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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
£11,343
£31,452
£60,467

New workers start around £11,343. Normal pay is £31,452 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £60,467.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 32,196 vacancies for this type of job

6.37%

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 Interpretation

  • Social Work

  • Language Translation

  • Modern Greek

  • Marketing

  • Content Creation

  • Proofreading

  • Project Management

  • Linguistics

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

  • Enthusiasm

  • Detail Oriented

  • Customer Service

  • Research

  • Editing

  • Management

  • Organizational Skills

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

  • Spanish (with a modern language)

    Manchester Metropolitan University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with time abroad · Manchester · 09/2024

    Tariff points: 104/112

  • Modern Languages

    University of East Anglia UEA

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Norwich · 16/09/2024

    Tariff points: N/A

  • English Studies

    Blackpool and the Fylde College

    CertHE · 1 Year · Full-time · Blackpool · 09/09/2024

    Tariff points: N/A

  • English (with Foundation Year)

    Birmingham Newman University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time including foundation year · Birmingham · 13/01/2025

    Tariff points: 48/48

  • Modern Languages and Cultures

    Lancaster University

    MLang · 4 Years · Full-time with time abroad · Lancaster · 10/2024

    Tariff points: 136/136

  • French

    Aberystwyth University

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with time abroad · Aberystwyth · 23/09/2024

    Tariff points: 104/120

  • Modern Languages

    University of Kent

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Canterbury · 14/09/2024

    Tariff points: 104/120

  • Liberal Arts

    Oxford Brookes University

    BA · 4 Years · Full-time with time abroad · Oxford · 16/09/2024

    Tariff points: 104/104

  • English (with Foundation Year)

    University of Hull

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time including foundation year · Hull · 16/09/2024

    Tariff points: 80/80

  • Fashion and Design History

    University of Brighton

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Brighton · 23/09/2024

    Tariff points: 104/120

  • Modern Languages

    University of Leicester

    BA (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time · Leicester · 23/09/2024

    Tariff points: 128/152

  • English Literature

    Edge Hill University

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Ormskirk · 30/09/2024

    Tariff points: 112/120

  • Classics

    University of Warwick

    BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Coventry · 23/09/2024

    Tariff points: N/A