Nonfiction Writer
Researches and writes long-form work under contract or subscription. Distribution now belongs to the writer.
- Pay band (est.)
- $72k–$134k
- Time to competence
- 8 years
- Licence
- None
- Setting
- desk
- Leverage
- high
- Place constraint
- low
- Physical demand
- 8/100
- Hours burden
- 55/100
Factor percentiles
Percentile against the whole curated set. Higher is better on that factor only.
- Play79th
Absorbing rather than merely paid.
- Specific knowledge89th
A combination of skills that is hard to copy.
- Leverage86th
Output that scales through code, media, capital or crew.
- Demand16th
Durability and shortage, scored conservatively.
- Pay51th
Mid-career floor and the range above it.
- Body92th
Inverse of physical demand and hours.
- Autonomy99th
Control of methods and time.
- People fit49th
Distance from your preferred people level.
- Place flexibility99th
Remote fit and freedom from specific metros.
- Time to skill16th
Inverse of years to competence.
- Meaning load50th
Closeness to the families you marked as meaningful. Your mapping, not ours.
- Downside tolerance55th
Inverse of named risk to body, market or platform.
Downside
Income is spiky and platform-dependent; advances are shrinking.
Examine this against your weights
The percentiles above use the default weights. Set your own on the ranking and this vocation moves with them.
- Place constraint is low. Where you live is analysed at locationistics.com.
- Hours burden is 55/100 and people intensity 35/100. Who you are with is analysed at relationistics.com.
Source note: BLS OEWS May 2024, Writers and Authors (27-3043): median $72,270, 90th percentile $133,680. Outlook from BLS 2025-35 projections, -0.3%. Other scores editorial. All figures are estimates for comparison.