Writers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of writers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for writers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of writers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for writers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Writers?
Do writers need a degree? What kind of experience do writers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for writers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Writers
Jobs Postings for Writers By Education
- No Education Listed: 25,279 (51%)
- Bachelor's degree: 19,255 (39%)
- Master's degree: 2,239 (5%)
- High School or GED: 2,125 (4%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 679 (1%)
No education was listed by most employers of writers. According to job data, no education was required for 51% of positions. In 39% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 5% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Writers
Jobs Postings for Writers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 3,246 (14%)
- 2-3 Years: 10,530 (46%)
- 4-6 Years: 7,520 (33%)
- 7-9 Years: 1,166 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 415 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for writers. In 46% of job postings for Writers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 33% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 14% of job postings for writers.
What Kind of Degree Do Writers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for writers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 25 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective writers, and in 2021 a total of 152,682 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective writers.
Top Degree Programs for Writers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Writers (2021)
Program | Completions |
---|---|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 41,109 |
English Language and Literature, General. | 40,407 |
Communication, General. | 11,952 |
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. | 11,347 |
Journalism. | 11,321 |
Program | Completions |
---|---|
Speech Communication and Rhetoric. | 41,109 |
English Language and Literature, General. | 40,407 |
Communication, General. | 11,952 |
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General. | 11,347 |
Journalism. | 11,321 |
Mass Communication/Media Studies. | 10,266 |
Creative Writing. | 6,794 |
Advertising. | 4,851 |
Communication and Media Studies, Other. | 3,374 |
Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing. | 2,441 |
Rhetoric and Composition. | 1,871 |
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other. | 1,126 |
Journalism, Other. | 1,098 |
Business/Corporate Communications, General. | 1,026 |
Broadcast Journalism. | 881 |
Writing, General. | 856 |
Playwriting and Screenwriting. | 683 |
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies, Other. | 544 |
English Literature (British and Commonwealth). | 274 |
General Literature. | 263 |
American Literature (United States). | 61 |
Children's and Adolescent Literature. | 57 |
Comedy Writing and Performance. | 43 |
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication. | 30 |
Literature, Other. | 7 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
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Degree Options for Writers
Learn how to evaluate, support and integrate communications efforts to help move businesses in front of their competition, including executing strategic plans, developing print materials, and creating digital content in a variety of professional positions, such as PR specialist, copywriter and marketing coordinator.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Learn to craft clear and effective messages while adding new media communication methods to your professional toolkit.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Stand out with a specialized master’s degree focused entirely on strategically integrating marketing and communication.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Accreditation: IACBE
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Writers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by writers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for writers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Writers
Based on 46,892 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Writers
Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Copywriting | 17,581 | 37% |
Marketing | 16,394 | 35% |
Proofreading | 12,250 | 26% |
Social Media | 10,563 | 23% |
Journalism | 9,446 | 20% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Writers
Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Writing | 26,653 | 57% |
Communications | 19,520 | 42% |
Research | 16,183 | 35% |
Editing | 14,432 | 31% |
English Language | 11,393 | 24% |
Based on 46,892 job postings related to writers, copywriting was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 37% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for marketing, proofreading, social media, journalism and target audience were also highly sought.
As for common skills, writing was the most desired skill found in job postings for writers, followed by communications, research, editing, english language and detail oriented.
Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Copywriting | 17,581 | 37% |
Marketing | 16,394 | 35% |
Proofreading | 12,250 | 26% |
Social Media | 10,563 | 23% |
Journalism | 9,446 | 20% |
Target Audience | 8,027 | 17% |
Search Engine Optimization | 7,689 | 16% |
Content Creation | 6,300 | 13% |
Punctuation And Capitalization | 5,739 | 12% |
Fact Checking | 5,464 | 12% |
Project Management | 5,337 | 11% |
Blogger (Service) | 4,559 | 10% |
Style Guides | 3,453 | 7% |
Blogs | 3,384 | 7% |
Advertisement | 2,967 | 6% |
Newsletters | 2,917 | 6% |
Digital Marketing | 2,789 | 6% |
Business To Business | 2,713 | 6% |
Content Strategy | 2,675 | 6% |
User Experience (UX) | 2,632 | 6% |
Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Writing | 26,653 | 57% |
Communications | 19,520 | 42% |
Research | 16,183 | 35% |
Editing | 14,432 | 31% |
English Language | 11,393 | 24% |
Detail Oriented | 10,935 | 23% |
Grammar | 10,004 | 21% |
Presentations | 5,890 | 13% |
Ability To Meet Deadlines | 5,012 | 11% |
Self-Motivation | 4,890 | 10% |
Sales | 4,811 | 10% |
Time Management | 4,736 | 10% |
Microsoft Office | 4,506 | 10% |
Management | 4,420 | 9% |
Skype | 4,407 | 9% |
Customer Service | 4,350 | 9% |
Organizational Skills | 4,291 | 9% |
Leadership | 3,922 | 8% |
Multitasking | 3,773 | 8% |
Problem Solving | 3,602 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about writers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for writers.
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.