How much money does a starting writer generally gain?

Question

Please don't explain to me how to paying system works (I allready know), I just want numbers to give me an Idea...

Answer 1

In 2004, Nielsen Bookscan tracked sales of 1.2 million books in the US. Of those 1.2 million, 950,000 sold fewer than 99 (yes, ninety-nine) copies each. Another 200,000 sold fewer than 1,000 copies. Only 25,000 books sold more than 5,000 copies. Fewer than 500 sold more than 100,000 copies. Only 10 books sold more than a million copies each.

THE AVERAGE BOOK IN THE US SELLS ABOUT 500 COPIES, for which a new author typically gets about $1-2 per book in royalties. Much of that money usually stays with the publisher to pay back the advance (if any) that the author recieved upon signing. In other words, you may work for 3 years writing a book that makes you less money than a week working at McDonald's. Harsh reality, yes?

Good luck!

Jon F. Baxley (Author, Editor, Ghostwriter and Proofreader)

THE SCYTHIAN STONE (eBook only)
THE BLACKGLOOM BOUNTY (eBook and hard cover)
THE REGENTS OF RHUM (coming fall '07)

Answer 2

Are you talking about a book author, or another kind of writer? Most corporate type writers (Technical writers, marketing writers, etc) generally start in the mid-thirties.
On the other hand, freelance writers can make a bundle. I freelance technical writing work and get paid $1,000 a project, and it usually takes me a couple weeks to finish a project. As a side business, an extra $2,000 a month for one project isn't bad.

Answer 3

None. And, once you get something published... maybe 50 bucks a short story, so however many of those you can get out there. But it could be nothing. If you're doing it for the money, you're doing it for the wrong reason... not just because of any ideological value, but because of the system too. Keep plugging. Who knows, you might write he next Bond series.

Answer 4

Usually for adult fiction the advance is usually between 25-35 thousand. For kids ficton the advance is usually between 2-10 thousand.

The advance is against royalties. Then after you sell enough books to cover your advance you recieve usually about 12% of the list price for hardcover and 7.5% of the list price of paperback.

I don't know about nonfiction, it's different from fiction.

(Also when you sign your contract ask your agent to negotiate for an elevator clause stating that after you sell a certain amount of copies your percentages increase, usually to about 15% and 10%, approximately.)

Answer 5

I think the general consensus is that if your just starting out you don't get paid that much but once you get to sharpening your writing skills you'll probably get up the ladder

Answer 6

sweety not much it takes a while to make money plus u have to be a hell of a writerto make$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Answer 7

I haven't made the first dollar. Yet!

Answer 8

20 dollars if you are lucky.

Answer 9

None.