What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Writers and Authors in the U.S. earn more than $76,910 a year — the middle 80% land between $44,310 and $139,870. About 47,940 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Writers and Authors”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$76,910typical pay / year
47,940people in this work
$139,870+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Keeping the record4
Develop content for various media
+Draft three multimedia episode outlines on the 18th-century market, the town fire of 1842 and the…
Develop content for various media
+Draft three multimedia episode outlines on the 18th-century market, the town fire of 1842 and the canal-building labourers, each with 10-minute script, two interviewees, soundscape notes and suggested archival images for social clips, ready by next Friday.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Write fiction or nonfiction
+Write a 1,200-word narrative on the neglected hospital wing balancing archival facts and scene-driven prose,…
Write fiction or nonfiction
+Write a 1,200-word narrative on the neglected hospital wing balancing archival facts and scene-driven prose, identify three pull quotes for promotion and include rights-cleared archive citations by Wednesday evening.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NETWikipedia
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Present drafts for feedback
+Share the episode draft on the editorial doc with Claire and Marcus, ask for line-level grammar and sourcing…
Present drafts for feedback
+Share the episode draft on the editorial doc with Claire and Marcus, ask for line-level grammar and sourcing feedback by Wednesday noon, and incorporate their comments into a clean version for the Friday recording session.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
+Rewrite the promotional blurb and two short social posts for the new episode in three tones—scholarly,…
Vary language and tone of messages based on product and medium.
+Rewrite the promotional blurb and two short social posts for the new episode in three tones—scholarly, conversational, and urgent—so we can A/B test each on podcast feed and social channels next week.
The tools that do the workCanvaGoogle DocsO*NETWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Sending & sharing1
Write advertising copy
+Produce four 30–40 word ad variants promoting the new season, each pitched to commuters, history students,…
Write advertising copy
+Produce four 30–40 word ad variants promoting the new season, each pitched to commuters, history students, and local societies, include a call to action, platform placement suggestions and preferred launch date of Monday 9am.
The tools that do the workCanvajob descriptionsO*NET
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Analysing1
Conduct research for factual accuracy
+Check every factual claim in the script about the 1745 Jacobite rising against primary sources and two recent…
Conduct research for factual accuracy
+Check every factual claim in the script about the 1745 Jacobite rising against primary sources and two recent journal articles, correct any dates, names, or quotations, and flag doubtful claims with source notes before I record tomorrow morning.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work16
Work with editors to shape material
+Shape the episode into a tight 25–30 minute narrative: pull the interview clips that support the thesis, flag…
Work with editors to shape material
+Shape the episode into a tight 25–30 minute narrative: pull the interview clips that support the thesis, flag sections that need fact-checking, write a running order with timecodes, and send the draft to Mia and Sam for editorial notes by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Conduct research and interviews to determine which of a product's selling features should be promoted.
+Research the artifact's market appeal: list three listener personas, interview two collectors and one museum…
Conduct research and interviews to determine which of a product's selling features should be promoted.
+Research the artifact's market appeal: list three listener personas, interview two collectors and one museum curator about features they value, compare those answers to our audience metrics, and recommend which two selling points to promote in next week's spot.
The tools that do the workGoogle AnalyticsGoogle DocsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Invent names for products and write the slogans that appear on packaging, brochures and other promotional material.
+Create five product names and five short slogans that echo the show's voice and legal-safe language, test…
Invent names for products and write the slogans that appear on packaging, brochures and other promotional material.
+Create five product names and five short slogans that echo the show's voice and legal-safe language, test them in a quick poll with ten Patreon members, and deliver the top three name-plus-slogan pairs with a one-line rationale for packaging copy.
The tools that do the workCanvaGoogle DocsO*NET
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Follow appropriate procedures to get copyrights for completed work.
+Complete copyright registrations for the completed episode: assemble final audio file, collect contributor…
Follow appropriate procedures to get copyrights for completed work.
+Complete copyright registrations for the completed episode: assemble final audio file, collect contributor release forms, create a contents list with timestamps and authorship notes, and submit everything to the copyright office before the end of the month.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatO*NET
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Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organize material accordingly.
+Draft the season outline and individual episode plans: create a table of episodes with themes, sources,…
Plan project arrangements or outlines, and organize material accordingly.
+Draft the season outline and individual episode plans: create a table of episodes with themes, sources, interview targets and required assets, assign deadlines for research and recording, then share with the production team for signoff on Friday.
The tools that do the workAsanaGoogle DocsO*NET
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Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
+Prepare the master files for publication: create a final stereo mix, produce chapter markers and show notes,…
Prepare works in appropriate format for publication, and send them to publishers or producers.
+Prepare the master files for publication: create a final stereo mix, produce chapter markers and show notes, export a print-ready cover image and a web-ready audio file, then deliver the package to the distributor and cc the producer.
The tools that do the workAdobe Creative CloudO*NET
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Choose subjects that interest readers
+Pick three untold or lightly covered historical subjects that will engage our listeners this season,…
Choose subjects that interest readers
+Pick three untold or lightly covered historical subjects that will engage our listeners this season, prioritise strong human conflict, a clear narrative arc, and at least one episode idea that ties to a current news moment; list sources to check next.
The tools that do the workGoogle Analyticsjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Shape material for publishing
+Prepare the episode package for publication: assemble the edited transcript, two-sentence episode blurb, show…
Shape material for publishing
+Prepare the episode package for publication: assemble the edited transcript, two-sentence episode blurb, show notes with timecodes and three verification citations, and a 140-character social post ready for review before schedule.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Revise or rewrite sections for clarity
+Rewrite the middle 12 minutes of the draft episode to improve clarity and flow: tighten exposition, convert…
Revise or rewrite sections for clarity
+Rewrite the middle 12 minutes of the draft episode to improve clarity and flow: tighten exposition, convert passive history detail into active scenes, check names and dates for accuracy, and mark any copyrighted quotes for clearance.
The tools that do the workGoogle Docsjob descriptions
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Publish works across a wide range of media
+Export the final audio and text assets and prepare versions for podcast feed, newsletter, and a 60‑second…
Publish works across a wide range of media
+Export the final audio and text assets and prepare versions for podcast feed, newsletter, and a 60‑second social clip, with final filenames, metadata, and publication dates for each channel this Thursday.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsGoogle AnalyticsWikipedia
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Express ideas well using language
+Polish the episode voice and language: edit the script so the host’s lines sound conversational, remove…
Express ideas well using language
+Polish the episode voice and language: edit the script so the host’s lines sound conversational, remove jargon, tighten sentences to under 18 words where possible, and flag any lines needing source attribution.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsWikipedia
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Use graphics or illustrations to enhance communication
+Create two supporting visuals for the episode: a portrait-style thumbnail with the episode title and a…
Use graphics or illustrations to enhance communication
+Create two supporting visuals for the episode: a portrait-style thumbnail with the episode title and a timeline infographic highlighting five key events, export both as print-ready images and add captions and source credits.
The tools that do the workCanvaWikipedia
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Create understandable technical writing for civil and government readers
+Draft a clear, technician-friendly explainer on how local council archives, land registries, and wartime…
Create understandable technical writing for civil and government readers
+Draft a clear, technician-friendly explainer on how local council archives, land registries, and wartime records are catalogued and requested, using plain language, numbered steps, example search queries, and a short checklist procurement officers can act on this month.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsWikipedia
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Write novels
+Write the opening 2,500 words of a historical novel set in 1947 London following a municipal records clerk…
Write novels
+Write the opening 2,500 words of a historical novel set in 1947 London following a municipal records clerk who uncovers a disputed land title, establish voice, stakes with the council and a developer, and end on a scene that forces the clerk to choose between whistleblowing or silence.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsESCO
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Write poetry
+Compose a short lyric sequence of six poems about archival finds and memory: one persona poem from a records…
Write poetry
+Compose a short lyric sequence of six poems about archival finds and memory: one persona poem from a records clerk, one ekphrastic poem about a faded map, one concrete form listing inventory codes, one elegy for lost documents, one playful villanelle about redaction, and one final free-verse addressed to future readers.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsESCO
Pasted it? Good. When the reply comes back, push once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part. — Did this prompt help?
Write comics
+Outline and script a four-page comic about a historian and a community activist unearthing a sealed municipal…
Write comics
+Outline and script a four-page comic about a historian and a community activist unearthing a sealed municipal file: panel-by-panel beats, dialogue for each panel, captions, and a notes section for the artist on setting, wardrobe, and period props for immediate thumbnailing.
The tools that do the workGoogle DocsESCO
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Says who?
These are the pages we read to build this. Open any of them and check us.
Activities this job lives in
The human activities behind the tasks — each with its honest AI ceiling.
The logs, files & records this job keeps
Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.
Related careers
Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.
The rest of the map
Same library, five ways in.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses