What does a writer do?
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.
Writer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real writer resumes:
- Operate AP NEWSCENTER/ENPS and manage CNN feed services.
- Manage the Instagram account, which mean publishing and keeping up to date with the articles.
- Manage projects diligently under aggressive deadlines while maintaining editorial integrity and ensuring stories have entertainment and/or educational value.
- Participate in roundtable discussions offering hot takes and opinions on NBA and NFL teams, players, and coaches.
- Train all staff on using the CMS.
- Place stories into CS3 InDesign pages.
- Update print documentation and guides using InDesign.
- Code everything by hand in HTML and CSS.
- Write news for ABC's top-rate morning show.
- Present at local libraries in lecture format, using PowerPoint.
- Create a CMS training manual and an editorial style guide.
- Research stories using a broad range of sources for newsgathering.
- Prepare print and PowerPoint packaging for board of trustees' meetings.
- Write announcements for sales and giveaways to be post online at SheFinds.com
- Maintain Facebook page and Pinterest to attract interest to the blog.
Writer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Writers are proficient in Work Ethic, Customer Service, and Web Content. They’re also known for soft skills such as Social perceptiveness, Creativity, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Writers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Work Ethic, 18%
Demonstrated a strong work ethic and maintained a strong focus on seeing tasks through to completion.
- Customer Service, 14%
Work effectively under time pressure to ensure punctual customer service and client satisfaction in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, customer-service environment.
- Web Content, 8%
Posted and updated web content for expanding entertainment promotions company under Art Director.
- Math, 7%
Reviewed lessons for Math 6, Geometry, and Algebra II courses to be more aligned with Common Core Standards.
- SEO, 5%
Researched SEO and analyzed web trends -Authored articles on environmental issues
- SQL, 3%
Utilize SQL, Excel, SAS, in-house; and other reporting tools to effectively create reports that meet client requirements.
Common skills that a writer uses to do their job include "work ethic," "customer service," and "web content." You can find details on the most important writer responsibilities below.
Social perceptiveness. The most essential soft skill for a writer to carry out their responsibilities is social perceptiveness. This skill is important for the role because "writers and authors must understand how readers react to ideas to connect with their audience." Additionally, a writer resume shows how their duties depend on social perceptiveness: "supervised invitation design, red carpet, press releases, social media campaign and appearances by celebrities. "
Creativity. Many writer duties rely on creativity. "writers and authors must be able to develop interesting plots, characters, or ideas for new stories.," so a writer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways writer responsibilities rely on creativity: "write promotional materials, including brochure text, flyer text, internet copy and press releases, for inventions"
Writing skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of writers is writing skills. This skill is critical to many everyday writer duties, as "writers and authors must be able to write clearly and effectively to convey feeling and emotion and to communicate with readers." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "research and professional writing for weekly opinion articles published in student newspaper. "
The three companies that hire the most writers are:
- Whole Foods Market316 writers jobs
- American Heart Association38 writers jobs
- Screen Rant20 writers jobs
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Compare different writers
Writer vs. Associate editor
The primary role of an Associate Editor is to ensure that subordinates submit high-quality content. They review and edit copies, set deadlines, and supervise the production details of magazines, newspapers, books, or websites.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between writers and associate editor. For instance, writer responsibilities require skills such as "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "basic math," and "customer service." Whereas a associate editor is skilled in "wordpress," "edit content," "proofreading," and "google analytics." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that associate editors earn slightly differ from writers. In particular, associate editors are 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a writer. Additionally, they're 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Writer vs. Assistant editor
An assistant editor is an individual responsible for assisting an editor-in-chief or editor-at-large of a newspaper, magazine, radio program, or website. Assistant editors hold meetings with staff and freelance writers to discuss new, fresh and original content for projects on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. They review assignments handed in by writers or reporters for sense, accuracy, readability, and content. Assistant editors must also utilize new media applications such as Twitter and Facebook to draw attention to an article or cause.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, writer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "basic math," and "customer service." Meanwhile, an assistant editor has duties that require skills in areas such as "editorial content," "video footage," "media management," and "production process." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Assistant editors tend to reach similar levels of education than writers. In fact, they're 1.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for writers in the next 3-5 years?
Mark Lounibos
Associate Professor, English, Finlandia University
Writer vs. Technical editor
A technical editor is someone who proofreads, revises, and edits technical documents. He/She or she checks for grammar, punctuation, and style to ensure that the technical content meets company standards. Some of the qualifications to become a technical editor include knowledge of technical concepts, prior experience in print or online publishing, a keen eye for details, and strong verbal and written communication skills. Someone having a bachelor's degree in English or journalism could qualify for the position.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from writer resumes include skills like "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "basic math," and "customer service," whereas a technical editor is more likely to list skills in "english language," "proofreading," "training materials," and "xml. "
Most technical editors achieve a similar degree level compared to writers. For example, they're 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Writer vs. Content editor
A content editor is an individual who is responsible for proof-reading articles written by content writers and write blog posts to promote the products and services of an organization. Content editors are responsible for producing monthly newsletters and optimize written pieces to increase user engagement. They need to interact with the consumers with the purpose of sourcing feedback on the content's impact actively. Content editors must also conduct business research on current trends to give the company an edge over the competition.
Types of writer
Updated January 8, 2025
