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Fiction writer vs staff writer

The differences between fiction writers and staff writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fiction writer has an average salary of $78,921, which is higher than the $44,844 average annual salary of a staff writer.

The top three skills for a fiction writer include fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The most important skills for a staff writer are feature stories, news stories, and event coverage.

Fiction writer vs staff writer overview

Fiction WriterStaff Writer
Yearly salary$78,921$44,844
Hourly rate$37.94$21.56
Growth rate4%6%
Number of jobs10,19280,547
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Average age4246
Years of experience-2

Fiction writer vs staff writer salary

Fiction writers and staff writers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Fiction WriterStaff Writer
Average salary$78,921$44,844
Salary rangeBetween $51,000 And $120,000Between $29,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-The New York Times Company
Best paying industry-Non Profits

Differences between fiction writer and staff writer education

There are a few differences between a fiction writer and a staff writer in terms of educational background:

Fiction WriterStaff Writer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 82%
Most common majorEnglishJournalism
Most common collegeMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology

Fiction writer vs staff writer demographics

Here are the differences between fiction writers' and staff writers' demographics:

Fiction WriterStaff Writer
Average age4246
Gender ratioMale, 48.1% Female, 51.9%Male, 49.2% Female, 50.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage16%11%

Differences between fiction writer and staff writer duties and responsibilities

Fiction writer example responsibilities.

  • Manage arts and entertainment editorial calendar, assign stories to multiple freelancers and plan daily coverage.
  • Publish several works including the publication of one non-fiction title.
  • Curate, edit, and write for the fiction section of a small, start-up online magazine.
  • Co-Authore and publish a non-fiction book available on Amazon.com
  • Implement a digital photography program that reduce costs by eliminating traditional physical photos.
  • Work collaboratively with editors, other writers, graphics professionals and photographers to ensure high level of editorial professionalism and detail.

Staff writer example responsibilities.

  • Manage magazine's transition to a new CMS system.
  • Manage website by uploading and scheduling articles, fixing errors, proofreading, optimizing for SEO, and polishing content.
  • Manage arts and entertainment editorial calendar, assign stories to multiple freelancers and plan daily coverage.
  • Assist with copywriting, magazine and advertisement layout.
  • Research, verify facts and edit all contributor submissions.
  • Create unique columns commentating on the social state of hockey and the NHL.
  • Show more

Fiction writer vs staff writer skills

Common fiction writer skills
  • Fiction, 71%
  • Non-Fiction, 11%
  • Poetry, 9%
  • Short Stories, 9%
Common staff writer skills
  • Feature Stories, 9%
  • News Stories, 8%
  • Event Coverage, 7%
  • News Articles, 7%
  • SEO, 6%
  • Photography, 6%

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