Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed
Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.
Median pay: $76,910/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: +3.6% projected growth, 2024–2034 — about as fast as average.
About 13,400 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• 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.
What's the median pay for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers?
The median pay for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers is $76,910 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers?
Employment for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers is projected to change +3.6% from 2024 to 2034 - about as fast as average.
What education is typically required for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers?
About 13,400 openings per year, on average, over the decade.