Of all the learned professions, literature is the most poorly paid.
—Dr. Edward Eggleston, 1890
Lately, I have taken to answer publishing-related questions on Quora. Yesterday, I came across someone who asked, What percentage of novelists earn a living wage (i.e. $40,000-$50,000 a year)?
After a little research, I came across some data that I think will be of interest to you, so I’m sharing here my response.
What Percentage of Novelists Earn a Living Wage?
Writing is typically a poorly paid profession—or so most people think. However, just how poorly paid it is, is a matter of some debate. Last year, the Authors Guild released an income survey with the usual “crisis” headline. However, a large number of respondents reported little or no income. Once you filter out these people, the numbers are quite different.
As Publishers Marketplace explains, the median income for full-time published authors, once you remove the people reporting nothing at all, was $20,857.
In fact, despite the Authors Guild study conclusions, full-time authors saw their median income rise 13 percent since 2013, and romance/romantic suspense authors also saw gains.
For the 63 percent of authors who reported receiving book-related income in 2017, the average total income was $43,247 (which, again, paints a very different picture than the Authors Guild headline of $6,080).
And three-sevenths of full-time authors with any earnings were making over $50,000 (source: Author Income Surveys Are Misleading and Flawed—And Focus on the Wrong Message for Writers | Jane Friedman)
So, with apologies to George Orwell, you can make money out of publishing even if you don’t marry the publisher’s daughter.
However, I should stress that full-time authors are usually those who have been at it for years, if not decades. So, if you’re asking whether a newcomer can make that kind of money in, say, a year, my answer would be, it’s highly unlikely.
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Thanks for the encouraging post!
Thank you, Dorothy! Some found it discouraging 😉
I don’t believe half the figures I hear about… I take it in the same way I take the number of best-seller claims… hyped… It’ll be far less. 🙂
You’re a wise man 🙂
I don’t think I will ever hit the magic mark of earning $40K. It seems like those who pay lots of money for Kirkus reviews make more money, then there are those of us, such as myself, who can’t afford that kind of money spent on a review when the money is needed for food. I don’t get it.
There are far easier ways to make money, for sure 🙂
Fascinating! I guess it helps to be called to the craft early in life!!
That’s a good point 😀