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The differences between acquisitions editors and writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an acquisitions editor and a writer. Additionally, a writer has an average salary of $66,143, which is higher than the $60,342 average annual salary of an acquisitions editor.
The top three skills for an acquisitions editor include project management, market trends and market research. The most important skills for a writer are work ethic, customer service, and web content.
| Acquisitions Editor | Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,342 | $66,143 |
| Hourly rate | $29.01 | $31.80 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 12,281 | 13,931 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
As the name entails, acquisitions editors acquire manuscripts for use by the publishing house. Your day-to-day duties typically include analyzing the current market, trends, and customer interests, deciding which manuscripts to move forward with, and developing profitable content for publishers. In addition, you will be responsible for reviewing unsolicited manuscripts from authors, and building and maintaining strong relationships with authors and their agents. You will also be responsible for preparing proposals for the board.
A writer can have different responsibilities depending on which industry or line of work they are involved. There are writers assigned in a corporate setting, some in journalism, while there are also writers in the entertainment Industry. Although they focus on varying types of writing, they all function to inform. Among the typical duties of writers involve producing content within allotted time or deadline, gather information and verify to ensure accuracy, proofread, and undergo review and revisions.
Acquisitions editors and writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Acquisitions Editor | Writer | |
| Average salary | $60,342 | $66,143 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $105,000 | Between $40,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Ossining, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | SAGE Publishing | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | - |
There are a few differences between an acquisitions editor and a writer in terms of educational background:
| Acquisitions Editor | Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between acquisitions editors' and writers' demographics:
| Acquisitions Editor | Writer | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3% | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 16% |