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The differences between creative writers and writers 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 a writer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a creative writer has an average salary of $73,095, which is higher than the $66,143 average annual salary of a writer.
The top three skills for a creative writer include digital marketing, proofreading and email campaigns. The most important skills for a writer are work ethic, customer service, and web content.
| Creative Writer | Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $73,095 | $66,143 |
| Hourly rate | $35.14 | $31.80 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 19,129 | 13,931 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| 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.
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.
Creative writers and writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Creative Writer | Writer | |
| Average salary | $73,095 | $66,143 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $114,000 | Between $40,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Apple | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Internet | - |
There are a few differences between a creative writer and a writer in terms of educational background:
| Creative Writer | Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between creative writers' and writers' demographics:
| Creative Writer | Writer | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% |
| 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, 6.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |