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Biographers are professional writers who research and write the true story of someone’s life. They are often hired by actors, celebrities, and public figures to ghostwrite the biography of their life, but they also write and publish independently about people who they find interesting or inspiring.
As a biographer you could be reading transcripts of letters written by your subject, interviewing the former wife of a celebrity you are writing about, creating an outline for an upcoming biography, meeting with a client to discuss the payment terms and publishing rights of a future biography, writing a chapter of your latest book, finalising a manuscript to review with a client, or attending a book launch and signing event with your publisher.
There are no clear salary figures for Biographers in Australia at this time. They earn money by charging clients professional writing fees and may also receive ongoing royalties from book sales. Some Biographers take on freelance writing assignments for magazines, newspapers, literary journals, and online publications.
There are approximately 3,300 dedicated book authors working in Australia right now. Some of these are Biographers.
Biographers need exceptional writing skills and the ability to undertake accurate research. You could launch your career with the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing but you would be better served with a Bachelor’s degree.
Some excellent choices include the Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing), Bachelor of Creative Writing, or Master of Creative Writing, Editing, and Publishing. All of these qualifications will develop your skills in non-fiction writing, editing, and publishing.
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
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Here are some potential career pathways within journalism and writing. Click on an occupation to learn more about the role and the qualifications that can help you get started in this industry.
Journalism and Writing
Advertising Copywriter
$1,250 weekly pay
Author
$1,500 weekly pay
Book Editor
Columnist
Commentator
Content Executive
$1,340 weekly pay
Content Writer
Copywriter
Creative Writer
Digital Content Writer
Editorial Assistant
Editorial Writer
Foreign Correspondent
Freelance Writer
Journalist
Multimedia Writer
$1,150 weekly pay
Music Journalist
News Reporter
Newsreader
Novelist
Playwright
Presenter
Proofreader
Reporter
Science Journalist
Screenwriter
Scriptwriter
Speech Writer
Technical Writer
Writer
Content Manager
$1,920 weekly pay
Critic
Editor
$1,400 weekly pay
Feature Writer
$1,753 weekly pay