22 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You’ll spend the morning drafting or revising lessons, problem sets, or explainer scripts in Google Docs, then meet editors in Asana to sync deadlines and feedback.
Afternoons often include creating figures in Adobe Illustrator or Canva, checking proofs in Adobe Acrobat, and uploading final files to publishers. Time for research and fact-checking is frequent, and you’ll sometimes record or script short videos using storyboards for After Effects.
Start with Google Docs for drafting and collaboration, and learn Asana for task tracking—many teams use both daily.
Next, practice Adobe Illustrator for diagrams and Adobe Acrobat for preparing print-ready PDFs; Canva is fine for quick visuals. If you want to work on motion graphics or video explainers, learn Adobe After Effects and InDesign for multi-page layouts.
You can use AI to generate first drafts or alternative explanations, but always verify every step by manual calculation and sources. Treat AI output like a junior writer: check logic, correctness, and pedagogy before publishing.
Keep a record of your edits and use Google Docs version history. Never publish verbatim AI math without proof; for copyrighted source material, follow copyright procedures and consult editors.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 47,940 employed in this occupational area with a median annual wage of $76,910. Median means half earn more, half earn less.
BLS lists the lowest tenth at $44,310 and the top tenth at $139,870. Pay varies by employer type (textbook publisher, edtech, government), experience, and whether you write freelance or salaried.
Make 5–10 concrete pieces: lesson pages, worked problem sets, short explainer videos or motion-graphic clips, and a sample pamphlet laid out in InDesign or Canva. Put drafts in Google Docs and export PDFs via Acrobat to show print-ready files.
Include at least one sample where you interviewed a subject-matter expert or used primary sources, and a revision example showing editor feedback handled through Asana or tracked changes.
The top skill is clear, correct explanation at the reader’s level: knowing which steps to show and which to skip. That means writing worked solutions that match the learner’s background and testing them with actual readers.
Practical chops matter too: clean diagrams in Illustrator or Canva, and smooth handoff to publishers using Acrobat and InDesign. Editors notice both clarity and tidy, publishable files.