for jobs in the creative field like crazy. I’ve applied for practically every advertising firm in the Chicago area and I’ve heard back from two of them. I don’t know if it’s because I lack experience, or the economy is just that bad. I’ve tried applying for jobs out of my field, but it’s still no dice. I hope I can find something extremely soon, as I’m near desperation at this point. I really hope there’s hope, so I don’t regret getting a BA in creative writing : (.

I held office jobs for several years after earning my BA in creative writing. Since I had a degree in English, my employers often gave me writing assignments (including editing and proofreading), which helped me build my experience. It doesn’t happen overnight. Get a job to pay the bills and keep writing. Eventually, you’ll find your path. Good luck!

Erm hello Melissa.. I actually want to do Creative Writing since I love writing, but I also want to do History since I love both. However my parents object to both and want me to pursue some medical degree or something. Can you erm like give me some points to argue my pitiful cause since I don’t really think I’m into doctoring since I’ve got a slight phobia of blood and ever since Biology dissecting stuff had never exactly been my thing?? I hope it’s not too much to ask.. thanks in advance

I am just going to be straightforward about this, because I get a lot of emails and comments from young people like yourself whose parents are pressuring them into some career they abhor. I believe that each of us knows in our hearts who we are and what we want to do with our lives. If you have a phobia of blood, then it’s blatantly obvious that a career in medicine would be completely inappropriate for you. Now, if you had that phobia but desperately wanted to be a doctor, I would encourage you to get over it. But since that’s not what you want, why should you torment yourself? I understand why some parents advocate certain careers for their kids – they associate success with money and prestige. I do not. I equate success with happiness. And I believe that once we become adults, it is our own responsibility to find our happiness. So, once you are an adult, it’s up to you to find your path and follow it. Do what you love.

What is the difference between journalism and creative writing? I am still not very sure even after researching on the net. I have a dilemma on which course to take. I want to be a novelist but that might take years to complete a book. So, what my mother advised is that I should get a stable job that ensures my survival while I work on the book first. Which one should I do?

Journalism can fall under creative writing. For example, if you wrote a literary nonfiction book on a specific person or subject, it could be both journalism and creative nonfiction. Journalism is one of those forms that has become a bit gray. Originally, journalism meant reporting on the facts, objectively. Nowadays, a lot of journalism is heavily colored by the author’s personal views and ideologies. A novel is creative writing and not journalism at all; it is fiction where journalism is fact-based.

I think getting a stable job while writing your first book is a pretty smart way to go. Do you even have a choice? I mean, unless someone is willing to support you while you write your book, you’re going to need a job to pay the bills.

I have always had a passion for writing, but never had confidence to let anyone read any of my work. I do not have a fancy education, but I do have an amazing imagination! The work I did when I was younger my mom found and was amazed by my story. I do enjoy wrting poetry and short stories. During the development of my son, I wrote in my journal Letters to Baby. As the pregnancy developed things were less than peferct and not very positive. I stopped writing my Letter’s to Baby because it was sad things written. I only wanted my child to know he was loved from day one no matter where life took us. The baby is now 10 yrs old and so much has inspired me to write again. I started a story that I hold dear to my heart and I am super excited about it. I dont expect publishing ever, but I would like to get an outside opinion from someone in the industry that could give me tips and tools to help my creativity develope. I also would like to know some avenues I can go down to continue writing for fun and just to get things out of my mind. I am sure it is hard to make a living writing, but if I can make a little something to put away for a rainy day that would be great! Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!

I would actually recommend that you take a creative writing class or workshop. An in-person one would be best, but if you’re too busy, try to find an online course (community colleges are great for this). This is an ideal way to connect with other writers while getting mentoring from someone who is experienced (the teacher), and you’ll find that many other writers share your insecurities. Make sure you vet the class first to make sure it’s credible. You might also want to research the instructor a little.

Another option would be to find a local writing group, but that may be more challenging since writing groups often arise out of established relationships. However, there are some open writing groups, especially online and in larger cities.

Your first hurdle will be to work on your confidence and worry more about strengthening your work than what other people think. Everybody starts somewhere. As long as you’re willing to work at it and improve your skills, it does not matter where you are now with your writing.

I am a discouraged writer in need of some information. I have been writing for a little over a year and I have had some success. I have been nationally published, being a staff member on one magazine start-up, an editor-in-chief of one failed start-up magazine, and I am a staff member for an online magazine for which I publish an article every three months. I have also been published on a few other informational websites. Additionally, I have ghost written close to 200 articles on a low paying website.

The problem I have faced (which has caused me to stop writing now for several months) is the total lack of pay I have received for my efforts. So many will ask you to write; however, they do not want to pay a reasonable rate for your craft. This is the only problem that I face as per my writing. I thoroughly enjoy writing, but I cannot continue to write for such low pay. Any tips, advice, what have you, would be appreciated. Otherwise, I will have to give up writing and move on to something else. Thanks.

I had the same problem when I first started freelancing. Then I realized that the reason I was getting low paying gigs was because I was accepting low paying gigs. The better paying jobs are harder to find, and in my case, I started my own website and business to attract clients and set my own rates. This involved a lot of marketing to get my own clients, and they are business people rather than content farms. However, there is a caveat: the writing must be at a professional level to warrant higher rates.

Hello Melissa,

Thanks for responding. I haven’t accepted a low paying writing job in some time now, nor have I used any content farms. I can market well as I am a singer songwriter, and I have made good progress with it in that realm. My writing is always professional and of the jobs I have found they have paid well. However, it seems as though it is near impossible to find enough well paying writing jobs to make ends meet. Anyway, again, thanks for responding and for your suggestions. Best of luck to you.

I wish I had some solid advice to give you, but I don’t know enough about your business and marketing strategies. There are plenty of self-employed and freelance content writers out there. I’m sure a lot of them struggle to make ends meet, but plenty of them have found considerable success. When I first started, I did my best to seek out successful writers and examine their approaches so I could learn from them. Getting your own website and operating as a business (or professional consultant) makes a huge difference.

I was just having this discussion with a friend a while back about how people get locked into three options when they write and that’s it. There are so many other opportunities out there if you know where to look for them. You just have to be open and aware of what is really out there.

Thanks for sharing this, I am glad this came along at the right time. Maybe I’ll send this over her way today!

You’re welcome! I’m glad you found this article helpful, Matthew.

I saved this article months ago when I was in a funk, but I forgot to read it afterwards. Reading it now has made me think. Looking back at it, I’ve been writing for many years, ever since I was 13, and I’m 23 now. I’ve went to college twice, graduated both times successfully, but throughout that time I stopped writing fiction. I kept my ideas, but I never finished the stories.

I haven’t been lucky in finding a job ever since I graduated and the ones I did find were still out of reach, I went back to my writing because I needed to do something. Anything to get my mind clear and my thoughts straight like I used to because I became frustrated with myself. When I decided to go to college I had clear plans, but once I finished things didn’t go my way and I realized that I already had something that I should have never let go, my writing. Now I’m looking into finishing my ideas and self-publishing them. I’m glad I came back to this article and read it thoroughly this time.

I’m motivated now more than ever to focus on my true calling. It may be tough, but it’s the only thing I have ever done that made me truly happy even when things around me weren’t good. I think I’m gonna try writing my ideas separately in the form of a series of short stories/chapters/volumes since I’m not good at writing long works of fiction. Is there any advice that you can give me? I would love to write a story for a webtoon, but I’m not that good at drawing and I don’t know how to ask an artist for help.

Hi Lyric. Many of us take time off from writing. Sometimes it’s because we’re busy with a new job. Other times family obligations keep us from our writing. Occasionally it’s some other hobby. Thankfully, writing is always here for us, and we can return to it any time. I’m glad you did.

Its so good to read through the interests in writing and thank you for the informative comments. I have self published a poetry book that people can use in their cards, tributes. on blurb.com called Handy Verse for Occasions with a possum on the front. I am working on my children’s stories and acitivities and will self publish in September this year. and I am blogging the challenge on madonnamm7.wordpress.com I had written the stories many years ago and did not have as much motivation and my husband encouraged me and I was inspired by the movie Julie and Julia (Meryl Streep) and started the year challenge.

Regards Madonna Weaver

That’s wonderful! I love the title Handy Verse for Occasions .

I have the most obscured dreams. I’d love to print a book with short stories of them. How may I accomplish that?

You might want to look into self-publishing through KDP or CreateSpace. Good luck!

I knew I wanted to write since I found out I like putting thoughts and ideas on paper. I kinda have it down, but I am struggling. Putting your thoughts and ideas is not easy as it looks, but that won’t stop me. I’m writing a book, but I just can’t seem to get past the first 10 paragraph. How do I focus my intent?

A lot of writers struggle with discipline. We get stuck and wander away from a project, we get lured away by some other idea, or life just gets in the way. The only way to focus…is to focus. Force yourself to do the work. I’ve known a lot of writers who got good results by adding writing to their daily schedule. Every day, at the same time, you sit down, and that’s your writing time. It could be twenty minutes or it could be two hours. And you do the work.

Thanks for the ideas. Given the current pandemic, being creative is something I need to look at more to try and get some additional income. Have published one collection of short stories but needing to do more.

You’re welcome, and good luck with your creative efforts!

In the past I have self published a poetry book people can put in their cards etc and also a book of children’s stories with Activities through Blurb.com I am writing a novel based on truth now. All the best to everyone in their writing. Regards Madonna Weaver

Thanks for sharing some of the opportunities you’ve carved out for yourself. These are great!

I have a creative writing career that I would like to add to your list. What about a Technical Writer? We have two technical writers employed in our company and I chat with them on a daily basis. It is a great job with above-average earning potential. Thanks for allowing me to post here.

That’s a great writing job, but it’s technical, not creative. Creative writing encompasses fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction. Great career though!

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Jobs You Can Do With a Degree in Creative Writing

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In this article, we discuss what a degree in creative writing is, what typical employers are for creative writing majors and what you can do with a degree in creative writing.

6 Jobs That Involve Creating Writing

by Mel Beasley | Apr 10, 2022 | Creative Writing

If you’re about to graduate with a creative writing degree, you might be wondering what kind of jobs might be available to you. Sure, as a creative writer, you probably have aspirations to write creatively, be editor and chief of a major magazine, get published, hit the bestseller list—all that good stuff. The truth is that your dream writing job might not come right out of college and that’s okay! 

[LEARN HOW TO GET FREELANCE WRITING GIGS ON UPWORK]

Believe it or not, your creative writing degree has helped you develop some highly sought-after skills, and your degree can easily apply to many different kinds of jobs beyond writing. Let’s explore some of the jobs you’ll certainly have available to you once you graduate from your creative writing degree. 

Are Employers Looking for Creative Writers with Degrees?

The long and short answer is yes! Many studies have indicated that employers value soft skills over hard skills, meaning they are looking for specific character and cognitive abilities over direct experience when evaluating candidates. A recent study conducted by Top Resume in 2021 discovered that employers value the desire to continually learn, emotional intelligence, and creativity in job candidates. Another independent study conducted last year also indicated that communication and creativity ranked on the top of the list for job recruiters, according to Zety , an employment support company. A heightened value on soft skills has remained over the last 5 years, with the Wall Street Journal reporting communication as being a highly sought-after skill by recruiters in 2016. 

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As a creative writer, you’ve not only had a natural propensity toward creativity, communication, emotional intelligence, and the desire to learn, but you’ve most certainly homed in on those skills during your degree. Here’s why recruiters value your natural talents.

How do Creative Writing Skills Translate to Jobs?

• Desire to Learn . As a creative writer, you have a natural yearning to read whatever you can get your hands on. You love to learn. This desire to keep learning isn’t something that applies to all people, but employers love it because it means that you are on a continued path of personal improvement. 
• Emotional intelligence . Because you read so much, you have a broader understanding of the world around you. Readers are writers and writers are often open-minded individuals. It’s your ability to see the world from multiple perspectives that empowers you and makes you an awesome job candidate.
• Communication . You may have already had a natural ability to communicate both verbally and on paper, but your creative writing degree most certainly improved this skill even more. Employers are highly interested in candidates who know how to professionally communicate with customers, clients, and teammates. 
• Creativity . Creative writers are naturally creative! Employers are desperate for fresh, imaginative ideas that relate to how their business runs, how they engage with customers, and how they market their products or services. 

Top Jobs for Creative Writing Degree Graduates

Let’s explore a few jobs that you would most certainly do quite well in if you have a creative writing degree. Again, we know that the ultimate goal might be to work directly in creative writing, but that kind of position might not be available right away. These are positions that will build your work experience as well as allow you to write creatively in some capacity. 

Content Marketing Strategist – $41,148 (Avg. Annual Salary)

As a content marketing strategist, you’ll heavily use your creative writing degree to create content either for a single company or for many companies if you’re working in an agency environment. A position like this often includes writing social media posts, blog content, email marketing content, and other kinds of written marketing material. This is a great way to expand your writing portfolio if you don’t already have your work published online. 

Social Media Strategist – $52,978 (Avg. Annual Salary)

As a social media strategist, you’re often responsible for managing a company’s social media accounts. With this position, you’ll be planning, creating, and scheduling a wide variety of content that will require copywriting, video, and photo content. Not only will this kind of position help you improve your knowledge of social media marketing for your writing career in the future, but you’ll have the chance to be creative on a daily basis as well!

Professional Copywriter – $75,211 (Avg. Annual Salary)

As a professional copywriter, you might work in a marketing agency environment, a single company, or work on a freelance basis with clients on retainer. In this position, you’ll need to be familiar with writing a wide variety of content types including blogs, articles, press releases, email content, and website copy. As a copywriter, your company or clients will come to you as the expert to help them write all kinds of content. If you’re looking for a position that allows you to write almost exclusively, this is the job for you!

Facebook Advertising Expert – Up to $80,257

If you already have a knack for growing on social media, you might love this position. Many companies are in dire need of a talented Facebook and Instagram advertising expert who can help them create paid ad campaigns that result in actual leads or sales. In a position like this, you’ll most certainly use your creative writing degree for developing ad copy, but you may also need some additional training on Facebook ads if you’ve never run any major paid advertising campaigns in the past. Do some research online to find Facebook advertising courses if a position like this interests you!

Advertising Strategist – $76,060 – $99,792 (Avg. Annual Salary)

As an advertising strategist, you’ll be behind the scenes planning entire advertising campaigns. Depending on the size of the company you’re working for, this advertising plan could include a quarterly or a full-year plan on how the brand’s advertising dollars should be spent based on market research and audience research. 

Creative Director – $86,090 – $125,851 (Avg. Annual Salary)

Depending on the size of the company you’re working for, the creative director may be the one planning advertising campaigns along with other duties. Usually, however, the creative director will be responsible for executing advertising campaigns. They will work with the design and creative department to develop campaign concepts, and then they will determine the outlets for executing/releasing the campaigns. In an agency environment, the creative director will oversee all marketing campaigns and initiatives going on for each client, ensuring that goals are being met as planned. 

Landing a Career After Your Creative Writing Degree

Despite what your friends and family may have told you, creative writing is a great skill to have and can lead to many high-paying careers beyond what we’ve listed above. If you’re graduating with a creative writing degree and are at a loss for what you can do after graduation, we hope this list will give you some ideas! If you’re looking for jobs directly related to creative writing, you can check out the Poets & Writers job board , or read my article about how to make money as a freelance writer on Upwork!

Mel Beasley has a bachelor’s in creative writing and journalism from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He brings 9+ years of digital marketing and writing experience to the table by writing for publications such as Lumina News and Encore Magazine. He spent 2 years as a college-level writing tutor, and is a certified writing tutor through the CRLA, which is a prestigious cert recognized by the Association for the Coaching & Tutoring Profession. He is a professional SEO blogger with experience writing for brands such as Boardworks Education and The Greater Wilmington Business Journal. One of his latest website and marketing projects has been building the website for the now New York Times Bestselling author, Nina de Gramont .

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What can you do with a Creative Writing degree? [The ultimate 2024 careers guide]

What can I do with a creative writing degree?

In a creative writing degree, you'll explore a mixture of traditional and contemporary themes, from storytelling, novels, poetry, to podcasts, and scriptwriting. You'll learn to craft narratives and develop a unique voice. From technical and analytical writing to communicating with diverse audiences, courses cover a range of topics.

As businesses and entrepreneurs are evolving to meet changing consumer behaviors and shifts in society, skilled writers with an unparralelled capacity for imagination, innovation, and effective communication are playing a vital role in business growth, and are highly desirable across many emerging and traditional sectors.

This ultimate career guide is covering the different types of roles, industries, and ways to make money as a creative writing graduate in 2024.

11 growing industries in creative writing

1. publishing.

The publishing industry is thriving due to the continued growth of digital platforms, the rise of self-publishing, and an increased focus on diverse and inclusive content. If you're keen to work in a publishing house there are many starter roles up for grabs with lots of opportunities for career progression from Editoral Assistant or Content Coordinator to Editor-in-Chief, to Literary Agent, or Director of Marketing and Publicity.

2. Content Marketing

The digital landscape is becoming increasingly competitive. Content marketing provides businesses with a means to establish a strong online presence, educate, engage and connect with their target audience, and build brand authority.

3. E-Learning

According to Statista , the growth of online education is estimated to reach a revenue of $498.60bn by 2028. This rising demand for E-learning is driven by advancing technology, and the rise of the creator economy. Online education is easily accessible and flexible, making it a preferred choice for anyone looking to upskill and learn from leading industry experts.

4. Digital Media and Streaming Services

With over 450 million listeners around the world, many of us have got a favourite podcast we plug into on the regular. You've probably been part of a debate on Spotify V Apple Music, or Netflix V Amazon Prime? Does the thought of leaving the house without your Kindle send shivers down your spine? With access to video, audio, and streaming services at our fingertips, digital content consumption continues to grow and media platforms are cleverly capitalising on this trend in an attempt to become the number one platform. As the demand for this type of content rises, so do new opportunities for creative writing graduates.

5. Technology and IT

Technology companies often need to share complex information with their stakeholders and customers. Professional writers are worth their weight in gold in helping to demystify technical jargon, and translate the most valuable content and insights in a meaningful, engaging, and exciting way - whether that's through user-friendly guides, or other types of digital marketing collateral.

6. Healthcare

There is a growing emphasis on patient education, and the healthcare industry is recognising the importance and value of clear and accessible information. With advancements in medical research and technology, writers are able to help communicate complex medical information to both professionals and the general public. Self-employed practioners and consultants can benefit from hiring a writer to reach wider audiences and grow their client profile. With access to a professional writer, business owners are able to achieve new levels of revenue growth by diversifying their income through building digital products or developing a digital course.

7. Gaming and Virtual Reality (VR)

The gaming and VR industries are expanding with an increase in consumer interest, new tech, and the integration of gaming in various sectors. Writers play a vital role in creating immersive narratives, engaging storylines, and interactive experiences that keep their users hooked and demanding more.

8. Social Media Management

It's 2024, we know that social media platforms are integral for successful marketing. Brands need a rock solid strategy that's filled with shareable and engaging content to reach and monetise their audiences. Writers are hired to craft compelling messages that speak directly to key demographics, write ads, manage online presence, and build brand narratives. The social media industry is a storytellers dream with direct access to a growing portfolio of entrepreneurs, freelancers, consultants, and virtual assistants.

9. Environmental, Sustainability, and Biotech Communications

With a global focus on sustainability, environmental issues, and advancements in science and biotechnology, businesses are investing in communication strategies that highlight their commitment to responsible practices and can clearly communicate findings and research to the public. Writers are crucial in reporting on sustainability initiatives, shaping corporate social responsibility narratives, and translating jargon-filled scientific concepts to a general audience.

10. Remote Work and Productivity

In the era of remote working, businesses are turning to digital communication and productivity strategies to streamline workflows and build a connected internal environment with their teams. If the thrill of organisation and productivity is what gets you out of bed in the morning, this could present an opportunity to leverage your skills to customise strategies for businesses and entrepreneurs. If there's a solution to transforming internal processes, increase profit margins, and build a thriving company culture, there's a price worth paying.

11. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The debate around the value of professional writers in a new world of Artificial Intelligence is a conversation which dominates dinner table debates, but, while AI is becoming more prevalent in content generation, writers are not at risk of losing credibility or potential jobs as outlined in this career guide. Instead, there is a need for collaboration between writers and AI systems. By embracing this, companies can leverage the strengths of both to create more powerful and engaging content, applications, and user experiences. The human touch and creativity brought by writers remain integral in ensuring the success and ethical use of AI and robotics in various industries.

17 in-demand roles for writers as of 2024

Below are 17 different types of roles you could consider pursuing as a creative writing graduate. Many of these roles can be found across all industries, so if there's something that really interests you, there's a good chance you will be able to find a role within the sector you're most interested in. The best place to start looking is job sites such as Indeed , LinkedIn , or websites dedicated to freelance work, such as Upwork .

• Content Writer/Strategist (any industry)
• Scriptwriters (podcast, radio, television, film, social media)
• Interactive Storyteller
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Social Media Content Creator
• VR Content Creator
• Environmental Reporter
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Writer
• Writer in Residence
• Brand Journalist

What is a typical salary for a creative writing graduate?

As a professional writers, there are many ways you can make money through various income streams. Below are 10 ways you can earn money as a professional writer.

1. Freelancing

Writers who want to design their own schedule could enjoy freelancing or starting their own business. Freelance writers set their own fees, and often have the freedom of working remotely. There are many agencies that can help writers find and secure freelance jobs, so building a portfolio and building a relationship with agencies is really important. Writers can benefit from building a personal brand and social media presence to increase their exposure, and find lucrative clients within a niche that aligns with personal interests and passions.

*Side note - when you study a Creative Writing degree at Essex , you can get advice and guidance building a portfolio from the very start of your degree through the our dedicated careers support within the department.

2. Ghostwriting and Editing

Professional writers can generate income by offering ghostwriting services. This involves writing content on behalf of clients, and proofreading/editing work for publication. This could be in the form of novels, blogging, speech and presentations, social media content, digital newsletters, academic writing, corporate communications and podcast scriptwriting. The list grows.

3. Book sales, Royalties, and Advances

If you're into stories, being a novelist, or author can bring in royalties and advances. As a novelist or author, your primary source of income is likely to be generated from book sales. Traditional publishing houses and self-publishing platforms offer different royalty structures. The more copies you sell, the higher your earnings.

4. Screenplay Sales, Options, and Content Licensing

If you're a scriptwriter, selling your screenplay to film or television producers can be lucrative. Alternatively, you might receive payment for an option, granting a producer the right to purchase the script later. Scriptwriters may also license content for various platforms, including streaming services, which can be a source of ongoing income. Licensing agreements may provide royalties or upfront payments.

5. Public Speaking and Events

Authors often earn money by participating in speaking engagements, book tours, or events. Public appearances, workshops, and panel discussions can be sponsored or paid opportunities. If you are keen to build a personal brand, you can build your exposure in certain industries, become a thought leader and increase your earning potential as a subject specialist.

6. Writing Competitions and Grants

Many organisations and institutions offer writing competitions and grants. Winning or securing these opportunities can provide cash prizes, publication deals, or financial support for your writing projects. They may not be your primary source of income, but freelancers are likely to diversify their income so it's important to become savvy to different financial opportunities.

7. Self-Publishing and Merchandising

If you choose to self-publish, you retain more control over your work. Additionally, authors can explore merchandising opportunities related to their books, such as branded merchandise or special editions.

8. Crowdfunding

Some writers turn to crowdfunding platforms to finance their projects. Supporters contribute funds in exchange for rewards, early access to content, or exclusive perks.

9. Content Creation Services and Affiliate Marketing

If you're interested in digital content marketing and E-learning, you can earn money in digital product sales, online course sales, consultancy, and through affiliate marketing channels. Affiliate marketing is a great way to diversify your income, providing support to your main income stream. With a larger engaged audience, the more opportunity to grow your affiliate income.

10. Employment

If you go down the employment route, your salary will depend on where you work. Certain jobs often follow a salary framework, for example the publishing sector, education sector, and Civil Service. Agency work will likely give you many opportunities to work your way up the ladder, earning commissions and gaining more income with each promotion, and some industries could pay six figures plus if your role sits at a high level.

For more insights into the money side of things, check job boards such as Indeed , LinkedIn , and Upwork .

The takeaway

As you grow your skills and experience as a writer and increase your exposure, the more you can boost your earning power. In today's world of remote working, emerging industries are increasingly turning to writers to help drive business growth in new and innovative ways. Finding that sweet spot between freelancing and traditional employment is more achievable than ever, and is comforting for many graduates who want to find the balance between security in employment, and exploring their creative impulses. Many writers are taking full advantage of these opportunities and exploring the possibilities with open, curious minds. 

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all answer; the decision is entirely yours. There's no better time to explore your options than during your creative writing degree.

Considering a creative writing degree?

Creative Writing Lead, Dr James Canton  teaches on our flagship BA Creative Writing degree. Here's what he has to say about what it's like to study a writing degree at the University of Essex.

"Creative writing is the imaginative narration of our world. As writers we respond to societal issues such as climate change, AI, social justice, mental health, in a way that is powerful, personal and poignant. At Essex, we value an inclusive, supportive environment that challenges you to achieve your best as a writer and student. Your degree involves research, independent study as well as building up to professional levels of craft and technique in all kinds of writing, by way of creative and imaginative exercises. If you have an interest in writing, come and meet us on one of our Colchester Campus Open Days  and get a taste of our writing community."

Dr James Canton, Senior Lecturer, Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies, University of Essex.

About the Author:

Alexandra Stephens

Faculty Web and Promotions Assistant (Arts and Humanities), University of Essex

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• Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing: This certificate program is designed for those who already have a degree but want to further develop their writing skills. It offers focused coursework and workshops in specific genres, such as fiction or poetry, and can be completed in a shorter time frame than a full degree program.
• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Creative Writing: A Ph.D. program in Creative Writing is an advanced academic degree for students who want to combine creative writing with scholarly research. This program allows students to produce a significant creative work (such as a novel or poetry collection) while also completing a dissertation on a related literary or theoretical topic. The Ph.D. is ideal for those aiming for careers in academia or advanced literary research.
• Research Skills: Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, research is often a key part of the writing process. Students learn how to gather information, organize it, and integrate it into their work in a way that adds depth and authenticity.
• Communication: Effective communication is at the heart of writing. Students learn how to express complex ideas clearly and persuasively, whether through storytelling, essays, or other forms of written communication.
• Time Management and Discipline: Writing requires focus, discipline, and the ability to meet deadlines. Creative Writing programs help students develop strong time management skills as they balance multiple writing projects and coursework.

Creative writing degree overview

In this article:, what is a creative writing degree, program options, skills you&rsquo;ll learn, what can you do with a creative writing degree.

A Creative Writing degree teaches students how to write original stories, poems, essays, and other types of creative work. The program focuses on the art of storytelling, helping students find their own voice and style. Through workshops and discussions, students learn how to create interesting characters, build engaging plots, and use language creatively to express emotions and ideas. The degree combines both theory and hands-on writing experience to help students improve as writers.

In a Creative Writing program, students take courses in different writing genres like fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and non-fiction. They participate in writing workshops, where they share their work and get feedback from classmates and teachers. These courses also often cover topics like literary theory, modern literature, and editing, helping students understand the larger world of writing and where their work fits within it.

A Creative Writing degree offers a range of program options, allowing students to specialize in different areas of interest. Here are some common options:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Creative Writing: This undergraduate program focuses on the art and craft of writing across various genres, such as fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. Students take workshops and writing courses that emphasize developing their own style and voice. The program also includes literary studies to deepen their understanding of the writing craft.
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Creative Writing: Similar to the B.F.A., this degree provides students with a solid foundation in creative writing, but it typically includes a broader liberal arts education. Students study different forms of creative writing, alongside courses in literature, humanities, and social sciences, which offer a more well-rounded academic experience.
• Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Creative Writing: The M.F.A. is a graduate program designed for those who want to pursue writing at a professional level. It offers intensive workshops, mentorship from published authors, and opportunities to develop a book-length manuscript. The M.F.A. also often includes teaching experience and prepares students for careers in writing, publishing, or academia.
• Master of Arts (M.A.) in Creative Writing: This graduate program is similar to the M.F.A. but may focus more on literary analysis, theory, and the academic study of writing. Students still engage in writing workshops but also take classes that explore the historical and cultural contexts of literature. The M.A. can be a good option for those interested in both writing and literary scholarship.

A Creative Writing degree helps students develop a variety of valuable skills. These skills are not only essential for writers but are also transferable to many other professions:

• Creative Thinking and Storytelling: Students learn how to generate original ideas and craft engaging stories. They develop the ability to create compelling characters, build intriguing plots, and convey emotions and ideas through their writing.
• Writing and Editing: The program teaches students how to write clearly, concisely, and effectively in different genres, such as fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and screenwriting. They also learn how to edit and revise their own work, as well as give and receive constructive feedback through writing workshops.
• Language Mastery and Style: Students gain a deep understanding of language, including grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. They learn how to use language creatively and effectively, adapting their writing style for different audiences and purposes.
• Critical Thinking and Analysis: Creative Writing programs emphasize analyzing literary works, which helps students develop strong critical thinking skills. They learn to dissect texts, understand themes, and evaluate the effectiveness of different writing techniques, which can enhance their own writing.

A Creative Writing degree opens up a wide range of career opportunities in writing, publishing, media, and other creative fields. Here are some careers that graduates with a Creative Writing degree can pursue:

• Writer : Create original content across various forms such as articles, blogs, essays, stories, and more. Writers adapt their style to suit different audiences and purposes, often working as freelancers or in-house for companies, media outlets, or non-profits.
• Editor : Work in publishing, media, or corporate settings to review and revise content. Editors help improve the clarity, style, and accuracy of written materials and may specialize in areas such as books, magazines, websites, or technical documentation.
• Copywriter : Write persuasive and engaging content for marketing and advertising materials. Copywriters craft promotional content for websites, social media, advertisements, and more, using creative language to attract and engage audiences.
• Screenwriter : Write scripts for movies, television shows, or web series. Screenwriters develop dialogue, plotlines, and character arcs, often working closely with directors and producers to bring stories to life on screen.
• Journalist : Report on news, events, and stories for newspapers, magazines, online publications, or broadcast media. Journalists research, write, and edit articles that inform the public on a wide range of topics, from politics to culture.
• Digital Content Creator : Produce written content for digital platforms such as blogs, social media, and websites. Content creators may write articles, create videos, or manage social media accounts, often working for companies or as freelancers.
• Grant Writer : Write proposals to help non-profit organizations and other entities secure funding from government agencies, foundations, and donors. Grant writers need to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to convince funders to support their projects.
• Public Relations Specialist : Create press releases, speeches, and other written materials to shape and maintain a positive public image for companies, individuals, or organizations. PR specialists need strong writing skills to craft compelling messages that resonate with the media and the public.
• Technical Writer : Develop user manuals, guides, and other documentation for technical products and services. Technical writers translate complex information into clear, concise instructions that help users understand and operate various technologies.

See which schools are the most and least expensive.

Creative Writing

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Creative writing

A degree in creative writing allows you to develop your writing, research and creative thinking skills. These skills are useful in a range of careers such as writing, publishing, marketing, PR and teaching

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Advertising copywriter
• Arts administrator
• Community arts worker
• Creative director
• Digital copywriter
• Editorial assistant
• Higher education lecturer
• Lexicographer
• Magazine journalist
• Newspaper journalist
• Publishing copy-editor/proofreader

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Academic librarian
• Digital marketer
• Film director
• Marketing executive
• Public librarian
• Public relations officer
• Secondary school teacher
• Social media manager
• Talent agent
• Web content manager

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

Make sure you create a portfolio of your written work, especially any that you've had published. This will provide evidence of your writing skills and establish your reputation as a writer.

You can gain valuable experience by writing for your student newspaper or magazine, volunteering in schools, or getting involved with writers' groups. Also, try submitting work to journals or anthologies, entering competitions, performing at spoken word events or approaching local drama groups to see if they will use your scripts. This will boost your profile and help build your confidence.

To make yourself more employable, look for opportunities to gain some solid work experience. This could be in the form of paid administrative work for a company, or volunteering with a local charity, for example, helping them to promote the work they do.

You can also look for related work experience with, for example, publishing houses and advertising and marketing firms. You could write speculatively to a number of businesses to ask if you could complete some short-term work experience or shadowing. This can help you get a foot in the door in a highly-competitive industry and could lead to a permanent position.

As well as creative talent and writing experience, you will also need perseverance and determination to succeed as a writer.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships .

Typical employers

As a creative writing graduate you may work to establish yourself as a writer on a self-employed basis, either writing your own works, or writing for others in a freelance capacity.

Alternatively, you could find opportunities with a variety of employers, including:

• publishing houses or editorial/technical writing service companies
• advertising, marketing and public relations agencies, particularly in a copywriting capacity
• primary, secondary, further and higher education institutions
• media organisations and social media companies
• general businesses - in an administrative or general management position
• Civil Service, library or charitable organisations.

Find information on employers in marketing, advertising and PR , media and internet , teacher training and education , and other job sectors .

Skills for your CV

As well as building specialist knowledge of creative writing, you also develop effective written, oral and presentation skills through your degree. Other skills include: 

• creative and critical thinking and problem solving - these skills are useful for many jobs and you'll have gained them from developing characters and storylines
• independent working - having to be self-motivated as a writer means you can effectively determine and direct your own workload 
• time management and organisation - learning to structure your time effectively as a writer means you can be highly organised 
• a good understanding of information technology 
• collaboration - from liaising with students from other related courses such as journalism and film studies 
• independent research and analysis - you'll be adept at this from turning ideas into well-rounded stories 
• editorial and proofreading - from producing accurately written content 
• negotiation and networking - learning how to market your work effectively gives you the skill to negotiate in other workplace settings. 

Further study

As a creative writing graduate you can develop your creative writing skills further by undertaking postgraduate study at Masters or PhD level. You can also specialise in an area such as screenwriting, the graphic novel, writing for young people, writing poetry, or writing and producing comedy.

Alternatively, you may want to undertake further vocational training in areas such as teaching, journalism, librarianship or publishing. Vocational courses allow you to study in an area in which you would like to have a career.

You may also want to consider further study in areas such as PR, marketing or advertising.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in creative writing .

What do creative writing graduates do?

A tenth (10%) of creative writing graduates in employment in the UK are working in artistic, literary and media occupations, while 7% are working as sales, marketing and related associate professionals. 4% are teaching professionals, and a further 4% are media professionals.

Find out what other creative writing graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.

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What Jobs Can You Do With a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing?

What is a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing?

For those who love the written word, earning a graduate-level degree in creative writing can open a wide world of creative career opportunities. Earning a creative writing master’s degree shows you how to take an inkling of an idea and build a fully-formed narrative that can be applied to short stories, novels or screenplays. Editing is a crucial component of the creative writing process, and this program teaches students how to fine-tune their writing at all levels. A master’s degree program will help students refine their writing abilities, explore different styles and forms of writing, and gain a deeper understanding of the publishing  world.

Benefits of Getting a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing

Earning a creative writing master’s degree lets you put your imagination and talent on display. There are plentiful opportunities for what you can do with a creative writing master’s degree. This master’s degree is typically pursued by individuals who are passionate about writing and want to hone their skills, whether for personal development or to pursue a career in the literary world. It can be a stepping stone to becoming a published author, a professional writer, or a creative writing instructor.

Career Opportunities

Whether you’re interested in being published or want to teach others how they can write creatively, there is a lot that you can do with a creative writing Master’s degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the next decade the demand for writers and authors is expected to grow by 4 percent, with an average of 15,500 openings for writers projected annually. With any role, creative writing requires persistence, resilience and the ability to tap into a strong professional network.

Content Writer/Copywriter

Content writers and copywriters can be found in a wide range of industries, from nonprofits and government agencies to startups and multinational companies. These writers are skilled at helping clients say something in order to sell something, and are typically part of a marketing or creative team. Earning a creative writing master’s degree is a benefit to content creators and copywriters, earning a creative writing master’s degree is beneficial to content creators and copywriters, because creative writing shows how language and narrative can be used to compel and captivate readers.

Freelance Writer

Freelance writers are self-employed professionals who are able to write in a number of styles and formats, depending on their clientele. In addition to building a strong writing portfolio, participating in a rigorous creative writing master’s degree program develops critical thinking and time management skills — which comes in handy, because freelancers must be able to manage both the business and creative sides of work.

Public Relations Specialists

This job relies heavily on exceptional written and verbal skills, and primarily involves writing press releases, speeches, social media content and responding to inquiries — often on tight deadlines. Creativity is essential in public relations, as are strong communications skills. With a master’s degree in creative writing, public relations specialists are well-positioned to persuade the masses.

Creative Director

Most often found at marketing and advertising agencies, creative directors are the final decision-makers for all things creative — strategy, copywriting, graphic design and more. Being a creative director requires a sharp, strategic mind and the ability to express a creative point of view. Earning a creative writing master’s degree prepares future creative directors to both give and receive criticism, understand the creative process and guide junior creatives to bring their best work.

Publishing Industry Professional

Working within the fast-paced publishing industry requires sharp creative sensibilities and awareness of industry trends. Publishing industry professionals range from manuscript readers to literary agents, editors to publicists. No matter the role within this industry, earning a master’s degree brings a level of credibility and enhanced skills – particularly at Tiffin University, where the creative writing master’s degree program includes two classes on the publishing industry.

Professor / Teacher

With an advanced degree in creative writing, it’s possible to shape the next generation of  creative writers as an educator.  Creative writing teachers help their students build a foundation to use language more effectively and develop the tools to make their writing impactful. Because they understand what it takes to be a writer, teachers with a master’s degree in creative writing can also provide valuable mentorship to aspiring authors.

Grant Writer

Grant writers are invaluable to nonprofit organizations, businesses and individuals — all who rely on these writers to help secure vital funding. This role entails researching, drafting and submitting proposals for grants, and the ability to write compellingly is critical. A creative writing master’s degree strengthens technical skills like narrative development, revising and editing, which easily transfer to a career as a grant writer.

Ghostwriter

A ghostwriter is the unseen creative force behind published works like fiction and nonfiction books and screenplays. With all of the creative possibilities available to ghostwriters, completing a master’s degree is an excellent way to perfect the ability to write in a variety of styles, for a variety of clients.

Screenwriter

If you aspire to work in the entertainment industry, a creative writing master’s degree can provide the onramp to a career as a screenwriter. Because Tiffin University’s creative writing program is rooted in narrative development, students interested in screenwriting will fully understand the elements of storytelling and how to make their work translate to the screen.           

What Skills Complement a Creative Writing Career?

Being able to generate new ideas, and translate those ideas into a compelling narrative is essential to a career in creative writing. The most successful creative writers are those who can imagine worlds that don’t exist, breathe life into them and keep readers wanting more. In addition to creativity, writers must also ensure the plot and narrative arc of their work is interesting as well as cohesive, which is a task best suited to those with a knack for originality. 

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking and creative writing go hand in hand. The ability to process information, and then translate that information into logical and persuasive writing is a valuable skill that every writer should possess. Critical thinking is especially important for authors working in nonfiction and business writing, to ensure work is written without biases and considers differing viewpoints.

Research / Information Gathering

Most creative writing projects begin with some sort of research, whether combing through library stacks or doing a deep dive on the internet. Writers should be able to navigate a range of references, like textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers or even historical documents. These primary sources can help spark ideas that lead to the next great story.

Creative Writing at Tiffin University

The creative writing Master’s degree program at Tiffin University is offered online, making it ideal for adult students with busy lives but a passion to learn. Throughout this program, students prepare to get into publishing by finding their voice, honing their writing skills, writing in a workshop setting and learning from instructors who have themselves been published. Being taught by experienced faculty also provides valuable insight into how the publishing industry works, as well as the many career paths creative writing can lead to.

Both flexible and affordable, Tiffin University is a wonderful institution for creative writers to launch a career.

Are you a high school student hoping to attend Tiffin University?

16 in-demand writing careers to explore if you love writing

The demand for skilled writers has been increasing across various industries in Malaysia. If you’re considering a career in writing, this can be a promising choice.

From the imaginative realms of creative writing to the structured world of technical writing, there are diverse paths for any aspiring writer that offer unique challenges and rewards. To help you navigate this landscape, here's our guide to unlocking a fulfilling and successful career in writing.

What is a writing career?

Types of writing careers, it's time to write your path to success.

A writing career is a professional path in creating written content for various audiences and platforms. This can include writing for print or digital media. For example, you may write for books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, social media, and more. 

A writing career requires strong writing skills, creativity, and research chops. Writers may work as freelancers or as part of a team. Industries that need writers include advertising, marketing, journalism, and public relations. 

Staff writer

A staff writer is a professional writer who creates written content for a company's needs. This job can include writing brochures, newsletters, social media posts, and website content. Staff writers may also be responsible for conducting interviews, researching topics, and fact-checking.

The  typical salary of writers in Malaysia is RM3,700.

Qualifications for a staff writer job include a degree in journalism, English, or a related field. Some employers may also require previous writing experience through internships or freelance work.

To be a successful staff writer, you should also have a thorough understanding of grammar, punctuation, and style. You should also have excellent research skills. You need to meet tight deadlines and adapt your writing style to different audiences.

Experience with SEO and knowledge of content management systems may also be helpful. Many staff writers have to publish content for online platforms.

This role requires a creative mindset, attention to detail, and openness to feedback. It would help if you had a passion for writing and a strong desire to improve your skills. 

Content strategist

A content strategist plans and implements a cohesive content strategy for a company. This role requires a deep understanding of the target audience. It involves analysing data and tracking content performance. 

The typical salary of content strategists in Malaysia is RM7,070.

A content strategist role usually requires a degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. Experience in content creation, project management, and data analysis is a plus. 

Content strategists must also have strong writing and editing skills. They need a creative mindset to develop engaging and compelling content. They work with various teams, such as marketing, design, and SEO. This way, they make sure the content aligns with the brand strategy. They also make the content resonate with the target audience. 

As a content strategist, you must stay up-to-date with industry and consumer trends. You must be able to analyse data and use it to inform content decisions. 

Proofreader

A proofreader ensures that content is accurate and consistent. Proofreaders check for spelling and grammar errors. They adhere to style guidelines and brand standards. 

Proofreaders in Malaysia typically earn a monthly salary of RM4,190.

Proofreaders typically work for publishing companies and advertising agencies. They may also work as project-based freelancers. Proofreaders play a crucial role in the quality and readability of a piece of writing. 

Basic requirements for a proofreader role include excellent grammar and spelling. Attention to detail is essential. Proofreaders work with authors, editors, and fact-checkers to uphold editorial standards. 

Overall, the role of a proofreader requires technical and communication skills. Proofreaders ensure that written materials are error-free and convey their intended message. 

Communications executive

A communications executive manages an organisation's internal and external communication. This can include creating and distributing press releases. Communications executives may manage social media accounts, and write and edit other content. They also play a key role in crisis communication. They share information with the public and media during a crisis situation.

The  average salary of a communications executive in Malaysia is RM3,050.

To qualify for a job as a communications executive, you need to know marketing and public relations strategies. You need to be a strong communicator in interpersonal and public settings. A degree in communications, public relations, or a related field is typically required. 

The ability to communicate with and persuade various stakeholders is crucial for success in this role. This role is vital in shaping an organisation's public image and reputation. 

English teacher

An English teacher educates students on the English language, literature, and writing. They create lesson plans, grade assignments, and provide feedback for improvement. English teachers may work in various settings, from elementary schools to universities. Opportunities for career advancement include becoming a department head or curriculum specialist. 

On average, an  English teacher in Malaysia earns RM3,500 a month.

Qualifications for English teachers vary depending on the setting in which they work. Most schools require a bachelor's degree in English and a teaching certification. Some schools may also require a master's degree in education or a specific subject area. 

English teachers must have a strong command of the English language. They must be patient and creative. They must also be able to adapt their teaching methods to meet the needs of their students. A passion for literature and language is essential for success in this role. 

Content marketer

A content marketer creates and promotes valuable content to engage a target audience. This can include written content like blogs, social media posts, and email newsletters. Content marketers also conceptualise visual content, such as videos and infographics.

The average salary for content marketers in Malaysia is RM6,540.

Qualifications for content marketers vary depending on the specific job responsibilities and industry. Still, a strong understanding of marketing principles and excellent writing skills are essential. 

You must also know how to develop marketing strategies and analyse data. You'll be a good fit for this role if you can think outside the box to come up with unique and compelling content ideas. 

A copywriter is a professional writer who writes marketing and advertising materials. This includes copy for advertisements, social media posts, website content, and marketing emails. 

The  average salary for copywriters in Malaysia is RM4,050.

Qualifications for a copywriter job include a communications, marketing, advertising, or English degree. Great copywriters use persuasive language and storytelling to capture their audience’s attention. They can compel the audience to take action, such as make a purchase or sign up for a service. 

To be a good fit in this role, you need a strong understanding of consumer psychology. You also need a creative mindset to develop unique and effective marketing strategies. 

A publisher oversees the production and distribution of written content. Publishers work with copywriters and editors to ensure that the content meets the needs of their target audience. Publishers also play a crucial role in winning clients and managing budgets. 

Content publishers in Malaysia typically earn a monthly salary of RM5,340.

To qualify for a role as a publisher, you need to have strong organisational skills and a keen eye for detail. A degree in journalism, business, or communications is also preferred. 

Additionally, experience in project management and sales is beneficial for this role. The publishing industry is fast-paced and constantly evolving, so you must also be adaptable. 

A translator is responsible for translating written material from one language to another. This can include books, articles, websites, and other written content. A translator works with editors and authors to ensure accuracy and clarity in the translated material. 

On average,  translators in Malaysia earn a monthly salary of RM5,150.

A degree in linguistics and a particular language will help you get a job as a translator. Some translators specialise in a specific field, such as legal, medical, or technical translation. In such cases, they’ll need more training or certification. 

Experience in project management and using translation software is also beneficial for this role. You must have a firm grasp of both the source and target language. You must also understand the cultural nuances and idiomatic expressions in the text. 

Keep in mind that it's not just about literal translation. You must be able to capture the tone and style of the original material while effectively conveying the message in the target language. As a translator, you'll be crucial in bridging language barriers. You’ll help ease communication and understanding between different cultures. 

Grant writer

A grant writer writes proposals to secure funding for various projects and initiatives. Grant writers conduct research, craft persuasive proposals, and communicate with potential funders. 

On average, grant writers in Malaysia earn a monthly salary of RM2,910.

To qualify as a grant writer, having a degree in a related field such as English, communications, or nonprofit management is best. Experience in the nonprofit sector can be beneficial. 

This role requires strong writing skills and attention to detail. You need to be able to convey the proposed project's goals and impact effectively to potential funders. A grant writer must also have a deep understanding of the organisation they are writing for. They must also grasp the needs and priorities of potential funders.

As a grant writer, you can make a positive impact. You’ll help organisations and individuals get the resources they need to make a difference in their communities. 

An editor reviews and revises written material for accuracy, clarity, and style. These materials include articles, books, reports, and other documents. Editors may also collaborate with writers to develop and refine content. They coordinate with other team members to ensure timely and high-quality publication.

The average monthly salary of editors in Malaysia is RM3,250.

Good editors typically have a degree in English, journalism, or a related field. To be successful in this role, strong communication and critical thinking skills are essential. You need a keen eye for detail and a thorough understanding of grammar, punctuation, and style. Editors must also be able to manage several projects at once. 

This role offers the opportunity to work with various writers and topics. As an editor, you can play a crucial role in shaping and improving written material for a broad audience.

Social media manager

A social media manager manages and creates content for a company's social media platforms. This includes developing a social media strategy, scheduling posts, and monitoring engagement. 

The  typical monthly salary of social media managers in Malaysia is RM6,000.

A degree in marketing is an advantage when applying to become a social media manager. The ideal candidate for this role should have a deep understanding of social media trends and platforms. They must also develop engaging and relevant content that aligns with the company's brand and target audience. 

A social media manager should be able to handle several platforms and campaigns at once. They must also be able to analyse performance data and adjust their strategy accordingly. 

A successful social media manager plays a crucial role in building and maintaining a company's strong online presence. Their skills and efforts can impact the business's success.

Technical writer

A  technical writer creates technical documentation for a company's products or services. This can include user manuals, instruction guides, technical specifications, and other technical documents. A technical writer works with subject matter experts to gather information.

Technical writers in Malaysia typically earn a monthly salary of RM5,540.

A degree in technical communication, English, or a related field is an advantage when vying for a technical writer role. Specialised skills, such as knowledge of software or coding languages, can impact salary potential. 

A technical writer must have excellent fact-checking and analytical abilities. They must be able to translate complex information into easy-to-understand language.

A technical writer plays a critical role in keeping a company's technical documentation clear and accurate. These documents can significantly impact the success of a product or service.

A  reporter gathers and presents news and information to the public through media outlets such as newspapers, TV, radio, or online. Reporters attend events, conduct interviews, and research information. Their goal is to provide accurate and timely coverage of current events and issues. 

The typical monthly salary of reporters in Malaysia is RM7,480.

A reporter job requires a journalism or related degree. Many employers prefer candidates with previous experience in reporting for a media outlet. 

Being a successful reporter requires a combination of skills, qualities, and knowledge. These include investigative skills, solid news judgement, and the courage to ask tough questions. Building and maintaining relationships with sources and contacts is crucial for reporters.

Being a reporter requires a passion for storytelling and a curiosity for current events. You must also commit to keeping the public informed and empowered.

Communications manager

A communications manager oversees an organisation or company's communication strategies and messaging. The communications manager works with various departments to develop and execute communication plans. These plans must align with the goals and mission of the organisation. This may involve creating press releases, organising events, and responding to media inquiries. 

The  average monthly salary of a communications manager in Malaysia is RM7,400.

Most companies require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, such as communications or public relations. Leadership and excellent communication skills are essential for this position.

This role requires a strong understanding of public relations, marketing, and media relations. Strong communication skills, adaptability, and strategic thinking are essential in this role. As a communications manager, you must also manage a team to ensure the success of communication efforts. 

A  journalist is a professional who investigates, gathers, and reports on news and current events. They work for various media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, television, and online news sources. 

The average monthly salary for journalists in Malaysia is RM7,740.

Journalists research and fact-check information. They conduct and write articles that inform the public about important events and issues. 

A degree in journalism is a requirement for getting a job as a journalist. In addition to writing, journalists must also have strong interviewing skills. They must also be able to meet tight deadlines and work in high-pressure situations. 

Journalists play a crucial role in keeping the public informed and up-to-date on current events. Their work can significantly impact society.

In conclusion, a career in writing is as varied as it is rewarding. It offers opportunities for continual learning and personal growth. By crafting compelling narratives, writers play a crucial role in shaping our worldview — and you can be one of them. 

• Is writing a well-paid job?  ⁠ It can be. While writing may not always be the highest-paying career, there are opportunities for you to earn a good salary.  ⁠Many writers work freelance and have the ability to negotiate their rates. In contrast, others work for companies or organisations that offer competitive wages.  ⁠Ultimately, the pay for a writing job will depend on various factors such as experience, expertise, and the type of writing assignment.
• Is writing a good career path?  ⁠ Writing can be a fulfilling and rewarding career if you’re passionate about it. It allows individuals to express themselves creatively and share their knowledge and ideas.  ⁠With the rise of online media and digital platforms, writers can reach a wider audience and potentially earn a good income. However, success requires hard work, dedication, and continuous improvement.
• What is the best job for writers? ⁠ The best job for writers allows them to use their skills while also providing stability and opportunities for growth. Some popular job options for writers include content strategist, technical writer, editor, and communications director.
• Do I need a specific degree to become a writer? ⁠ No, you don’t need a specific degree to become a writer. While a degree in English, creative writing, or journalism can provide valuable skills. Many successful writers have backgrounds in various fields such as business, science, or history. The most important thing is honing your writing skills and improving your craft.
• Is there a demand for freelance writers?  ⁠ Yes, there is a high demand for freelance writers in today's digital age. With the rise of online content and the need for businesses to have a solid online presence, there’s a constant need for quality written content. ⁠Many companies and organisations turn to freelance writers to create blog posts, website content, and social media posts. Freelance writers can work with many clients and choose projects that align with their interests and expertise. 
• What skills are essential for success in a writing career? ⁠ Several essential skills are necessary for you to succeed as a freelance writer.  ⁠Firstly, strong writing skills are a must, including a good grasp of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Writing in various styles and tones is also essential, as different clients may have different preferences. Organisation skills are crucial when working on many projects with varying deadlines.  ⁠The ability to take constructive criticism is also important, as clients may request changes to the work. Research skills are essential, as writers must incorporate information into their writing.  ⁠Networking and marketing skills are also valuable, as writers must promote their work. Finally, the ability to meet deadlines consistently is essential for success in a writing career. 
• How can I build a strong portfolio as a writer? ⁠ Building a solid portfolio as a writer is crucial for showcasing your skills and attracting potential clients.  ⁠One way to do this is by writing and publishing pieces on various platforms, such as a personal blog or social media. This allows you to practise and improve your writing and provides tangible examples of your work for clients to review.  ⁠Another way to build your portfolio is by seeking freelance or volunteer writing opportunities. These can help you gain experience and add diverse pieces to your portfolio. 
• Is it important to specialise in a specific writing style? ⁠ While having a niche or speciality in writing can be beneficial, it isn’t crucial in building a solid portfolio. In fact, having a diverse range of writing styles and topics can showcase your versatility and adaptability as a writer.  ⁠However, let’s say you have a specific interest or expertise in a particular area. In that case, including a few pieces in that niche can be advantageous in attracting clients looking for that type of content. ⁠Ultimately, the key to building a strong portfolio is balancing both specialised and varied writing styles. This demonstrates your flexibility and expertise in different areas.
• What are the biggest challenges aspiring writers face? ⁠ One of the biggest challenges for aspiring writers is finding consistent work and establishing a steady income. With the rise of freelance writing opportunities and the decline of traditional publishing platforms, securing long-term contracts or regular writing gigs can be difficult. Competing with established writers and building a strong portfolio can be daunting for new writers.  ⁠Another challenge is finding the time and motivation to hone one's writing skills. Writing can be a solitary and demanding profession, requiring discipline and dedication.  ⁠Finally, the fear of rejection and criticism can be a significant obstacle, as it takes courage and resilience to put your work out into the world and face negative feedback. These challenges can make it difficult for aspiring writers to break into the industry. But with perseverance and hard work, it’s possible to overcome them and find success as a writer.

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Top Writing Branches You Can Explore After Graduation

For many college students, graduation brings a mixture of exhilaration and uncertainty. One of the largest demanding situations is figuring out which career route to pursue. 

If you’ve got a passion for writing, you’re in success—there are numerous writing careers you could discover after graduation that can help you harness your creativity, explicit your mind, or even make a meaningful effect. 

Writing Branches to Explore After Your Graduation

Let’s take a closer look at a number of the top writing branches that you can dive into after completing your research.

Journalism is one of the maximum well-known writing professions. As a journalist, you’ll study, look into, and file on information memories, current occasions, and numerous issues that remember to the general public. Whether running for print, online media, or broadcast outlets, journalism is ready to keep human beings informed and maintain institutions responsible.

Types of Journalism

Journalism comes in unique paperwork, consisting of:

• Print Journalism: Newspapers, magazines, and journals.
• Broadcast Journalism: TV, radio, and virtual news channels.
• Photojournalism: Visual storytelling through pictures.
• Online Journalism: Digital news structures, blogs, and social media reporting.

Skills Needed

Strong investigative skills, the capability to write clear and compelling testimonies underneath tight time limits, and a dedication to accuracy are essential in this field. As a journalist, you’ll additionally want amazing interviewing capabilities and the capability to deal with complaints and paintings below strain.

Challenges and Opportunities

While journalism can be competitive, it gives an exciting and enjoyable career direction for people who enjoy storytelling and feature a nose for information. In today’s digital global, the demand for online newshounds is developing, developing new opportunities for recent graduates. For better clarification in the field of journalism, you can also opt for some viable online study course and uphold you career. 

Copywriting

Copywriting entails developing persuasive content material designed to inspire readers to do so, whether it is buying a product, subscribing to a provider, or engaging with a brand. Copywriters craft commercials, product descriptions, e-mail campaigns, and other marketing materials for agencies.

Where Can You Work?

You can locate copywriting roles at marketing organizations, in-house advertising departments, or as a freelancer. Brands throughout each enterprise—from style to technology—rely on copywriters to connect with their audiences and increase income.

Key Responsibilities

Copywriters ought to recognize their audience, expand strong calls to movement, and create clean and impactful messages. This position often entails running closely with image designers, entrepreneurs, and income groups to align content with a logo’s voice and dreams.

To be triumphant as a copywriter, you need creativity, an aptitude for writing, and a strong understanding of advertising ideas. The capacity to write down concisely and persuasively is critical, as is adaptability to one-of-a-kind writing styles.

Opportunities for Growth

With the upward thrust of virtual advertising, copywriting is extra vital than ever. Many companies look for talented copywriters to manage their online presence, from social media posts to website content material. It’s a moneymaking and profitable discipline for writers who experience quick-paced surroundings and creative challenges.

Content Writing

Content writing focuses on developing precious, informative, and attractive articles, blogs, and net pages that attract and preserve a target market. Content writers are responsible for producing long-shape content that educates readers on an extensive range of subjects, from non-public finance to tour and fitness.

Why It’s Popular

Content writing has grown in popularity because of the rise of digital media. Websites, blogs, and businesses want fresh, first-rate content to rank properly in search engines like Google and hook up with their audiences. Content writing often goes hand-in-hand with search engine marketing (Search Engine Optimization), as writers use unique keywords and strategies to enhance a website’s visibility.

Skills Required

Strong study skills, extraordinary grammar, and the capability to adapt your tone to match different audiences are critical for content writers. Understanding search engine marketing concepts also can give you a part in this competitive field.

Many content material writing positions are freelance, that can provide flexibility and a danger to work from anywhere. However, it may be competitive, and constructing a portfolio is important. Working for digital advertising agencies or content material turbines may be a great way to gain experience before moving directly to higher-paying initiatives.

Technical Writing

Technical writing involves growing clean, user-pleasant manuals, guides, reviews, and different documents that specify complex topics or methods. These files are normally geared toward specialists or customers who want to understand how to use a product, system, or carrier.

Where You Can Work

Technical writers frequently paint in industries like technology, engineering, healthcare, and production. They may write software program documentation, product manuals, medical papers, or white papers.

This role calls for the ability to translate complex ideas into simple, understandable language. Strong analytical abilities, interest in detail, and the capability to work with challenge be counted professionals (SMEs) are vital. Technical writers also want remarkable organizational abilities, as they often paint on multiple projects simultaneously.

Why It’s a Great Career Path

Technical writing is in high call for, especially as generation maintains to strengthen. If you experience each writing and have knowledge technical principles, this discipline gives excellent possibilities for growth and specialization. Salaries are regularly higher in technical writing as compared to other writing branches, especially in industries like IT and engineering.

Ghostwriting

Ghostwriters create content material for others, allowing the credited author to take full ownership. Ghostwriters are frequently hired to write books, articles, speeches, or weblog posts on behalf of experts, celebrities, or enterprise leaders.

Challenges and Benefits

The essential challenge of ghostwriting is that you won’t receive public popularity for your paintings. However, ghostwriting can be financially profitable, specifically when writing for high-profile clients. It also allows you to explore extraordinary voices and styles, making it a extremely good manner to refine your writing capabilities.

To prevail as a ghostwriter, you want to be adaptable and able to mimic the voice and tone of your consumer. Strong study talents, discretion, and the ability to fulfil tight closing dates also are crucial.

Growth Opportunities

Ghostwriting is a versatile career that permits freelance work, which may be best for the ones seeking out freedom and range in their projects. Building a reputation via word-of-mouth referrals allows you to land lengthy-time period contracts with prestigious clients.

UX (User Experience) writing makes a specialty of crafting the words utilized in digital merchandise, like apps, websites, and software programs. UX writers create content material that publications customers via a continuing virtual enjoy, including button labels, errors messages, and onboarding commands.

Why It’s in Demand

With the growth of virtual merchandise, UX writing is becoming increasingly more important. The purpose is to make sure that users can navigate products without difficulty and intuitively, making the general experience extra enjoyable.

Strong communique skills, empathy, and deep expertise of consumer behaviour are essential for UX writers. Collaboration is also key, as UX writers often work intently with designers, product managers, and developers.

As extra corporations prioritize user revel, the demand for skilled UX writers is growing. This department of writing offers possibilities in tech agencies, startups, and virtual product design businesses, and regularly comes with appealing salaries.

Grant Writing

Grant writing involves crafting proposals to steady funding for non-profits, instructional establishments, or studies tasks. Grant writers need to gift compelling arguments as to why their company merits monetary support from governments, foundations, or groups.

This role calls for tremendous research, cooperation, and persuasive writing abilities. You have to be capable of giving an explanation for complicated standards honestly and understand the funder’s desires and priorities.

Grant writing can be hard because of the enormously aggressive nature of securing investment. However, for those captivated with assisting reasons like training, healthcare, and social justice, furnish writing is a profitable profession that can make a actual effect.

The writing enterprise gives numerous career paths, every with its own particular possibilities and challenges. As you transition from student lifestyles to your profession, locating the proper student accommodation can make the manner smoother, imparting you a cushty area to awareness of your goals.

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Can ChatGPT be an author? Generative AI creative writing assistance and perceptions of authorship, creatorship, responsibility, and disclosure

• Open access
• Published: 27 September 2024

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Paul Formosa   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7490-0242 1 ,
• Sarah Bankins   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2290-3086 2 ,
• Rita Matulionyte   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5202-1351 3 &
• Omid Ghasemi   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7511-5580 4  

The increasing use of Generative AI raises many ethical, philosophical, and legal issues. A key issue here is uncertainties about how different degrees of Generative AI assistance in the production of text impacts assessments of the human authorship of that text. To explore this issue, we developed an experimental mixed methods survey study ( N  = 602) asking participants to reflect on a scenario of a human author receiving assistance to write a short novel as part of a 3 ( high , medium , or low degrees of assistance) X 2 ( human or AI assistant) factorial design. We found that, for a human author, the degree of assistance they receive matters for our assessments of their level of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility, but not what or who rendered that assistance, although it was more important to disclose human rather than AI assistance. However, in our assessments of the assisting agent, human assistants were viewed as warranting higher rates of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility, compared to AI assistants rendering the same level of support. These results help us to better understand emerging norms around collaborative human-AI generated text, with implications for other types of collaborative content creation.

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• Artificial Intelligence

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1 Introduction

While Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, Stable Diffusion, and GitHub Copilot, have only recently been released for widespread public use, their popularity has already exceeded expectations. For example, after its public release, ChatGPT, a text-to-text AI, set a record for the fastest growing consumer user base (Hu and Hu 2023 ). GenAI refers to artificial intelligence systems that can generate from inputs a range of high-quality outputs in various formats, including images, text, computer code, and music (Epstein et al. 2023 ). Various GenAI apps have already been used to write novels (Mogg 2023 ), generate images that have won art competitions (Hurler 2023 ), and are set to transform work roles as diverse as sales and marketing to software development (McKinsey 2023 ). However, these GenAI tools raise many ethical, philosophical, and legal issues (Dehouche 2021 ). Several of the most important issues raised by humans using AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to help them to generate text are: who or what should be listed as an author of the text; who or what can count as having contributed to the creation of the text (Yanisky-Ravid 2017 ); who or what is responsible for the contents of the text (Tu 2021 ); and when, and in what form, disclosure of that assistance is required (Jenkins and Lin 2023 ). Currently, the accelerating use of GenAI tools is outstripping comprehensive answers to these questions, and these questions are becoming more practically and legally important. Further, the norms around GenAI assistance in text production remain emergent and poorly understood; however, we can draw on broader, but contextually similar, norms around human assistance in text creation to develop relevant insights (Nissenbaum 2011 ). To examine these issues, we ask: How does the degree of assistance, and whether that assistance is received from a human or an AI, impact assessments of the authorship, creatorship, and responsibility for a text, and the importance of disclosing that assistance?

To address this question, we developed an experimental mixed methods survey study ( N  = 602) asking participants to reflect on a scenario involving a human author receiving different degrees of assistance (high, medium, or low) from either a human or an AI assistant. We found that, for a human author, the degree of assistance matters for our assessments of their level of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility, but not what or who rendered that assistance except that it was more important to disclose human rather than AI assistance. However, when people evaluated the assisting agent, human assistants were viewed as warranting higher rates of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility compared to AI assistants rendering the same level of support. These results help us to better understand emerging community views and norms around combined human-AI generated text, while providing a starting point for examining these issues in other forms of AI-assisted content generation.

2 Literature review: human–AI collaboration and implications for authorship

Large Language Models (LLMs), which drive applications like ChatGPT, are a form of GenAI that can produce plausible sounding texts in various formats from user-generated prompts (Lund et al. 2023 ). GenAI is increasingly used in diverse fields to create or co-create content, especially in the creative industries. For example, an artist won a photography competition with a human-AI “co-creation” that was “the result of a complex interplay of prompt engineering, inpainting and outpainting” (Hurler 2023 ). In literature, there is increasing use of ChatGPT to produce novels, swamping some publishers with AI-generated content (Mogg 2023 ). GenAI is also being used in the creation of movie and television scripts and in various aspects of music creation and production, leading to controversies over whether work created exclusively by, or in collaboration with, AI should be eligible for creative awards (Edwards 2023 ). Such controversies link to our motivations for this study: how should we think about the authorship of co-created human and AI outputs? This is a significant question to explore as an accelerating amount of creative, academic, media, and work outputs are the result of an intermixing of human and AI contributions. This makes issues, such as the extent to which a person should be regarded as the author and creator of that output and responsible for its content, as well as whether disclosure of assistance is required, of acute practical importance. This has implications for a range of issues, from who (or what) gets listed as authors on the title page of a novel or academic paper, to how much we blame or praise humans for their outputs co-created with AI, and to what are the nature of emergent acknowledgement practices that document AI assistance. Understanding public perceptions regarding who is an author in AI-assisted creation contexts is also important for ongoing policy and legal discussions, since only authors are entitled to exclusive rights and remunerations available under copyright laws.

In an academic context, there is ongoing debate about whether ChatGPT should be used to help write, and so be listed as an author on, scholarly outputs. Several published papers already list ChatGPT as one of the authors (Stokel-Walker 2023 ), prompting publishers to clarify that ChatGPT, even if it makes significant scholarly contributions to an article, cannot be listed as an author as it cannot take responsibility for the content it produces or consent to the dissemination of its creations (Crawford et al. 2023 ; Lee 2023 ; Van Gelder 2023 ). A recent journal editorial explaining the removal of ChatGPT as an author from O’Connor and ChatGPT ( 2023 ) argued for the importance of transparency in how LLMs such as ChatGPT are used in the writing process (Siegerink et al. 2023 ).

Three main views on this question have emerged in the academic literature: (1) GenAI tools can be listed as an author under some circumstances (Jenkins and Lin 2023 ); (2) GenAI tools cannot be listed as authors under any circumstances (Hosseini Rasmussen et al. 2023 ); and (3) GenAI tools must be listed as authors if certain conditions are met (Miller 2023 ). Exemplifying the first view, Jenkins and Lin ( 2023 ) challenge the claim that AI cannot count as an author by arguing that, in the case of posthumous works by humans, we have a text generated by someone who both cannot be held responsible for its contents and cannot consent to disseminate the work, since they are dead. But, even so, we can still have posthumous authors, so why not AI authors too? Instead of a blanket rejection of the possibility of AI authorship, Jenkins and Lin ( 2023 ) argue that “continuity” (how much of the AI generated text remains in the final product) and “creditworthiness” (would this degree of contribution from a human typically amount to authorship?) should determine the discipline-specific form of “credit” an AI should warrant. The degree of both AI assistance and user input are also relevant to assessments of continuity, such as cases where “the (user) input provided is very limited (e.g., ‘write an essay on this topic’)” (Lund et al. 2023 ). Given the complexity of these authorship issues, others argue that we may need to revise our “binary definitions of authorship … in which someone is either an author, or not” (van Dis et al. 2023 ).

In contrast, and exemplifying the second view, others argue that “because LLMs do not have free will”, they cannot be held responsible for what they do, and thus it is always inappropriate to include ChatGPT as a co-author or to even “acknowledge” it, but it is still important to disclose interactions with LLMs (Hosseini Resnik et al. 2023 ). Legal scholarship that is grappling with these questions largely sits within this second view, on the basis that only humans can be legally recognised as authors. Under current laws it is widely held that, in the case of AI-generated work with no or only very limited human input, no one would legally qualify as an author of these works. This is because a human cannot qualify as an author in this case since they do not contribute to the creative expression of the work, while an AI cannot qualify as an author since the law requires authors to be human (White and Matulionyte 2020 ). In contrast, in the case of AI-assisted works where a human makes more substantive contributions, that human alone would be legally recognised as an author, at least regarding their contributions. From a normative perspective, legal commentators do not agree on whether copyright law should award protections to AI-generated and AI-assisted works or, if they did, who should be the author for the purposes of copyright law. For example, regarding work that is autonomously generated by AI, some legal scholars argue that AI should not be recognized as an author (Ginsburg and Budiardjo 2019 ), and that AI-generated work should not be protected under copyright at all (Sun 2022 ), but that protection should be awarded to work where AI is used as a tool and humans exercise sufficient creative effort in the development of that work. Gervais ( 2020 ) suggests a model to distinguish between authorless AI-generated works and protectable AI-assisted works where the human is the only legally recognized author. Rallabhandi ( 2023 ) suggests that the human or corporate creators of AI models should be recognized as authors of the works generated with the help of those AI models. In contrast, Yanisky-Ravid ( 2017 ) suggests that AI users should be the ones vested with authorship, ownership, and accountability for AI-generated outputs. There is also emerging literature on the responsibility for content generated by AI, especially regarding deep fakes (Schapiro 2020 ) and cases where AI use violates human rights or leads to the infringement of copyright (Land and Aronson 2020 ). Overall, from a legal perspective, since (and as long as) AI does not have a legal personality, it cannot be held to be legally accountable for the content it generates, and it will always be an AI developer or user (or both) who is held legally accountable for its outputs.

The third view takes a stronger form than the first view, moving beyond suggesting that AI can be an author, to arguing that in some circumstances it must be when certain thresholds are met. Exemplifying this third view, Miller ( 2023 ) argues that many publication ethics codes require authorship for all participants involved in drafting, revising, or making substantial scientific contributions to a text, which makes it potentially unethical not to include an LLM as an author where it meets these standards. Likewise, Polonsky and Rotman ( 2023 ) argue that ChatGPT can sometimes meet the four conditions specified in the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations for authorship, namely making a “substantial contribution”, “drafting” or “revising” the work, giving “final approval” of the work, and agreeing to “be accountable” for the work (Polonsky and Rotman 2023 ).

In practice, there is evidence of lagging organisational standards regarding disclosure of Generative AI in text creation, despite its growing use. For example, a study exploring algorithmic journalism shows how traditional views of humans as news authors remain strongly held, leading to discrepancies between the use of AI in generating news content, and the adaptation of crediting policies, such as the use of disclosure, by-lines, and attribution, to reflect its use (Montal and Reich 2017 ). More broadly, GenAI has also been compared to the use of human ghostwriters (Nowak-Gruca 2022 ) who are commonly used for celebrity memoirs (Knapp and Hulbert 2017 ). Comparing the nascent informational and authorship norms around GenAI use with more established norms in contextually-similar cases, such as human ghostwriting, can help us to understand and evaluate these emerging norms (Nissenbaum 2011 ). An empirical study of the ethics of ghostwriting found, for example, that 85% of participants did not think it was unethical for the President of the United States to use a ghost speechwriter, but they were more ambivalent about whether the President should disclose that assistance (Riley and Brown 1996 ).

In sum, there is no consensus on the treatment of GenAI as an author for the text it may autonomously or collaboratively (with a human) generate. However, across the first and third views at least, there is some coalescence around the idea that GenAI could be an author and that a key potential threshold for AI authorship is the degree of assistance it provides to a human creator. Therefore, we argue that the more help that a human gets to generate content (i.e., higher AI continuity whereby much of the AI generated text remains in the final output), the less that human will be perceived as the author and creator of, and be responsible for, that content, and the greater their obligation to disclose that assistance. This leads to our first hypothesis:

H1: Receiving higher degrees of assistance will lead to significantly lower ratings for authorship, creatorship, and responsibility for the content produced, and a higher rating for the need to disclose that assistance.

However, who or what provides the assistance will also matter. It is established that people view human and algorithmic labour differently (Bankins et al. 2024), including when doing the same task (Bankins et al. 2022 ). There is emerging empirical work that helps to uncover these views regarding AI authorship. For example, news stories attributed solely to a human were perceived as more credible than news authored solely by an algorithm or by a human-assisted algorithm (Jia and Liu 2021 ). Several studies have also shown that AI-made art, music, and other creative outputs are considered less pleasant and less morally authentic (Jago, 2019) than human-made works, although not all studies demonstrate this negative bias (Chiarella et al. 2022 ). Therefore, we expect there to be differences between a human or a Generative AI (i.e., ChatGPT) providing that assistance. Thus, our second hypothesis is:

H2: There will be significant differences between receiving assistance from a Generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) compared to receiving that assistance from a human in terms of ratings for authorship, creatorship, responsibility for the content produced, and the need to disclose that assistance.

3.1 Research design

Since we explore the influence of two factors, degree of assistance and the agent assisting, we employed an experimental survey method (Wallander 2009 ). Our participants were asked to reflect on a scenario involving the construction of a creative text as part of a 3 ( high , medium , or low level of assistance) X 2 ( human or AI assistant) factorial design. This gave us six experimental vignettes (see Table  1 , with completions per cell shown).

3.2 Materials

The text of all six vignettes were identical, except where we varied the degree of assistance and the agent assisting. To make the degree of assistance clear, a “high” level of assistance equated to all the text being written by the assistant, a “medium” level of assistance equated to half the text being written by the assistant, and a “low” level of assistance equated to one page out of 50 being written by the assistant. An example vignette is given below, with manipulations in square brackets:

Lee is a published novelist. Lee is commissioned by a publisher to write a new fictional short story that needs to be about 50 pages. Lee is short on time, with a publisher’s deadline to meet, so they decide to get some help. Lee gets [ChatGPT, a generative AI system/a human assistant], to write [ the novel in full/half the novel/the opening page of the novel ] for them after giving the [AI/assistant] a few brief prompts. Lee makes a few very minor changes to [ChatGPT’s outputted/the assistant’s] text, [ but doesn’t rewrite the novel themselves any further/and then writes the other half of the novel in full themselves/and then writes the rest of the novel in full themselves ]. In the end, Lee uses about [ 50 pages/25 pages/1 page ] of lightly-edited text written by the [AI/human assistant] [ /and about 25 pages of text written by themselves/and about 49 pages of text written by themselves ], for their novel. Once the novel is completed, Lee sends it to the publisher. The publisher is very pleased with the novel and publishes it as is. Lee takes full credit for the novel as sole author and does not at all acknowledge to their publisher or readers that they received any help in creating their novel.

We chose a creative writing context to limit concerns about the potential inaccuracy of AI content, which could impact evaluations of its use in non-fiction text creation, and because it represents a common use case for ChatGPT.

3.3 Procedure

We obtained participants through Prolific, a widely used online data service platform that has been shown to provide better data quality than competing means of data collection, such as MTurk and undergraduate student samples (Douglas et al. 2023 ). We received ethics approval from our University’s Human Research Ethics Committee (ref. no. 520231583852668). Our study was pre-registered with OSF ( https://osf.io/ymvd4 ). Informed consent was given by participants for this study. Each participant was randomly assigned one vignette from our pool of six vignettes in a between-subjects design. After reading their assigned vignette, participants completed the measures and attention check detailed below.

We had 623 participants undertake our study. In line with our pre-registration, we removed participants who failed our attention check (21 participants), leaving 602 valid participants. The mean age of our sample was 33.3 (SD = 11.3), with 269 female, 328 male, and 5 non-binary respondents. Most of our sample had a Bachelor degree as their highest level of education (366), followed by Primary and Secondary school (163), and a Postgraduate degree (100).

3.5 Measures

There is substantial literature on what constitutes authorship (Love 2002 ), how researchers approach assigning authorship across collaborators (Nylenna et al. 2014 ), and the specific criteria used to determine authorship (Kakodkar and Bhonde 2022 ). However, we could not identify established measures that specifically capture people’s views of our key outcome variables. Therefore, we created targeted, succinct, and understandable questions to capture lay persons’ perceptions of creatorship, authorship, responsibility, and disclosure across our scenarios, as detailed below.

The following measures were completed by participants after reading their assigned scenario. All four dependent variables used a scale ranging from 1 “Strongly disagree” to 7 “Strongly agree”. Participants only received questions about the assistant in their assigned scenario (either “ChatGPT” or the “human assistant”). “Lee” is the name of the human novelist in the scenario.

Creatorship was measured with a two Likert-scale item: “Lee created the novel”; “[ChatGPT/the human assistant] created the novel”.

Authorship was measured with a two Likert-scale item: “Lee should be listed as an author of the novel”; “[ChatGPT/the human assistant] should be listed as an author of the novel”.

Responsibility was measured with a two Likert-scale item: “Lee is responsible or accountable for the contents of the novel”; “[ChatGPT/the human assistant] is responsible or accountable for the contents of the novel”.

Disclosure was measured with a single Likert-scale item: “Lee should publicly acknowledge to their publisher and readers their use of [ChatGPT/a human assistant] to help in the writing of the novel”. Note, there is only a single item for Disclosure as it did not make sense to ask whether ChatGPT/the human assistant should publicly acknowledge their provision of assistance.

Open-ended Question: Participants were also given the opportunity to provide qualitative data by answering the following question: “Can you expand on or explain your answers to the previous questions?”.

Demographics captured were age, gender, and highest level of education.

GenAI Experience: As a participant’s previous experience with a technology can influence their views (Formosa et al. 2023 ), we controlled for this factor. We captured participants’ experience with ChatGPT by adapting a simplified version of the Game Technology Familiarity (GTF) scale (McEwan et al. 2020 ) consisting of the following single Likert-scale item ranging from 0 = “Never used”, 1 = “Very little experience”, to 7 = “Very experienced”. The item is: “How experienced are you with using ChatGPT (or other Generative AI chatbots)?”.

3.6 Analytical strategies

We employed a series of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) models to analyse our data. Since participants responded to each outcome measure once for Lee and once for the assistant, we conducted separate analyses for each query. Each model incorporated one of our four measures as the dependent variable, with the assistant (human vs. AI), level of assistance (low vs. medium vs. high), and their interaction as predictors. While our preregistration initially specified a linear mixed model, due to the absence of by-subject and by-item repetition (each subject rated one unique item in each condition), no random-effect structure was included in the models. To validate our analytical approach, we re-analysed the models by incorporating participants’ experience with ChatGPT as a covariate. The findings largely mirrored the main analysis, unless stated otherwise (refer to supplementary materials for full results). While not part of our preregistration, we also re-analysed (at the suggestion of a reviewer) our models with age as a covariate. In this case, the findings from the main analysis remain unchanged, indicating that age was not a significant moderator in any of the models (refer to supplementary materials for full results). Additionally, we conducted a series of ordinal Bayesian regressions to account for the ordered nature of our dependent variables, yielding results consistent with our frequentist approach presented here for clarity (see the supplementary materials for the results of the Bayesian models). The anonymous data and analysis scripts are accessible through OSF ( https://osf.io/wgd7y/ ). We analysed our qualitative data by thematically coding responses to our open-ended question. We adopted an inductive approach, allowing themes to emerge from the data (Braun and Clarke 2006 ). Investigator triangulation (Carter et al. 2014 ) was achieved by two researchers coding all of the qualitative data together and resolving any coding disagreements through discussion.

4.1 Descriptive statistics

Participants’ ratings of authorship, creatorship, disclosure, and responsibility for different conditions of assistant (AI vs. human) and assistance (low vs. medium vs. high) are summarised in Table  2 . As shown, participants rated Lee’s authorship, creatorship, and responsibility lower, and Lee’s need to disclose higher, when Lee received higher levels of assistance, regardless of whether the assistant was a human or an AI. Participants rated the assistant’s authorship, creatorship, and responsibility higher when the assistant provided higher levels of assistance.

4.2 Inferential analyses

Initially, we present the inferential analysis for each of the dependent variable measures regarding Lee, followed by the analyses concerning the AI or human assistant.

4.2.1 Query = Lee

Authorship . The results revealed a main effect of assistance, F (2, 596) = 92.29, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.24. As shown in the top panel of Fig.  1 , participants rated higher authorship for a low level of assistance compared to medium and high levels of assistance ( ps  < 0.002), and medium compared to high ( p  < 0.001). The main effect of the assistant was non-significant, indicating similar authorship ratings regardless of whether the assistant is a human or ChatGPT ( p  = 0.07). The interaction between these two predictors was non-significant ( p  = 0.54).

The ratings for authorship, creatorship, disclosure, and responsibility across query, assistance, and assistant conditions. Solid geometrical shapes denote the mean for each condition, while the surrounding plots portray the distributions of the raw data

Creatorship . As in the previous model, we found a significant main effect of assistance, F (2, 596) = 137.80, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.32. As depicted in the top row of Fig.  1 , participants rated higher creatorship for a low level of assistance compared to medium and high levels of assistance ( ps  < 0.001), and also for the medium level of assistance compared to the high level ( p  < 0.001). The main effect of assistant and the interaction terms were again non-significant ( ps  < 0.12).

Disclosure . The model revealed a main effect of assistance, F (2, 596) = 17.38, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.06. Participants indicated that Lee should acknowledge their use of the assistant more when the level of assistance was high compared to medium ( p  = 0.04) or low ( p  < 0.001), and when the level of assistance was medium compared to low ( p  < 0.001). In contrast to the previous models, the results revealed a main effect of assistant, F (1, 596) = 11.43, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.02. Participants suggested that Lee should acknowledge the use of assistance more when the assistant was a human (Mean = 5.58) compared to ChatGPT (Mean = 5.14). There was no significant interaction between assistance and assistant ( p  = 0.29).

Responsibility . The results revealed a main effect of assistance, F (2, 596) = 30.85, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.09. Participants tended to attribute greater responsibility to Lee when the level of assistance was low compared to medium or high ( ps  < 0.001), and when the level of assistance was medium compared to high ( p  < 0.001). The main effect of the assistant was non-significant, indicating similar responsibility ratings regardless of whether the assistant was a human or ChatGPT ( p  = 0.49). The interaction term was also non-significant ( p  = 0.48).

4.2.2 Query = assistant

We now present participants’ responses to questions regarding whether the assistant, rather than Lee, should be listed as an author, has created the novel, and is responsible for its contents. No questions regarding disclosure were asked. As depicted in Fig.  1 , the pattern of results is reversed for the bottom row of the figure (query = assistant) compared to the top row (query = Lee). We now analyse each of the outcome measures.

Authorship . A main effect of assistance was found, F (2, 596) = 51.93, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.15, which indicates higher authorship ratings for the assistant when the level of assistance was high compared to medium ( p  = 0.009) and low ( p  < 0.001), and medium compared to low ( p  < 0.001). We also found a main effect of assistant, F (1, 596) = 28.11, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.05. This means that participants tend to rate authorship as higher for the human assistant (Mean = 4.81) compared to ChatGPT (Mean = 4.07). The interaction term was non-significant ( p  = 0.28).

Creatorship . The results revealed main effects of assistance, F (2, 596) = 187.13, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.39, and assistant, F (1, 596) = 11.37, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.02. Participants provided higher ratings for the assistant as the creator when the assistance level was high compared to medium and low, and when the assistance was medium compared to low (ps < 0.001). Moreover, participants rated the assistant higher as a creator when it was a human (Mean = 4.35) compared to ChatGPT (Mean = 3.94). No significant interaction effect was found between assistance and assistant.

Responsibility . The results revealed main effects of assistance, F (2, 596) = 43.11, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.13, and assistant, F (1, 596) = 14.15, p  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.02. Participants rated the assistant as more responsible when the assistance level was high compared to medium ( p  = 0.013) and low ( p  < 0.001), and when the assistance was medium compared to low ( p  < 0.001). Moreover, participants rated the assistant to be more responsible for the content of the novel when it was a human (Mean = 4.28) compared to ChatGPT (Mean = 3.75). The results also revealed a marginally significant interaction between assistance and assistant, F (2, 596) = 3.14, p  = 0.044, η p 2  = 0.01. As the bottom panel of Fig.  1 shows, the effect of assistance was more pronounced for the human assistant than the ChatGPT assistant condition. However, it is important to note that the interaction term became non-significant in the model that controlled for experience using AI as a covariate (see supplementary materials).

4.3 Open-ended question: qualitative results

The qualitative open-ended comments clustered under six major themes, comprised of minor emergent themes, and reflect whether comments were positive, negative, or mixed about either Lee or the Assistant being a responsible and creditworthy author/creator. Table 3 lists descriptions, illustrative quotations, and relative frequency for all themes. Major theme frequencies are cumulative of the minor themes that comprise them. Only themes with at least 10 or more mentions in total are listed here. Passages which mention both Lee and the Assistant were dual coded under relevant themes for both Lee and the Assistant.

Overall, the most common themes raised about Lee (> 5%) were, positively, that they should be considered an author or creator of the text, they deserve credit for their work, and they are responsible for the work and its content; negatively, that they should have disclosed the assistance they received; and mixed, in terms of their use of prompt engineering. The mention of Lee using prompt engineering was classified as mixed as this was commonly used to indicate that Lee did indeed do something, but the degree of their contribution was ambiguous as someone or something else was using that prompt to generate content. In terms of the Assistant, the only common themes (> 5%) were positive and mirrored the top two positive themes for Lee, namely that the Assistant should be considered as an author or creator of the text, and they deserve credit for their work.

We can gain a more detailed understanding of the qualitative data by comparing the frequency of themes when varying either the type of assistant (AI vs. human assistant) or the degree of assistance (high vs. medium vs. low), as shown in Table  4 . When comparing the type of assistant, the frequency of positive and negative themes about Lee are quite similar regardless of the type of assistant used (all differences less than 2%), whereas we see some larger shifts in the themes about the Assistant in this regard. In particular, there were more positive (12.7% vs 7.8%) and less negative (2.7% vs 6.9%) themes for the human assistant compared to the AI assistant. Further, several extra negative themes emerged when the AI assistant was used which focused on the AI assistant not being a person, the inappropriateness of using AI in this context, and the concern that AI just copies the work of other (human) authors. Mixed views about Lee were higher for the AI assistant, as the prompt engineering sub-theme that comprised that code was mentioned more often with the AI assistant. When comparing the degree of assistance, a high degree of assistance led to the lowest frequency of positive themes and the highest frequency of negative and mixed themes about Lee. In contrast, medium or low degrees of assistance led to more positive and less negative themes about Lee, compared to a high degree of assistance. In terms of the themes raised about the assistant when varying degrees of assistance, the clearest shifts are in the condition with a low degree of assistance, where we see the lowest frequency of positive themes about the assistant and the highest frequency of mixed views.

An issue that cut across several themes is the idea that GenAI is just a tool (“ ChatGPT is a tool created to help us, just like a computer or a cellphone ” [AI-M]) and not a person, and thus not the sort of thing that can be responsible (“ I do not think it is possible for ChatGPT to be accountable for the contents of the novel as this requires some personal identification with the work ” [AI-L]), needs credit (“ Since ChatGPT is not a person, I don’t particularly feel it’s necessary for Lee to credit it ” [AI-M]), or can receive compensation for its work (“ ChatGPT does not gain anything from receiving credit for the story ” [AI-H]). However, while some participants explicitly tied personhood to authorship (“ ChatGPT is not an author, an author is a person ” [AI-L]; “ it is a norm that authors are humans ” [AI-M]), other participants seemed comfortable positioning ChatGPT as an author (“ ChatGPT did the bulk of the work so it should be listed as a co-author ” [AI-H]; “ Lee only gave hints and corrections, so ChatGPT should have been the author ” [AI-H]; “ Both Lee and ChatGPT should be listed as writers of the novel ” [AI-M]). A key difference that emerged between AI and human assistance is that the presence of a contractual agreement can only exist with a human assistant, and this impacted how participants saw the situation (“ it mostly depends on the agreement the author made with the [human] assistant if he or she should be listed as an author ” [Hu-M]).

Some participants worried about the broader impact of AI on writing (“ really against the use of AI by writers, takes away all the skill required to become on e” [AI-M]), including its training on data produced by other writers (“ using AI steals from other authors’ work ” [AI-H]). However, others saw it as an acceptable source of inspiration (“ Asking ChatGPT to produce the opening page from Lee’s prompts is similar to Lee brainstorming his ideas with friends ” [AI-L]). The dishonesty or deceptiveness in Lee’s failure to disclose assistance was an important theme (“ It is unethical for Lee, a published novelist, to take full credit for a novel that was only partially their creation ” [Hu-M]). Reasons mentioned for Lee not needing to disclose assistance included that there may have been a contract in place with a human ghostwriter, the degree of assistance was too small, the use of AI tools do not need to be acknowledged, and the use of unacknowledged assistants is a common practice in the arts (“ some famous artists have painters assistants who do the majority of the painting…The artist does not always credit them ” [AI-H]).

5 Discussion

We examined how the degree of assistance and type of assistant impacts assessments of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility for a creative text, and the importance of disclosing that assistance. Our first hypothesis focused on the impact of the degree of assistance (high, medium, or low) on these assessments and our second hypothesis on whether the type of assistant (human or Generative AI) influenced these assessments.

Our first hypothesis was fully supported for both Lee and the Assistant, indicating that the degree of assistance exerted a significant effect on perceptions of authorship, creatorship, responsibility, and disclosure. When Lee received higher as compared to lower levels of assistance, Lee was seen as less of a creator and author, as less responsible for that text, and as having a greater need to disclose the assistance. Similarly, when the Assistant gave higher rather than lower levels of assistance, the Assistant was seen as more of a creator and author, and more responsible for the text. We also found some support for this hypothesis in our qualitative data where a similar pattern emerged, with higher degrees of assistance leading to less positive and more negative and mixed themes about Lee. Further, mentions about the assistant being an author or creator were lowest in the low assistance condition, in line with our hypothesis.

The importance of the degree of assistance received has implications for scholarship and practice in terms of the interplay between human content creators and the GenAI tools that they utilise (Hurler 2023 ; Knibbs 2022 ). This suggests that rather than merely focusing on whether AI tools have been used, it is more important to focus on how much assistance the AI tools provided. This supports efforts at developing frameworks for capturing what role GenAI tools played in producing academic content (Cho et al. 2023 ), but also suggests the need to extend these efforts to narrative and other forms of creative writing, as well as the importance of documenting human inputs. This finding also supports a focus on what Jenkins and Lin ( 2023 ) call the “continuity” of AI text in the final product, as this is one way of capturing the degree of AI assistance. This conclusion is also relevant for legal and policy discussions on what human contribution is sufficient for them to be acknowledged as an author under the law.

Our second hypothesis was partially supported, with all variables significantly different as expected for the assistant (i.e. the authorship, creatorship, and responsibility of the human compared to AI assistant), but only the disclosure variable was significantly different for Lee (i.e., Lee’s need to disclose assistance when varying whether it was a human or AI assistant). When focusing on the assistant only, we found as expected that participants assigned higher rates of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility to human rather than AI assistants providing the same level of assistance. When focusing on Lee only, whether the assistant is a human or a Generative AI did not have a significant impact on participants’ assessments of the extent to which Lee was an author, creator of, and responsible for the text, although it did have a significant impact on participants’ assessments of Lee’s need to disclose that assistance. The qualitative data further supported this finding, with more positive and less negative themes raised about the human assistant compared to the AI assistant. This supports various findings in the literature that show the presence of a “human bias” in which AI outputs are viewed less favourably than comparable human outputs (Bankins et al. 2022 ; Chiarella et al. 2022 ; Jia and Liu 2021 ). However, we significantly extend these findings to a new context by providing insights on perceptions of AI authorship, creatorship, and responsibility, which are dimensions that are becoming more important to evaluate ethically and legally as the use of GenAI tools increases.

While participants assigned higher levels of these variables to human over AI assistants, they still seemed willing to assign some degree of creatorship, authorship, and responsibility to AI assistants. For the creatorship, authorship, and responsibility variables, the means for the AI assistant in the medium and high conditions were greater than 4 (neutral point). This indicates that participants in these conditions agreed more than they disagreed that ChatGPT should be regarded as an author and creator of, and be responsible for, the text it generates. This has implications for the broader debate around whether GenAI can count as an author. In particular, it challenges the ‘second view’ identified in our literature review, that GenAI tools categorically cannot count as authors and cannot be responsible for the work they produce to any extent (Polonsky and Rotman 2023 ), which is also the current dominant view in legal scholarship (White and Matulionyte 2020 ). Our participants thus offer some support for the first and third views from our review, and this suggests that we may need to move beyond “binary definitions of authorship” (van Dis et al. 2023 ). However, our results were clearly mixed, with some respondents offering statements that support the view that personhood is both essential for being an author and is something that GenAI tools lack (Hosseini Resnik et al. 2023 ). Another important difference between human and AI assistants that emerged from the qualitative data was the contractual arrangements that authors can have with human assistants, which is not an arrangement that can be directly replicated with GenAI technologies.

Drawing the two hypotheses together tells us that what matters most when assessing the authorship of a human writer is how much assistance they received, and not who (or what) provided that assistance. However, the importance of Lee disclosing assistance was significantly greater when the assistant was a human rather than a Generative AI. An explanation for this finding seems to emerge from the qualitative data, where we find higher mentions of themes about Lee not having to disclose assistance in the AI assistant condition compared to the human assistant condition. One reason for this that emerged from the data is that some participants do not think the use of AI “tools” needs to be disclosed. Further, when participants noted that human assistance did not need to be acknowledged, this was typically either because the degree of assistance was minimal or because of the presence of (assumed) contractual arrangements. This has implications for discussions around whether norms of disclosure differ for human and AI assistance (Polonsky and Rotman 2023 ), and debates about whether the standards for contributing to authorship should differ for humans and AI (Miller 2023 ).

6 Limitations and future research directions

Experimental vignette studies have established limitations, given their hypothetical nature. We have addressed this through careful vignette design to ensure their external validity (Aviram 2012 ). Sampling choices can also impact the generalizability of results, and it would therefore be helpful to replicate our study with other samples. Alternative sampling techniques, such as using snowball and network samples to target specific groups, such as academic writing experts or working novelists, could also be considered to help validate the results found here (Landers and Behrend 2015 ).

Future work could extend our approach to consider a broader range of cases. In particular, it would be useful to examine whether the effects found here replicate in the case of GenAI producing non-textual outputs, such as images, music, or video, and when producing non-fiction content, such as news articles, academic papers, or business reports, where the veracity of its outputs (given concerns around AI “hallucinations”) is more important than it is in our fictional novel case (Alkaissi and McFarlane 2023 ). Given the focus of much of our literature review is on academic writing, an extension of the current study to examine the use of GenAI in this specific context would be a particularly helpful area of future research.

7 Conclusion

The increasing importance of Generative AI raises a range of ethical, philosophical, and legal issues. We focused on examining perceptions around the degree to which a human writer is considered the responsible creator and author for content generated with differing degrees of assistance from a Generative AI or human assistant, as well as exploring when disclosure of that assistance is required. We found that, for a human author, the degree of assistance matters for our assessments of their level of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility, but not what or who rendered that assistance except that it was more important to disclose human rather than AI assistance. However, regarding types of assistants, human assistants were viewed as having higher rates of authorship, creatorship, and responsibility compared to AI assistants rendering the same level of support. These results help us to better understand emerging norms around combined human-AI generated content, which has significance for a range of important practical and legal debates in the use of increasingly sophisticated GenAI technologies.

Data availability

The pre-registration details, anonymous quantitative data, and analysis scripts for this study are available via OSF ( https://osf.io/ ).

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge funding support for data collection from the Macquarie University Ethics and Agency Research Centre. We thank Ed Chen for his assistance in sourcing relevant literature and participants at the “Workshop on AI, Arts and Copyright” for their feedback on an earlier version of the paper.

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Formosa, P., Bankins, S., Matulionyte, R. et al. Can ChatGPT be an author? Generative AI creative writing assistance and perceptions of authorship, creatorship, responsibility, and disclosure. AI & Soc (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-024-02081-0

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Received : 22 March 2024

Accepted : 16 September 2024

Published : 27 September 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-024-02081-0

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