Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers: Job Description
Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.
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What Tasks Do Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers Perform?
Typical responsibilities of poets, lyricists and creative writers 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.
- Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
- Choose subject matter and suitable form to express personal feelings and experiences or ideas, or to narrate stories or events.
- Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
- Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
- Confer with clients, editors, publishers, or producers to discuss changes or revisions to written material.
- Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organize material accordingly.
Skills and Knowledge
Top poets, lyricists and creative writers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Author
- Blog Content Writer
- Blog Writer
- Blogger
- Children's Author
- Comic Book Writer
- Comic Writer
- Community Blogger
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 161,049 poets, lyricists and creative writers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +9.1% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $70,619 |
| Hourly median | $33.95 |
| 10th percentile | $41,121 |
| 25th percentile | $55,870 |
| 75th percentile | $85,367 |
| 90th percentile | $100,116 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $121,160 |
| Maryland | $107,540 |
| Washington | $86,170 |
| Vermont | $86,040 |
| Virginia | $80,990 |
| Connecticut | $80,950 |
| California | $80,470 |
| Massachusetts | $78,440 |
| Oregon | $77,830 |
| New Jersey | $75,640 |
| New Mexico | $73,790 |
| Texas | $71,650 |
| Louisiana | $70,810 |
| Ohio | $67,580 |
| West Virginia | $66,970 |
| Illinois | $66,180 |
| Minnesota | $65,900 |
| Florida | $65,830 |
| Idaho | $65,450 |
| Maine | $65,000 |
| Nebraska | $64,150 |
| Georgia | $64,070 |
| North Carolina | $63,720 |
| Arizona | $62,640 |
| Wisconsin | $62,450 |
| Indiana | $62,080 |
| Michigan | $61,800 |
| Utah | $61,020 |
| New Hampshire | $60,690 |
| Montana | $59,990 |
| Rhode Island | $59,550 |
| Kansas | $59,440 |
| Missouri | $59,040 |
| South Dakota | $58,740 |
| Tennessee | $58,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,170 |
| Delaware | $57,310 |
| Alabama | $57,120 |
| Iowa | $54,990 |
| Oklahoma | $52,720 |
| Nevada | $52,700 |
| North Dakota | $51,970 |
| South Carolina | $51,850 |
| Mississippi | $51,230 |
| Arkansas | $46,490 |
| Kentucky | $43,450 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,190 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for poets, lyricists and creative writers vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $79,931 | 23.2% | 1.49 |
| New England | $76,014 | 5.1% | 1.15 |
| Southwest | $69,789 | 5.8% | 0.50 |
| Great Lakes | $64,803 | 10.5% | 0.79 |
| Southeast | $64,714 | 22.3% | 1.01 |
| Plains States | $61,715 | 4.9% | 0.78 |
| Middle Atlantic | $38,718 | 23.0% | 2.07 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $37,190 | 0.3% | 0.41 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $107,810 | 390 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $106,340 | 2,310 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $100,550 | 290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $97,680 | 1,330 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $96,240 | 40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $96,120 | 60 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | CT | $92,280 | 80 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $90,320 | 720 |
Which Industries Hire Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
Most poets, lyricists and creative writers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 14,380 | $69,020 |
| Information | 12,010 | $73,070 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 5,300 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 3,500 | $71,340 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,480 | $83,680 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,930 | $80,350 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,440 | $65,500 |
| Retail Trade | 1,160 | $68,880 |
Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers work in the following industries:
Software Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: Facebook (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Web page creation and editing software: WordPress (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for poets, lyricists and creative writers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Spend Time Sitting
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Level of Competition
Education and Training
Typical poets, lyricists and creative writers positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Historians (Supplemental)
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Curators (Supplemental)
- Art Directors (Supplemental)
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators (Primary-Long)
- Special Effects Artists and Animators (Supplemental)
- Graphic Designers (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future poets, lyricists and creative writers often complete programs in:
English Language and Literature/Letters
8 programs across 2 majors
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
6 programs across 3 majors
Visual and Performing Arts
2 programs across 1 majors
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 27-3043.05 (Writers and Authors).
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