How To Become A Lead Writer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a lead writer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Cathy Irwin Ph.D.,

Shane Tilton Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a lead writer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $46.54 an hour? That's $96,798 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 3,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a lead writer?

Cathy Irwin Ph.D.

Professor of English, University of La Verne

Because of the pandemic, entering the workforce has been hard for many. At the same time, many employers have moved online and are meeting with clients and customers through Zoom and other online platforms. As a result, employers now, more than ever, need employees who have excellent communication skills.

English majors from La Verne graduate with excellent writing and critical thinking skills. As a result, they do have opportunities after they graduate. Many of them are hired in jobs because of their writing and editing skills. A large percentage of students decide to go to graduate school. They want to serve their communities, so they become teachers, librarians, lawyers, and officers in non-profits or the city sector.

The medical field is also starting to welcome students from the humanities because they are looking for well-rounded, articulate, and compassionate people. If students with a humanities degree want to go into the health or medical sector, they can apply to one-year post-baccalaureate programs that lead to medical school.

ScoreLead WriterUS Average

Salary

7.5

Avg. Salary $96,798

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.8

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%

Asian 8.60%

Black or African American 6.47%

Hispanic or Latino 7.66%

Unknown 4.95%

White 71.96%

Gender

female 38.10%

male 61.90%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a lead writer

Explore lead writer education requirements

Most common lead writer degrees

Bachelor's

74.9 %

Master's

12.1 %

Associate

8.0 %

Start to develop specific lead writer skills

Skills	Percentages
Web Content	17.47%
Content Strategy	9.17%
Integrated Marketing	7.92%
Video Scripts	5.71%
Blog Posts	4.85%

Complete relevant lead writer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lead writers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a lead writer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lead writer resumes.

Research lead writer duties and responsibilities

Create and manage print and online documentation for Linux and web-base security software.
Develop information model for migration to a DITA xml-base content management system and structure authoring tool.
Assist in developing training objectives and supporting documentation both for in-person and online delivery using RoboHelp.
Spearhead and develop an online documentation system utilizing XML design to replace paper manuals with on the fly documentation generation.

Get lead writer experience

Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a lead writer. The most common roles before becoming a lead writer include writer, technical writer team lead and internship.

Prepare your lead writer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lead writer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a lead writer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable lead writer resume templates

Build a professional lead writer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your lead writer resume.