Creative Writing Courses

Creative writing courses can lead down several career paths with the three most typical being copy writer, author or editor. This career path is distinct from a journalist career path in several respects. Creative writing courses attract a different type of personality with a typically different skill set, although it is common to cross over from creative writer to journalist and visa-versa.

Creative Writing Course Personalities

If you are thinking about embarking on a creative writing course you probably love books.  You will also enjoy the nuances of the English language and word usage. You may have an aptitude for spelling and grammar and it is likely that you feel comfortable composing prose. If this sounds like you than a career in creative writing may be a perfect match.

Career Opportunities

For those considering a creative writing course as a pathway to a career, the options are extremely interesting and, depending how talented you are, quite potentially profitable. A few choice writing jobs for consideration are:

• Creativity Coach
• Book Author
• Comic Book Writer
• Game Writer
• Writing Coach
• Copy Writer (Advertising)
• Screenwriter
• Songwriter (Lyricist)
• Greeting Card Author
• Short Fiction Writer
• Creative Writing Instructor
• Technical Writer
• Playwright
• Ghostwriter
• Travel Writer
• Article Writer
• Columnist
• Personal Poet
• Professional Blogger
• Creative Writing Consultant

Career Salary

How much you make in any of these occupations will depend primarily on how adept you are at writing and or instructing. Other variables that will affect income will include business networks and experience.  To give you an idea of ballpark figures these are estimates for US cities:

Assistant Editor: $26,000 to $40,000

• Blogger: $17,000 to $38,000
• Copy Editor: $21,000 to 42,000
• Copywriter: $41,000 to $63,000
• Editor: $37,000 to $54,000
• Editorial Assistant: $24,000 to $38,000
• Editor-in-Chief: $51,000 to $95,000
• E-learning Developer: $42,000 to 75,000
• Researcher: $25,000 to $37,000
• Grant Writer: $35,000 to $47,000
• Junior Copywriter: $29,000 to $44,000
• Junior Technical Writer: $31,000 to $42,000
• Legal Editor: $36,000 to $45,000
• Managing Editor: $37,000 to 49,000
• Managing Editor: $40,000 to $64,000
• News Editor: $25,000 to 35,000
• Newspaper Reporter: $24,000 to $51,000
• Online Editor: $31,000 to $50,000
• Proofreader: $29,000 to $41,000
• Proposal Writer: $41,000 to 69,000
• Public Relations Writer: $34,000 to $46,000
• Publications Assistant: $25,000 to $37,000
• Senior Copywriter: $54,000 to $80,000
• Senior Editor: $42,000 to $66,000
• Senior Technical Writer: $56,000 to $81,000
• Speech Writer: $51,000 to $73,000
• Technical Copy Editor: $36,000 to $52,000
• Technical Editor: $36,000 to $57,000
• Technical Writer: $42,000 to $63,000
• Web Editor: $22,000 to $44,000

Career Education

The basic education requirement for a career in creative writing is a creative writing course leading to a certificate or a diploma or degree, in creative writing. For those who choose them, creative writing courses can take you as far as a Masters degree in Professional Writing. Some schools will describe similar creative writing courses as Creative Arts or similar so be sure to investigate if other courses umbrella creative writing when searching for potential creative writing courses.

Career Skills

A person who is successful in creative writing courses and careers will naturally be an excellent communicator. It is likely that in these roles it will be necessary to engage and collaborate with others (tutors, editors and publishers for example) and so an amicable disposition and strong interpersonal skills are pre-requisites to success.

For those people who are passionate about the written word there is no greater occupation.