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The differences between creative writers and editors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a creative writer, becoming an editor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a creative writer has an average salary of $73,095, which is higher than the $52,107 average annual salary of an editor.
The top three skills for a creative writer include digital marketing, proofreading and email campaigns. The most important skills for an editor are web content, video content, and SEO.
| Creative Writer | Editor | |
| Yearly salary | $73,095 | $52,107 |
| Hourly rate | $35.14 | $25.05 |
| Growth rate | 4% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 19,129 | 15,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Creative writers are professionals who employ their imagination and discipline to convey new and interesting ideas to an audience in an engaging way, such as books, screenplays, and promotional marketing material. These writers must select a subject or theme for their writing projects while conducting research to obtain factual information and authentic detail for their content. They must review and submit their work for approval to meet the needs of their clients, publishers, or directors. Creative writers can also work for magazines, websites, and advertising or become a freelancer.
An editor is the one responsible for polishing and refining a story, article, and any material for publication in newspapers, magazines, books, or websites. Editors have the power to either accept or reject a material as they need to ensure that every manuscript which will be offered for publishing is at the best version as it can be. There are several types of editors, from copy editors, books to managing editors, but they have few skills in common, like strong writing skills, good judgment, and leadership abilities to help guide the whole editorial team. Most of them work in the office, but it is quite becoming more regular for them to work remotely.
Creative writers and editors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Writer | Editor | |
| Average salary | $73,095 | $52,107 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $114,000 | Between $34,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Apple | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Technology |
There are a few differences between a creative writer and an editor in terms of educational background:
| Creative Writer | Editor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between creative writers' and editors' demographics:
| Creative Writer | Editor | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 4.9% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 12% |