Many people think writing is a career only for publication. Not only is it one type of a writing career, it is also found in film, television, radio, advertising, business and industry, science and medicine, and in the arts (Careers in Focus; Writing, 1). Writers were once limited to the traditional print media, such as books, magazines, newspapers, and things such as that. But no more are they limited. Writers can write for all kinds of media. This includes the internet and CD-ROM (Careers in Focus: Writing, 1). Most of the time, writers are "behind-the-scenes" workers. Concept development is also involved with most writing careers. This includes research, interviewing, collaborating with other workers as well as the actual crafting of words to be written, spoken, or said (Careers in Focus: Writing, 3). Two types of writing careers will be compared in this research.
"Salaries for writing careers vary as much as the types of jobs available. For example, a poet may earn only a byline on a published work, while a best-selling novel may earn millions in fees and royalties." (Careers in Focus: Writing, 1). Writers who may work full-time jobs can earn between $20,000 and $75,000 a year (Farr, J. Michael, 137). The salaries that advertising workers receive vary depending on different factors. These factors include the type of work, the size of the agency, its geographical location, the kind of work handled, and the agency's gross earnings (Janis, Harold J., 67). Chief executives in the advertising agencies can earn from $80,000 annually, upwards to $750,000 while experienced account executives average $44,000 a year or more (Janis, Harold J., 69). However, salaries vary widely among freelance greeting card writers and/or designers. Some only sell a few ideas a year for $5 to $25 an idea. Some that work full time earn about $20,000 a year (Careers in Focus: Writing, 46). A down side to this type of job is designers and artists can typically make more money for their work than writers do (Careers in Focus: Writing, 46).
