Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between creative writers and senior technical writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a creative writer and a senior technical writer. Additionally, a creative writer has an average salary of $73,095, which is higher than the $70,820 average annual salary of a senior technical writer.
The top three skills for a creative writer include digital marketing, proofreading and email campaigns. The most important skills for a senior technical writer are technical documentation, subject matter experts, and API.
| Creative Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $73,095 | $70,820 |
| Hourly rate | $35.14 | $34.05 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 19,129 | 80,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A senior technical writer's role is to oversee the progress within a team or department, ensuring quality and timeliness. It is their responsibility to delegate tasks, set deadlines, carry out corrective measures on any issues, and implement the company's regulations and policies. There are also instances when they participate in producing written content, even editing and reviewing materials of the staff. As someone with more experience, a senior technical writer must encourage and lead fellow writers, shaping them into valuable assets.
Creative writers and senior technical writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average salary | $73,095 | $70,820 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $114,000 | Between $54,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Technology |
There are a few differences between a creative writer and a senior technical writer in terms of educational background:
| Creative Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of Houston |
Here are the differences between creative writers' and senior technical writers' demographics:
| Creative Writer | Senior Technical Writer | |
| Average age | 42 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% |
| 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, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 11% |