As a professional speaker, I have spoken to over 500,000 people in 48 states and 5 countries. I often give TEDx talks and other speeches on topics such as likability and innovation. I also host one of the top career podcasts on iTunes, The Art of Likability, which is listened to in over 135 countries worldwide. I work with hundreds of schools and teach students how to succeed in the college environment by becoming a student leader that actually learns real-world skills.
CAREER
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$69,510
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+4.1% (slower than the average)
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers Do
Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.
Other Job Titles Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers May Have
Author, Freelance Writer, Novelist, Songwriter
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
My "job" as a stay-at-home mom and advocate for my daughter is 24/7 and every day is different. The majority of my day is spent taking care of my kids and their needs. I also spend a lot of time online raising awareness for these learning issues through my website and on social media. This entails writing blog posts, chatting with others struggling in the community, and researching new therapies/treatments. I also occasionally do guest speaking events at universities.
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Write fiction or nonfiction prose, such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
- Develop factors such as themes, plots, characterizations, psychological analyses, historical environments, action, and dialogue to create material.
- Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
- Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
- Confer with clients, editors, publishers, or producers to discuss changes or revisions to written material.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Bachelor's degree (46%)
Less than high school diploma
High school diploma or equivalent
Bachelor's degree
Majors Related to Career
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
Spoken Word Poet
You don't have to have an English/Creative Writing degree to become a writer, but it does help to surround yourself with people/educators/community who will help you become the best you can be.
Realize that doubts and negative thoughts never go away. It is your responsibility to just believe them less.
Getting Started
Recommended First Step for:
Middle School Students
Believe in yourself, especially if you have dyslexia or another learning challenge. You are not broken, second-rate, unmotivated, lazy, or stupid. Your brain simply processes things differently from the way teachers use in their approach. Discover your learning style: http://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/the-vark-questionnaire-for-younger-people/
Structure your learning environment for the way your brain works, use online resources to find tools and strategies to help with learning.
Author ,
In middle school we had creative writing for the first time. It's also when you really start to discover who you are and what you're good at. Middle school showed me a creative outlet where I could be myself without being picked on or judged on how bad my grammar or spelling was because the story was more important. Also that's when I learned to type which was a big plus.
When you have a learning or attention issue, it's critical to find the right support system, the right help, and the right resources that can help you with your unique way of learning. You'll want to run and hide from your problem while you're in school, but you really need to dig in and work hard, because primary school and high school are where you're going to get the building blocks for becoming an author. Don't be embarrassed to ask for extra help or time.
If you're like me, you will tend to follow your interests no matter what. If you are passionate about writing and biological science, do things outside of school like going with friends/family to cool science museums and film festivals, listen to popular science podcasts and follow them on Facebook/Twitter, etc. With the internet, you really have the entire world at your fingertips! I wish I had that when I was your age.
High School Students
College Students
Everyone
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
