Nobody plans to work at McDonald’s for the rest of their lives, but I know hundreds of people who dream of writing for a living. As this sad but neat-o graph from Onward Search reveals, an entry-level position flipping burgers is probably more lucrative (and stable) than slinging words for a living.

I haven’t worked at a McDonald’s but I did my time in retail growing up so I’m acquainted with the soul-sucking powers of the cash register, and nobody looks good in a hair net. Whether it’s a celebrity gossip blog or a personal finance newsletter, publications also use a factory model to churn out their product to as many people as possible.

The difference is that people want to write for a living.

People want to write so badly that they’ll agree to do it for a non-livable wage. And for those who do step into the social media machine, they get so caught up in the daily hunt for clicks and follows that they’re rarely developing the management and reporting skills that will get them to the next rung on the ladder. It’s enough to make people ask if social media editors are real people. They are, but they’re not very well rewarded for what they do.

So for aspiring writers out there, go ahead and practice your craft. Learn how to write snappy headlines and irresistible ledes. But don’t forget to learn the management and planning skills that will net you that writing dream job without having to settle for a McDonald’s salary.

[Via Mediabistro]