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WRITING THE DOUBLE

EDGED SWORD I SUPPOSE IS A LOT BETTER THAN 'RIDING THE DOUBLE EDGED SWORD!'

posted by ALWAYSALOVER on April 10, 2005 at 4:44 PM | link to this | reply

It's a while since I did the exercise of finding out how much the "average" writer makes, especially those who get published through a main publisher. But a quick check with sources that should know (called directly) just confirms what I've suggested before

Most book writers (through publishers) get between 5 and 12% royalty, but that's on books sold, before job lotting. At $20 per copy, this works out to be between $1 and $2.40 per copy, and most books only sell 2500 to 3500 copies. But. although you might get an advance, most times you don't start getting paid for 18 to 24 months after acceptance, which may take months before you find that publisher. Once you get going, you can figure that you can get 4 books written and accepted per year. So, they all need "fillers" to eke out their total income.

And you'd win your bet: most fiction (and other) writers earn around the median income in their country, but put in far longer hours, which suggests that, like many small business people, they don't make the minimum wage on an hourly basis.

posted by L.E.Gant on April 10, 2005 at 2:02 PM | link to this | reply

Whim, as i said in my post in spite of the precariousness there is nothing `i would rather do. Please check out my post in response

posted by Azur on April 10, 2005 at 12:02 AM | link to this | reply

I suppose a few low-paying jobs would be okay, as long as I end up getting those million $$$ advances like J.K. Rowling before I'm done.

posted by DarrkeThoughts on April 9, 2005 at 12:42 PM | link to this | reply

I'll take a few low-paying writing jobs.  Where do you get them?

posted by kingmi on April 9, 2005 at 10:23 AM | link to this | reply