How to become an Author

Also called: Biographer, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Short-story writer, Writer, Ÿ Novelist, Ÿ Playwright, Ÿ Poet

Author writes original literary works for publication or theatrical presentations by determining the subject matter and collecting the necessary data or facts. He/she plans and organises material in the form required and can write fiction, biographies, essays, poems, plays or similar literary compositions. He/she revises the composition to produce good literary style. He/she may also be designated according to type of writing done.

Main tasks

• Conceiving, writing and editing novels, plays, scripts, poetry and other material for publication or presentation
• Conducting research to establish factual content and to obtain other necessary information
• Writing scripts and continuities and preparing programmes for stage, film, radio and television productions
• Selecting material for publication, checking style, grammar and accuracy of content, arranging for any necessary revisions and checking proof copies before printing

Ways in

• University: Communications & Media degrees, Offered by 1 universities in Singapore

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $48,000 a year. The middle half earn $42,000 to $84,000 a year.
• Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Related jobs

• Script writer/editor
• Content writer
• Technical writer
• Book editor

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Author?

Ways in include: Communications & Media degrees.

How much does an Author earn in Singapore?

Median full-time pay is $48,000 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $42,000 to $84,000.

Will AI change the work of an Author?

Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026