Most of us think of fiction writers as people who produce creative products like books, poems and screenplays. Many do, and are available on Upwork to bring these types of projects to life. But did you know that businesses often hire fiction writers to make their marketing content more imaginative and memorable?
Fiction writers can be assets for any organization. This guide will help you understand the value a fiction writer can bring to your business. We’ll explore what to look for in a fiction writer, helpful information to know before you hire a fiction writer, and how to hire the best fiction writer for your needs.
What does a fiction writer do?
Fiction writers serve a function similar to the content creators on any marketing team—except they may bring a bit more flair to the task. Fiction writers are skilled storytellers, and storytelling has become an important way to attract, engage, and convert clients with the goal of driving business revenue.
Organizations that hire fiction writers often look for professionals with specialty in and success creating engaging content within a marketing department. This could come in the form of brand storytelling, copywriting, creating advertising assets, internal communication, and even writing copy for live presentations.
Writing a fiction writer job post
The best way to attract interest from a qualified fiction writer is to generate an effective job post. Consider these details to write a compelling job post that clearly states your needs.
Job post title
Effective job post titles describe exactly what you’re looking for using simple, straightforward language. Identify keywords that your ideal candidate is likely to type into a job search bar, for example:
- Storyteller. Fiction writer needed to help develop the voice, create messaging, and craft compelling content that tells the story of our company for a short video.
- Creative copywriting. Fiction writer needed to create all marketing and sales assets for a company rebrand.
- Content creator. Content marketing team seeks fiction writer to write customer success stories.
- Speechwriter needed. Fiction writer needed to write inspiring story-based speeches for our C-suite team.
Project description
Write an effective fiction writer project description by covering the following areas:
- Scope of work. List all the deliverables you’ll need from a fiction writer, including everything from developing ideas and narratives to maintaining story continuity to editing and revising work when needed.
- Project length. Indicate whether the project is small or large in scope, quantifying as much detail as possible around milestones and timing.
- Background. Mention the type of fiction writing experience you’d like the person to have and writing samples you’d like them to share.
- Budget. Set a budget and include your payment preference, whether hourly rates, payment per word, or a fixed-price contract
Job responsibilities
Add details about fiction writer job responsibilities. Consider these examples of common responsibilities:
- Content creation. Write character profiles, story narratives, and customer scenarios for marketing, advertising, and communications materials.
- Thought leadership. Create content assets that showcase innovation, vision, or future trends with fictional scenarios that map to both our client base and our industry leaders.
- Brand storytelling. Learn our brand personality and develop content assets including original stories, spokesperson characters, and other creative narratives.
- Internal communications. Interview team members and share their accomplishments through storytelling in a biweekly internal newsletter.
Qualifications
Share specific qualifications you’d like the fiction writer to have. For example, you could say:
- Expert storytelling. Seeking a fiction writer with experience developing effective narrative arcs and plotlines.
- Adaptive to feedback. Fiction writer must have experience sharing work and responding productively to critique and feedback from others.
- Must meet deadlines. Seeking a fiction writer who consistently delivers by agreed deadline.
Helpful information to know before you hire a fiction writer
Understanding the role, demand, and costs associated with hiring a fiction writer will help you make an informed choice when selecting a candidate. Consider the following information before hiring.
The role of a fiction writer
Fiction writers can be funny, sensitive, and imaginative. They can also deliver the expert storytelling needed to attract attention to your brand, product, or service.
The role of a fiction writer typically involves an ability to come up with great ideas, use those ideas to write compelling storylines, and review and proof their own work. Projects you can hand off to fiction writers include:
- Content marketing and copywriting. A fiction writer can create stories and narratives that incorporate your products and services into engaging copy for websites, social media, blogging, advertising, and other needs.
- Internal storytelling. Fiction writers can interview people throughout the company about projects they’re working on or have accomplished and share their stories with others.
- Brand storytelling. A fiction writer can focus on developing and conveying the story of your brand to help define marketing focus or create content assets.
- Writing for presentations and speeches. A fiction writer can help prepare content for presentation slides, in-person events, or webinars.
Fiction writer hiring demand in 2024
Storytelling has become a popular way to convey information about a company, product, or service. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for writers to increase at a growth rate of 4%. This rate is an average rate of growth.
Content creation, as part of a larger marketing program, is a sought-after skill in 2024. Fiction writers who learn about and leverage AI tools in their work will position themselves to add more value to the marketing teams they support.
The most common projects for fiction writers
Fiction writers are hired to work on a variety of marketing and advertising projects. Five popular assignments for fiction writers include:
- Brand storytelling. Fiction writers can ideate, develop, and write storylines that map to a specific brand.
- Email campaigns. Fiction writers can work with email marketers to write copy for email campaigns.
- Advertising copy. Fiction writers can write pithy, fun, and engaging copy for advertising campaign content assets.
- Website content. Fiction writers can write content for all areas of an organization’s website.
- Packaging copy. Fiction writers are often hired to write packaging copy,
Industries hiring fiction writers
Many industries focus on storytelling as a way to attract their clientele. Some top industries hiring fiction writers include:
- Print and digital publishing. The publishing industry hires fiction writers to write novels, short stories, scripts, and content for print and digital publications.
- Marketing agencies. Marketing and advertising agencies hire fiction writers for copywriting and developing engaging content for marketing campaigns.
- B2B consulting firms. Fiction writers are hired to write thought leadership and promotional content that distill insights, analytics, and industry trends.
- Technology companies. Technology companies hire fiction writers to promote their products and services through storytelling that connects with customers on an emotional level.
Average cost of hiring fiction writers in 2024
Rates for hiring fiction writers can vary. Payment models for hiring fiction writers vary too. Fiction writers can be paid by word, by product, or by the hour. On Upwork, writers are typically paid by the hour or by the project at a fixed price.
Be sure to ask for writing samples similar to the project you’re hiring for to gauge whether the fiction writer is a fit.
Don’t be thrown off by a writer’s hourly rate as costs will vary:
- An experienced fiction writer may command higher fees but also work faster, have more-specialized areas of expertise, and deliver higher-quality work.
- A less experienced fiction writer may still possess exceptional talent but price their services more competitively as they build a client base.
Take a look at Upwork’s marketing budget calculator to get an idea of how much you should plan to spend on fiction writers. While there isn’t specific detail about fiction writers, you’ll find details about what to plan to spend when hiring writers in general.
A median hourly rate for writers on Upwork in 2024 falls at about $45 per hour. Hourly rates can go as high as $59 an hour and even higher for writing experts offering exceptional results. Typical rates charged by writers on Upwork are:
- Entry-level. $30 per hour
- Intermediate. $45 per hour
- Expert. $59+ per hour
Hire a fiction writer today
Consider hiring a fiction writer to tell compelling stories about your product or service. It takes little time to understand a fiction writer’s role, research cost, get clear on your own project requirements, and write a job description that will attract the person most likely to help you achieve your goals.
No matter which qualities and experience you’re looking for, you’ll find the professional you need on Upwork. The process is personalized, easy, and fast. Sign up and post a job today to find a quality fiction writer.