We surveyed 4,739 authors to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical author. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as an author?
Low
High
Working as an author typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.
Can I learn to become an author?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as an author typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as an author?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically quite difficult to find a job as an author. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for authors.
Do authors work full-time or part-time?
27% of authors work in full-time roles while 73% work part-time.
Is being an author stressful?
Low
High
Authors tend not to find their jobs stressful, which likely contributes positively to career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as an author?
Low
High
Some level of organization is generally required to be an author.
How competitive is the workplace for authors?
Low
High
Authors tend to see lots of competition in the workplace, with desire to get ahead of co-workers being common.
Does being an author require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for authors.
Are authors allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Creativity is intrinsic to being an author, and a highly valuable part of the career.
Do authors have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Authors have high flexibility in the direction of their work, allowing them a lot of freedom in how they accomplish their goals.
Is being an author physically demanding?
Low
High
Work as an authors is not the most physically demanding of careers, falling in the bottom half of all careers.
Are authors exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
Authors tend to have a monotonous work routine, with little variety in their day-to-day tasks.
Does being an author require attention to detail?
Low
High
As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for authors.
Does being a good author require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Being compassionate and empathetic is considered helpful to those looking to pursue careers as authors.