Greeting Card Writer Job Description, Career as a Greeting Card Writer, Salary, Employment

Training/Educational Requirements: Writing experience preferred

Median Salary: $35 to $200 per submission

Job Prospects: Good

Job Description

Greeting card writers work to provide written copy for birthday, anniversary, sympathy, and other wishes. Though writing text for such cards is usually a freelance or contract position, for which the writer is hired only as needed, there are some experienced greeting card writers who may find a full-time job.

It is important for greeting card writers not only to have the skill to write for various occasions and emotions but to do their research. Writers need to understand the audience for which each card is intended and the audience who is actually purchasing the card. A sympathy card, for example, is purchased for someone who’s grieving by someone who wants to make that person feel better or who wants to express understanding.

Greeting card writers must prepare and write content for a variety of different occasions and types of cards, and then they generally submit them to the greeting card company. Though it is possible to get a full-time job working as a greeting card writer, this is usually not the case. Instead, the writer provides various submissions and hopes, but cannot expect, that one, some, or all of them get picked up. The greeting card writer’s level of experience and celebrity can play a big factor in the amount of preparation the writer must do, as well as the number of their submissions that a company picks up.

Greeting card writers must also work at developing relationships with greeting card companies in hopes of obtaining regular work. Writers work at relationships so that their submissions are picked from among the competition, and this can be a big part of the job. Though the majority of the job is focused on writing, being well-established within this industry, performing research, and developing good relationships can be almost as important.

Training/Educational Requirements

Though most greeting card writers have a bachelor’s degree, often in journalism or communications, this is not necessarily a requirement. For those who wish to work in this field, they must have solid writing experience, so putting pen to paper is usually the most important training one can do. Being able to show a good writing portfolio is quite important. If some of that experience is within the greeting card business, it can be an even bigger help.

Though they have no set educational requirement or ongoing training program, greeting card writers should maintain or improve their writing skills. Keeping skills sharp and learning new tactics and trends, particularly within the greeting card industry, can be helpful in developing as this type of writer.

How to Get Hired

The best way to get hired as a greeting card writer is to demonstrate strong writing ability. Though it can be extremely helpful to have experience within the greeting card industry, it is not always necessary. The more writing experience that a greeting card writer has, the better her or his chances of getting hired in this competitive field.

Job Prospects, Employment Outlook, and Career Development

There is always a need for greeting cards, so the market really helps writers interested in this field. Even in times of economic struggle, people usually still want to buy greeting cards. This means that there is always a need for good greeting card writers, and ultimately this results in job openings. It is important to note, though, that there aren’t necessarily a lot of full-time positions in this field, but the potential for freelance writers to work for greeting card companies is definitely strong.

This is a very competitive aspect of writing, so experience is quite important. The more experience writers have, particularly writing for greeting cards, the better their chances are for getting their submissions accepted.

Working Environment

Most greeting card writers work from home, as this is often a freelance writing position. This means that they may work anywhere around the world, and generally they work from a home office. It can be helpful if a greeting card writer has a comfortable home office where they may work on their submissions free of distractions, but every writer works differently. Though some greeting card writers may work within a corporate environment if they have a full-time position, this is quite rare within the field. Greeting card writers may work unusual hours, particularly if they are on a deadline. It can help if they work in an environment where they may really focus and concentrate on their writing.

Salary and Benefits

The average salary for a greeting card writer can vary quite dramatically, as these are usually freelance or contract types of positions that come and go. Most who work as greeting card writers are freelance writers who may work in other areas as well. Many greeting card companies will pay a set rate per submission accepted, and this can range from $35 to $200 depending on content and use. The number of submissions accepted will vary by writer and by editor within a greeting card company, so there isn’t necessarily a set salary range per year for this position. As this is usually a freelance type of writing position, the individuals working as a greeting card writer are usually responsible for their own benefits.