Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers

Career Description: Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.

Industry: Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media

Other Job Titles for Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Revise written material to meet personal standards and to satisfy needs of clients, publishers, directors, or producers.
• Choose subject matter and suitable form to express personal feelings and experiences or ideas, or to narrate stories or events.
• Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organize material accordingly.
• Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
• Follow appropriate procedures to get copyrights for completed work.
• Write fiction or nonfiction prose such as short stories, novels, biographies, articles, descriptive or critical analyses, and essays.
• Develop factors such as themes, plots, characterizations, psychological analyses, historical environments, action, and dialogue, to create material.
• Confer with clients, editors, publishers, or producers to discuss changes or revisions to written material.
• Conduct research to obtain factual information and authentic detail, using sources such as newspaper accounts, diaries, and interviews.
• Write narrative, dramatic, lyric, or other types of poetry for publication.
• Attend book launches and publicity events, or conduct public readings.
• Write words to fit musical compositions, including lyrics for operas, musical plays, and choral works.
• Adapt text to accommodate musical requirements of composers and singers.
• Teach writing classes.
• Write humorous material for publication, or for performances such as comedy routines, gags, and comedy shows.
• Collaborate with other writers on specific projects.
• Develop and print exposed film, using chemicals, touchup tools, and developing and printing equipment, or send film to photofinishing laboratories for processing.
• Produce computer-readable, digital images from film, using flatbed scanners and photofinishing laboratories.
• Direct activities of workers who are setting up photographic equipment.
• Employ a variety of specialized photographic materials and techniques, including infrared and ultraviolet films, macro photography, photogrammetry and sensitometry.
• Engage in research to develop new photographic procedures and materials.
• Set up photographic exhibitions for the purpose of displaying and selling work.
• Load and unload film.
• Develop visual aids and charts for use in lectures or to present evidence in court.
• License the use of photographs through stock photo agencies.
• Mount, frame, laminate, or lacquer finished photographs.
• Photograph legal evidence at crime scenes, in hospitals, or in forensic laboratories.

Emerging Tasks

• Store photographs into computers for editing, archiving, and electronic transmission.
• Write photograph captions.
• Practice musical instrument performances and listen to recordings, individually or in rehearsal with other musicians, to master individual pieces of music and to maintain and improve skills.
• Store, pack, and maintain inventory records of props, products, and display items.
• Supervise and train staff members on daily tasks such as visual merchandising.
• Teach artistic techniques to children and adults.
• Monitor the academic eligibility of student athletes.
• Oversee the development and management of the sports program budget and fundraising activities.
• Perform activities that support a team or a specific sport, such as participating in community outreach activities, meeting with media representatives, and appearing at fundraising events.
• Provide training direction, encouragement, motivation, and nutritional advice to prepare athletes for games, competitive events, and/or tours.
• Teach instructional courses and advise students.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• collect details for stories or articles
• compile information through interviews
• compose scripts
• conduct research on work-related topics
• convey moods or emotions through writing
• determine locale or period of story
• edit written material
• ensure correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling
• organize journalistic or literary data
• organize story elements
• plan or organize work
• practice creative writing - development
• tell stories through musical, visual, or dramatic arts
• use interviewing procedures
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• verify sources or documentation for stories
• write story copy
• read specifications
• read work order, instructions, formulas, or processing charts
• retouch negatives or prints
• review assembled film or video tape on monitor
• use color analyzer
• use creativity to art or design work
• use inventory control procedures
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use measuring devices in professional photography
• use photographic materials
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use creativity in graphics
• use creativity to art or design work
• use film production techniques
• use graphic arts techniques
• use knowledge of multi-media technology
• use object-oriented computer programming techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use project management techniques
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• write story copy
• weld together metal parts, components, or structures
• use computer graphics design software
• use creativity in graphics
• use graphic arts techniques
• use knowledge of multi-media technology
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use stage lighting controls or instruments

Overall Experience
A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education
Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

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• Projected growth (2006-2016): 12.80%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 17,306
• Employment (2006): 135,246

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• Reporters and Correspondents
• Singers
• Technical Writers