Art & stories
What does a
author do?
Writes books, stories, and articles.
A career guide for curious students · Grades 3–12
A day in the life
Develops ideas, writes and rewrites, works with editors, and shares work with readers.
Skills to practise
Imagination, discipline, resilience.
How to explore this path
No required route; practice, reading, and often writing courses.
Training, qualifications and professional rules vary by country. Check current local requirements with a teacher or careers counsellor.
School subjects & interests
Author connects with Languages. You may enjoy this work if you like creative.
TRY A LITTLE OF THIS CAREER
A hands-on activity
Write a 100-word story with a surprise ending.
Ask an adult to help. Follow the safety notes in the activity. Print this activity or save it as a PDF in your chosen language. Downloadable PDF files are in English.
For younger explorers: a simpler explanation
What do they do?
Authors write stories and books.
What helps?
Reading a lot and imagining.
Learning about the path
You practise writing and read a lot.
Questions to explore next
- Which part of this work sounds most interesting to me?
- What did I enjoy when I tried the activity?
- What could I ask someone who works in this field?