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Authors, Writers and Translators

Authors, writers and translators write, edit and evaluate literary material for publication excluding material for newspapers, magazines and other periodicals but including scripts and narrative for film, TV, radio and computer games and animations; and translate spoken and written statements into different languages.

Wages

New workers
AVERAGE
Experienced
£16,206
£30,977
£57,160

New workers start around £16,206. Normal pay is £30,977 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £57,160.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 32,728 vacancies for this type of job

7.10%

Projected job growth over the next 8 years

Related courses

People work towards these careers by taking these courses at college and uni.

What they do most days?

  • Provides communication support for the hard of hearing or the visually impaired.

  • Converts documents or spoken statements from original or source language into another language.

  • Writes instruction manuals and user guides, technical reports, catalogues and indexes, prepares sales literature and writes technical articles for trade journals.

  • Negotiates contracts with freelance agents and with buyer on behalf of writer.

  • Selects material for publication, checks style, grammar and accuracy of content, arranges for any necessary revisions and checks proof copies before printing.

  • Generates and develops creative ideas for literary material.

  • Determines subject matter and researches as necessary by interviewing, attending public events, seeking out records, observing etc..

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Effective Communication

  • Language Translation

  • Language Interpretation

  • Social Work

  • Source Language

  • Registration

  • Marketing

  • Content Creation

  • Project Management

  • Search Engine Optimization

Soft Skills

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • English Language

  • Communication

  • Writing

  • Customer Service

  • Enthusiasm

  • Detail Oriented

  • Research

  • Foreign Language

  • Management

  • Trustworthiness

How do I get a job like this?

People in these types of job started their career paths after studying courses like the ones below.

Routes to this career

See all

Celtic

The University of Edinburgh

MA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Edinburgh · 08/09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

Spanish (with a modern language)

Manchester Metropolitan University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with time abroad · Manchester · 09/2025

Tariff points: 104/112

Language Studies

University of Portsmouth

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Portsmouth · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 96/104

English with Foundation Year

Birkbeck, University of London

BA (Hons) · 6 Years · Part-time · London · 10/2025

Tariff points: N/A

English

Sheffield Hallam University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Sandwich · Sheffield · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 112/120

English Literature

University of Huddersfield

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Huddersfield · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/120

Journalism

De Montfort University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Leicester · 09/2025

Tariff points: 104/104

Modern Languages

University of East Anglia UEA

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Norwich · 09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

German Studies

University of Manchester

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Manchester · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

Modern Languages

University of Essex

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Colchester · 10/2025

Tariff points: 112/120

English Studies

Blackpool and the Fylde College

CertHE · 1 Year · Full-time · Blackpool · 09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

English (with Foundation Year)

Birmingham Newman University

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Birmingham · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 48/48

History

Leeds Beckett University

BA (Hons) · 6 Years · Part-time · Leeds · 15/09/2025

Tariff points: 112/120

Liberal Arts

University of Sussex

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Brighton · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 136/153

Humanities Foundation Year

Northumbria University, Newcastle

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Newcastle upon Tyne · 09/2025

Tariff points: 80/80

English Literature

University of Leeds

BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with year in industry · Leeds · 24/09/2025

Tariff points: 136/136

English

Northeastern University London

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · London · 01/09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

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