Where Have All The Writing Jobs Gone?

I pull into the wild west town of LinkedIn atop my trusty steed, Resume. I’ve visited this town before, but I was just passing through. This time I come looking for gainful employment as a writer. I’ve worn my best outfit and ensured that Resume’s shoes are polished so that we can put our best foot forward. But as I look around, I see nothing but closed storefronts. No “help wanted” signs in sight. Only a couple of shady characters lurking in alleys advertising flexible work training AI models with no experience required. They feel like a scam, but I don’t see any other options. As I contemplate which dark alley to walk down, I pass by the LinkedIn saloon where dozens of bills are posted on the wall. They’re written by my peers and former colleagues. They lament how long they’ve been unemployed or rant about companies that ghosted them. As tumbleweeds made of discarded cover letters roll by, I wonder “where have all the writing jobs gone?”

To me, the answer to this question lies in the answers to three other questions.

1. Do companies still value human writing?

2. What specific value does a writer add?

3. Where do we go from here? 

Question 1: Do Companies Still Value Human Writing?

Let’s say you’re the head of a new startup selling vegan shampoo or something. You use AI models for your writing needs. You don’t need amazing copy. You just need something. Paying for a pro version of these models is a damn sight cheaper than paying a whole human’s salary. You also desperately need reach and engagement, so it’s not a big deal if the copy you get from these models is a bit reductive because it’s relying on what’s worked for other companies. Surely, that’s a winning strategy. But you’re not certain. You don’t come from a writing background, so you have no way to judge the quality of the writing that these models are producing. What you really need is someone who understands good writing who can analyze the model’s output and tweak it slightly to make sure that it’s up to par. Let’s call this person a…content specialist, or maybe a content strategist – something that sounds vaguely creative but also makes it clear that this is not a writing role but a business role. 

I’ve seen an explosion in these job titles over the last several months. It seems that every company, from ad agencies to logistics firms, are looking for someone to cover their asses when their AI models aren’t delivering. Now in fairness, some of these roles are totally legitimate and go deep into the “strategy” aspect, requiring sharp creative and business instincts. But a lot of them are just glorified AI managers. So do companies still value human writing? Well, it’s complicated. 

From what I’ve seen, a lot of companies do, but not in the way they used to. The mid-level writing jobs are disappearing fast. What’s left are the AI manager jobs like Content Specialist, or very senior roles like Department Heads or Directors of Content. The career trajectory here is puzzling because it seems like it’s somewhat easy to get your foot in the door as a writer but then there’s no real path upward because there are no mid-level positions where you can gain the experience to secure those senior roles. 

That’s one of the biggest problems with these Content Specialist or AI-trainer roles. They extract as much work from talented writers as they can, then dismiss them when their contracts end. I’m not seeing the investment in people that develops workers’ skills. These roles just churn through writers. And with so many writers unemployed for one reason or another, these companies seem to always have someone new to fill the empty contractors’ roles, and likely at a lower hourly rate.

2. What Specific Value Does a Writer Add?

A writer understands subtext, historical and cultural context, and emotional nuance. A chatbot does not. Again, this may not be a problem if you’re selling shampoo and you need a catchy tagline for the product. The stakes there are fairly low. But if you’re trying to create an ecosystem of blog articles, social media posts, and website blurbs that all follow the brand voice, it’s likely smarter to go with a writer who can tailor that voice. AI models can, with sufficient instruction, copy a voice, but it’s only mimicry. 

“Voice,” as I’ve written about before, is a nebulous concept that’s hard to define and even harder to assess from a value-add standpoint. But it’s important none-the-less. You could also call it judgment or taste. Especially for marketing writing jobs, the ability to understand the zeitgeist and adapt writing to current audience sentiments and rapidly evolving pop culture trends is essential. Right now, this is something that only a human can do well. The specific value of a writer is about fifty percent their actual writing skills and fifty percent their understanding of how to deploy those skills strategically to evoke an emotion, convey information, or motivate action in the reader. 

3. Where Do We Go From Here?

If the corporate world’s sentiments about human writing are changing and if mid-level writing jobs are disappearing, then where do we go from here? I believe writers have three main paths forward.

Path 1: The Flamingo

Bury your head in the sand. AI sucks at writing and anyone who knows anything will understand that and continue to employ writers. You are a talented writer with years of experience, and you will never use AI even if it means you never work as a writer again.

Path 2: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em.

You commit to learning AI. Not just on the QA side, but as a prompt engineer. You’ll master these models, understand what their pain points are, and how you can contribute to their growth. Rather than fear AI as a blade coming for your neck, you’ll learn to wield the sword yourself.

Path 3: Pivot and Grow

As much as you might want to bill yourself as a pure writer, that may not be a long-term option anymore. Maybe you’re a writer-content strategist. Maybe you’re a writer-director, or a writer-designer. Add that hyphen in there, add a zero to your salary? Or at least, continue to draw a salary.

I’m definitely not an expert, but as I write these words, I’m actively looking for a job, so I’m very plugged into the system of applications, recruiter calls, and AI interviews. The landscape of the creative job market is definitely changing, and this post is my attempt to get my footing on the shifting sands and find a path out of the desert. Also, I have to end with a shameless plug here: if you or someone you know is looking to hire a writer or contest strategist, I’m available! Check out my LinkedIn.