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Reading

Are reading and writing your thing? A job working with words can go well beyond writing novels or newspaper articles. Think about all the words you see every day, and then consider the fact that someone wrote all that! Web pages, billboards on the highway, the screenplay for that movie you saw last night, even the back of your cereal box — someone was responsible for writing all that! If you're passionate about the written word, there are plenty of opportunities for you.

WRITER

In a Nutshell

If you are good with words and love to read, a writing career may be the path for you. Writers work 35-40 hours a week in all kinds of environments, from quiet corporate offices to noisy sidelines at sporting events. Virtually every industry relies on writers. These are a few of the types of writing jobs out there:

  • News Writer — covers events as they happen and write articles for print and broadcast news outlets (See reporter).
  • Editor — leads a group of writers and edits their work for errors, organization and overall tone. They rewrite and revise written materials.
  • Technical Writer — writes instructions on how to use something or put complex subjects into simple terms.
  • Copywriter — writes copy for advertisements or promotional materials such as brochures.
  • Web Content Writer — writes for a company or organization's Web site, product catalog or blog.

Get Ahead

  • Earn a college degree in communications, journalism, technical writing or English.
  • Be able to conduct in-depth research and incisive interviews.
  • Get experience working for the high school or college newspaper, or related internship.

Earning Power (2008)

  • Nationally, the middle half of all writers, authors and editors earned between $36,370 and $70,370.
  • In Texas, they earned between $36,270 and $68,990.

They Did It

  • Tina Fey — television and film writer
  • Stephenie Meyer — Twilight series author
  • Amy Tan — author, The Joy Luck Club

DESKTOP PUBLISHER

In A Nutshell

Desktop publishers spend many hours in front of the computer combining printed material, numbers, pictures, and charts to prepare publications. Editing skills, knowledge of page design principles and the use of computer software and scanners is helpful. They produce books, business cards, calendars, magazines, newsletters and newspapers.

Get Ahead

  • Get certified at a technical school, college or through an Internet learning program.
  • Gain skills working part-time.
  • Earn an associate degree in applied science or a bachelor's degree in graphic arts, graphic communications or graphic design.

Earning Power (2008)

  • Nationally, the middle half of all desktop publishers earned between $27,290 and $46,160 per year.
  • In Texas, they earned between $27,190 and $44,900.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

In A Nutshell

If you are well-organized and enjoy assisting people, you may want to become an administrative assistant. They file items, track information, answer phones and make appointments, and may work in a specific field such as medicine or law.

Get Ahead

  • Get your high school diploma.
  • Many companies require executive admininistrative assistants to have a college degree.
  • Typing, grammar, spelling, computer and communication skills are a must.
  • Certification is needed for medical and law fields.

Earning Power (2008)

  • Nationally, the middle half of all administrative assistants earned between $22,440 and $35,090 per year.
  • In Texas, they earned between $19,850 and $30,970.

LIBRARIAN

In A Nutshell

If you like information — organizing it and helping people find it — then this could be the profession for you. Some librarians work in one subject such as art. Others work with children, reading to them and teaching them about books and research. They generally work in schools and public libraries, but also in hospitals and some businesses.

Get Ahead

  • You'll need a master's degree in library science or information science.
  • Before you can get your master's, you need a four-year college degree in any subject or major.

Earning Power (2008)

  • Nationally, the middle half of all librarians earned between $40,730 and $63,440 per year.
  • In Texas, they earned between $42,400 and $56,940.

They Did It

  • Melvil Dewey — creator of the Dewey Decimal System
  • Beverly Cleary — children's book author
  • Laura Bush — former First Lady

REPORTER

In a Nutshell

If you like talking with people, gathering information and writing articles for other people to read, you may want to be a reporter. Their stories appear in newspapers and magazines. Some reporters work television and radio. To get information, reporters look at documents, observe events and interview people. Reporters often work long hours and odd schedules to meet their deadlines.

Get Ahead

  • Get a four-year college degree — a bachelor's degree in journalism is preferred.
  • Work for your school newspapers or broadcasting station.
  • Get an internships with a news organization.
  • Write clearly and effectively.
  • Gain word processing, computer graphics and desktop publishing skills.

Earning Power (2008)

  • Nationally, the middle half of reporters earned between $25,250 and $52,420 per year.
  • In Texas, they earned between $24,460 and $50,540.

They Did It

  • Samuel L. Clemens a.k.a Mark Twain — author, Huckleberry Finn
  • Anderson Cooper — journalist
  • Dan Rather — broadcast journalist, former anchor for CBS
  • Tom Brokaw — broadcast journalist, NBC News
  • Hunter S. Thompson — author
  • Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward — journalists that uncovered the Watergate scandal

Based on material developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.