Author responsibilities are manifold and if you are of the opinion that authors exist just to write books or poems, then you need to revise your opinions. As the world has been engulfed by a plethora of mediums to express oneself, authors have found various platforms apart from the traditional methods of authorizing. Authors have found internet and blogging as a new medium of expression and have contributed significantly in the development of the content we read, watch, or listen on any medium.
An author can be called as a screenwriter, copywriter, novelist, content writer, technical writer, or a songwriter depending on the work he does. Authors are categorized into two categories - fiction writers and non-fiction writers. Authors have to write and present either fictional or non-fictional content as per the employers demand or they can do the same as per their choice. For example, a screenwriter may pen down a story according to the demand of a filmmaker, whereas a biographer writes a person's memoirs.
Author responsibilities are to work diligently with a motive to provide an interesting and/or informative work for the readers, viewers or listeners.
Different authors are expected to provide different content that suits the context of the job. To begin with, we can discuss the job profile of a textbook author:
Moving further with the author responsibilities, following are the responsibilities of copywriter:
Similarly, screenwriters for film and television develop ideas into scripts, dialogues and break down individual shots into the storyboards.
Web content writers, on the other hand, research and gather material to update on the website. They may write for specific website or for various websites simultaneously. Technical authors specialize in writing product help manuals, online help modules, etc.
Skills of an Author
Creator is a synonym of author and this states that an author needs to be highly creative and unique with the work. Clarity of thoughts along with expertise in a specific branch of writing is must for every author. Although some authors enjoy nonrestrictive work schedule; others are expected to work on stringent deadlines. Authors must follow the ethics of writing and their work should not cause any dissent to the audiences.
Becoming an Author
A bachelor's degree in journalism, mass communication, fine arts, English literature, etc., is a must to become an author. A portfolio of your work, whether samples or published is necessary as you appear for an interview.
Career Scope for Author
Authors, just like their diverse job profiles, enjoy different career prospects. While some authors pursue writing as a part-time profession, others embrace it as a fulltime job. The salary and growth will depend on the medium you work for and the organization where you are employed.
The various author responsibilities stated above are a guideline for people who want to pursue writing as their hobby or as a source of earning livelihood.