In-Depth Guide to Working in Writing

Communication plays a critical role in the information age. From Web content to technical documentation, news media to screenplays, writers convey information and ideas to the public. A degree in English or communications can help you hone your writing skills and prepare for a career in creative, commercial, or technical communication.

Which Types of Jobs Are Available For Those Interested in Writing?

Writers have a place in business, entertainment, politics, and the arts. Writing jobs cover all types of communication venues and purposes, including:

• Advertising: ad copy and scripts, newsletters, emails, Internet advertising content, white papers, case studies
• Corporate communication: public relations materials, press releases, training manuals, grant applications, investor quarterly reports
• Technical writing: user documentation, patent applications, legal documents, resume writing, school textbooks
• Online writing: articles, white papers, SEO content, meta tags, blogs, wikis
• Journalism: news coverage, editorials, feature stories, trade publications
• Entertainment: screenplays, TV scripts, gaming storyboards, songs
  
• Creative writing: poetry, novels, short stories, plays, biographies

Within these writing categories, you can find a range of writing-related roles such as editing, proofreading, and Web content management. Writers with specialized training may find their calling in writing-intensive jobs such as public relations specialists, curriculum development experts, and non-profit development officers.

Writers spend their time researching a subject area and audience before writing, in an effort to communicate effectively. They may consult with subject-matter experts, interview subjects, or seek information online and in databases. The writing process typically involves a draft followed by several rounds of editing, proofreading, and fact-checking.

Editors originate, shape, and direct the content according to their sense of audience or publisher needs. They may manage a team or a process, taking on roles such as executive editor, managing editor, acquisitions editor, production editor, and copy editor.

Writers and editors both benefit from the variety of topics covered, as well as a pleasant work environment. Many writers have the opportunity to express their creative vision through their job. Potential challenges vary based on the type of writing: journalists, for example, face job insecurity and tight deadlines; trade and technical writers may encounter frustration as they mediate competing viewpoints.

Formal Training Required to Work as a Writer

A bachelor's degree in English, communication, or journalism is the standard minimum qualification for work as a writer. An undergraduate communication or English major cultivates key writing skills, including:

• Cultural literacy
• Information analysis
• Verbal and written communication training
• Logic and rhetoric
• Research

The bachelor's degree generally takes four years to complete. The curriculum may include courses in reading and composition, linguistics, communication media, and more. You may also pursue specialized courses in science writing, technical writing, business writing, or fiction writing. Some schools offer a certificate or master's degree in applied writing and editing.

The Typical Career Path of Someone Majoring in Writing

Writers often launch their careers by gaining writing experience where they can: writing for school newspapers, starting their own blog, writing newsletters for community groups or nonprofits, or submitting articles to magazines and literary journals. An internship offers a stepping stone into journalism, publishing, and technical writing jobs.

Experienced writers can advance their career by developing a specialty. Some writing and editing specialties call for additional career training. Technical writers may benefit from science, medical, or engineering courses--or a technical writing master's degree. Textbook writers may complete a master's in education or a course in curriculum development. Web writers can benefit from a background in Web design and multimedia production. A successful writing career may lead to speaking engagements, a book deal, or a management role in content editing.

Job Outlook and Salary Information for Someone Who Majored in Writing

Writing career opportunities are on the rise, buoyed by demand for online content and technical communication. Overall, employment of writers and editors should see average growth, according to projections by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some writing specialties, such as print journalism and book publishing, are on the decline, as these industries adjust to changes wrought by digital media. Technical writing and online writing, meanwhile, are poised for robust growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates 18 percent job growth in technical writing between 2008 and 2018. Increasing reliance on the Internet for communicating real-time information is also fueling growth in online writing opportunities. Writers and authors earned an average salary of $64,560 in 2009, and technical writers brought home $65,610. The best-paid technical writers were working in software publishing.

Writing is a versatile profession with a bright future. Despite the well-publicized crisis in print journalism and book publishing, opportunities for writers have never been so vast and diverse. The Internet is changing and intensifying the need for effective communication, not eliminating it. Writers today have an exciting part to play in the evolution of print to digital media.