Authors and writers

Authors and writers

NOC
51111

- Authors and writers (except technical)

plan, research and write books, scripts, essays, speeches and other non-journalistic articles for publication or presentation.

Quick facts

3-Year Outlook

Undetermined
Undetermined

3-Year Job Openings

23
 

Median Hourly Wage

N/A

Average Salary

$43,000
 

Typically Required

University

Employed

349
 
Job details

Full NOC Description

Authors and writers plan, research and write books, scripts, storyboards, plays, essays, speeches and other non-journalistic articles for publication or presentation. They are employed by advertising agencies, governments, large corporations, private consulting firms, publishing firms, multimedia/new-media companies and other establishments, or they may be self-employed.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:
 

Novelists, playwrights, script writers, poets and other creative writers

  • Conceive and write novels, plays, scripts, poetry and other material for publication or presentation
  • May conduct research to establish factual content and to obtain other necessary information.

Content writers (non-technical)

  • Write e-copy, blog posts, e-books, podcasts and other forms of Web-based content
  • Conduct research on a variety of topics to inform writing and may consult with clients to determine the goals of the writing.

Copywriters

  • Study and determine selling features of products and services and write text for advertisements and commercials.
  • Authors and writers may specialize in a particular subject or type of writing.

Also Known As

  • advertising copywriter
  • copywriter
  • essayist
  • interactive media writer
  • literary writer
  • novelist
  • playwright
  • poet
  • script writer
  • speech writer
  • writer
Requirements

Employment Requirements

  • Copywriters usually require a university degree or college diploma in French, English, marketing, advertising or another discipline.
  • Creative writing programs are offered by universities and colleges.
  • Talent and ability, as demonstrated by a portfolio of work, are important hiring criteria.
  • Membership in a guild or union related to the occupation may be required.

Provincial Regulation

Not Provincially Regulated

Employment by Sex

The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

Data legend

55.7%
Female
44.3%
Male
Employment by age

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

Data legend

1.7%
15-24
31.7%
25-34
16.7%
35-44
16.7%
45-54
16.7%
55-64
16.7%
65+
Employment by highest level of education

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

Data legend

0.0%
No Certificate, Diploma or Degree
13.1%
High School, Diploma or Equivalent
0.0%
Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma
13.1%
College or University Below Bachelor Level
73.8%
University - Bachelor Level or Above
Employment by Industry

The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

Data legend

46.7%
Arts, entertainment and recreation
20.0%
Professional, scientific and technical services
10.0%
Educational services
23.3%
All Other Industries
Employment by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

Data legend

6.70%
Northeast
40.00%
Southeast
23.30%
Southwest
25.00%
Central
5.00%
Northwest
Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

Data legend

N/A
Northeast
$50,000
Southeast
N/A
Southwest
$34,000
Central
N/A
Northwest
Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

Economic Regions

The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

No Data Available
Salary

The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

New Brunswick

$43,000

Newfoundland

$66,000

Prince Edward Island

$36,000

Nova Scotia

$46,800

Canada

$56,800
Employment Outlook

The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

Three Year Outlook

Total Openings: 3-Year

23
 

New Jobs: 3-Year

-9
 

Retirements/Deaths: 3-Year

31
 

Ten Year Outlook

Total Openings: 10-Year

91
 

New Jobs: 10-Year

4
 

Retirements/Deaths: 10-Year

85