This role has a high level of AI exposure. While some human skills are required, many tasks could be automated or replaced by new technology.
Explore all careersHow do I become an Author?
Get qualified to work as an Author with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.
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Common questions
There are no clear salary figures for Authors in Australia at this time. They earn money from book sales as well as royalties and payments from publishing companies. Independent authors create revenue through self-publishing and running workshops, courses, and retreats. Some authors take on writing assignments for newspapers, magazines, literary journals, and online publications.
Courses.com.au Team
There are approximately 3,300 dedicated book authors working in Australia right now.
Courses.com.au Team
You don’t need a specialist qualification to become a Author, you just need to publish a book. However, the Certificate IV in Professional Writing and Editing and the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing are excellent introductions to the Australian publishing industry and will help you develop professional-level writing and editing skills. All aspiring Authors should consider the Bachelor of Arts (Profesional Writing) or Bachelor of Creative Writing. Both of these qualifications will develop your skills in both fiction and non-fiction writing. Some authors have specialist qualifications in their preferred genre: law, criminology, social science, community development, psychology, health and medicine, education.
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
Courses.com.au Team
Further reading
The Ultimate Guide to Podcasting (Updated 2020)
17th April 2020
Career spotlight: Hospitality professionals
17th September 2019Author careers
Authors are professional writers who write books for publication and sale, either fiction or non-fiction. They develop their original ideas into a storyline, pitch an agent or publishing company, then write the book. Alternately, emerging and self-published authors write the book first, and then look for ways to have it published.
As an author you could be creating an outline for a new novel, pitching a book idea to your publisher, writing a chapter of your book, carrying out preliminary research, editing a draft, sending a completed manuscript to your agent, reviewing proofs for book cover art, attending a book signing at a writer’s festival, speaking at a industry event, or just writing your heart out before the kids get home from school.
