Do you want to create and explore new worlds through pen and paper (or, these days, keyboards and screens)?
With great writing skills, you can touch the lives of many!
Degrees in writing and literature offer several career options and job opportunities that you can pick from or create. If you’re interested in writing but are wondering which path to choose, this article will help you find your way.
Degrees in Literature and Writing
There are several literature and writing disciplines to explore. All focus on helping you master how to use the written word for different purposes.
Here are a few areas you can pursue in the field of writing and literature:
Creative Writing
Creative writing is an all-encompassing degree program. You’ll learn the techniques and processes of composing original pieces across various genres like poetry, essays, and creative non-fiction.
You’ll also learn how to analyze, criticize and edit texts from a writer’s standpoint.
Technical Writing
As the name suggests, technical writing is a bit more complex than creative writing. This involves creating highly specialized content, such as proposals, training manuals, and scientific guides for various industries. If you’re new to writing, this degree might take some time to wrap your head around!
In technical writing degree programs, you learn how to use writing techniques to skillfully analyze information and make it accessible to specific audiences.
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is one of the most notable writing degrees to pursue. You’ll learn how individuals use language to influence their audiences by performing rhetorical analyses of written and visual texts.
A rhetorical analysis studies how writers communicate their arguments to readers instead of looking into the points under discussion.
In the process, you can discover strategies that various writers and public speakers use to influence their audiences. This will help you shape your writing.
English Language
Specializing in English will enhance your written and verbal communication skills. You’ll become an excellent communicator, following a curriculum that involves extensive reading, writing, and discussions.
The program offers literature courses might be available too, but the focus stays on grammar and linguistics.
Modern English degrees also include digital communication as part of the coursework. With excellent traditional and digital communication skills, you can qualify for numerous positions in various industries, online and offline.
Screenwriting
All creative works for film, theatre, or television use scripts to direct their artistic expressions. A degree in screenwriting teaches you how to create and develop these scripts. You’ll learn the principles for composing and conveying information, ideas, and feelings to promote performance on stage or screen. If you’re passionate about film and theatre, consider majoring in screenwriting and playwriting.
Journalism
A degree in journalism gives you the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to gather, process, and deliver news through media channels. You’ll be well-prepared for a career as a journalist, news editor, or news manager.
English Literature
An English literature degree will take you on a journey across literary eras throughout history.
You learn how to write by reading, analyzing, and holding candid discussions on several published works. Some include poems, plays, novels, memoirs, magical realism, and historical fiction. You’ll also research how texts relate to periods in different cultures from a philosophical and moral lens.
As a result, the program teaches you how to think critically and approach topics from different perspectives.
Foreign Culture Literature
Studying multicultural literary works will enrich your cultural and linguistic knowledge. You’ll improve your creativity and gain insights that will help you develop a unique writing style.
Jobs After Degrees in Writing and Literature
All companies need to communicate with their staff and clients, and writing is one of the most effective means of communication. After completing a degree in writing and literature, graduates will find many job opportunities. Let’s look at these. .
What Jobs are Out There?
There are several employment opportunities for graduates with writing and literature degrees. Let’s go over some common roles!
Writer
Become a writer in different fields and work for various industries, non-profit organizations, and publications.
A medical writer may work for medical organizations or an individual’s private practice. A grant writer can work for a non-profit entity, a technology writer for technology companies, and so on.
Teacher or Professor
A bachelor’s degree in English can open the door to a teaching job. If you pursue a higher degree in literature, like a master’s or a Ph.D., you could go into academia. .
Curriculum Developer
In this role, you research and create education and training materials for non-profit corporations, universities, and other research institutions.
Media or Public Relations Specialist
You can help various companies get special features in industry publications, mainstream media, or online magazines.
Director of Communications
With this job, you will develop the communication goals for businesses, including their overall branding and company style guides.
Research Analyst
Get ready to collect, verify, organize, and analyze data to provide data-based recommendations for improving business processes.
Editor
You’ll oversee written work from its inception to publication, ensuring that there are no grammar or spelling errors. You can work with book publishers, businesses, media companies, and more.
Content Marketing Manager
You can expect to develop and oversee the execution of marketing content for companies.
Social Media Manager
As a social media manager, you’ll manage content on social media to ensure companies have a strong presence on various social media networks.
Career Paths To Consider
As you can see, writing and literature degrees offer many career options. However, there are two main career paths to consider.
Self-employment
There are two self-employment opportunities.
As an author, you can produce several written works, sell them, and make a living.
As a freelancer, you can write for other people or companies as an independent contractor. This way, you control your working hours and salary rates.
Being Employed
As an employee, you’re subject to all the rules and regulations of your employer. You’ll get hired for one position, which may prevent you from growing your income or area of expertise. However, this is a stable option.
Lucrative Career Opportunities
All career opportunities in writing are rewarding. However, we’ve found that technical writers earn the highest, with an annual median salary of about $78,060.
Authors are the second-highest earners, earning an average annual salary of $69,510. Editors earn average yearly salaries of $63,350, and public relations specialists receive average annual salaries of $62,800.
We’ve only mentioned the top four most lucrative career opportunities. But, you can browse the entire list in this occupational outlook handbook. Here, you can find a well-paying career option that matches your passion.
Final Thoughts
If you love to read and write, a degree in writing or literature is a great option.
These degrees allow you to work with content across many industries. You don’t need to work in aerospace to write all about it! Careers in writing and literature allow you to combine different passions in your life.
If you’re ready to start a new chapter, one of these degrees might be a good fit!
After completing her degree in Conservation Biology, Righa took the freelance route to become a content writer. She now works at a content marketing firm and spends most of her free time gardening and bird-watching.