Can I expect to make a living from one book published?

Question

Was wondering IF my manuscript is published what can of payment can I expect. Will I make enough to stop working for a year or two to work on my next book

Answer 1

Since you're a first-time writer, you'll have a standard contract, which will offer you 10% of the book's retail price as your royalty. Is that enough to get you where you want? It all depends on the number of copies you sell. Most 1st time writers only sell about 5-10 thousand copies at most, so I wouldn't count on it.

Also, don't count on the advance, as earlier posters have mentioned. The advance isn't like a signing fee -- it's exactly what it says -- "an advance." It is a pre-payment of royalties anticipated. And you won't get a royalty check until the advance is paid off.

And oh, by the way, don't forget about the 15% of your 10% that goes to your agent. And if you think you're going to sell a manuscript today without an agent -- THINK AGAIN -- you won't.

Answer 2

You will probably get a check for somewhere between $2500 and $5000 for a first manuscript. That is an advance against royalties; depending on the publisher and the market, your royalties may run anywhere from 5% to 20% of the selling price of the book. And don't forget you'll have to pay taxes on the advance; they don't withhold them (at least they didn't for me, and that's always a shock come next April).

However, the good news is that the second and subsequent books can be easier to sell than the first, because the publisher knows what it's like to work with you -- just make it clear that you're not a flake, you deliver on time, your work doesn't require lots of post-delivery editing, etc. etc. If this is true, the second advance may well move toward the higher end of the spectrum. And of course, there's nothing like a published book to make it easier to sell an article or two to keep the income flowing between advances.

Being a full-time freelance author/journalist is a very rewarding life; on the one hand, it's hard work for mediocre pay, but on the other, it's no work at all if it's something you love to do. I'm really glad I did it, but I love what I'm doing now (which is a direct result of the writing work I did in the Nineties -- Web-based education for kids and parents), and even more, I just love that automatic deposit every two weeks.

Which I guess is a long-winded way of saying don't give up your day job just yet...

Answer 3

The truth is that if you are an unknown just starting out, you will find it difficult to find someone to read the manuscript. The vast majority of publishers see only writers that are established and have agents to represent them.

There are publishers that take newbee's, but they are few and far between.

Never pay someone to publish anything, those are scams.

If you really want to be published. First take a writing class or workshop and get critiqued. Join a writers group and do the same. Then, after you've worked the bugs out from the critiques, I suggest you log onto Dan Poynters website and see what he suggests for self publishing. He's an expert and also puts on workshops in Santa Barbara, CA. You will find his website full on excellent information to help you.

Chin, up, this isn't as discouraging as it sounds, just realistic. If you have the talent, drive and ambition, you'll do it. Good Luck!

Answer 4

You are asking the wrong question.

Writing a book and getting it published is less than 10% of the total effort involved. The other 90% of the effort is in PROMOTING your book. Promoting your book is a full time JOB. Don't expect your publisher to promote you or your book.

How much do you know about promoting? My guess would be "very little;" otherwise, you wouldn't be asking the question you are asking.

Do you have platform skills? In other words, can you appear on stage or on radio or TV and hold an audience's attention in a compelling way? If you can't, you won't be able to promote well.

These days, it is simply not enough to have a "great idea" for a book ... or to have a book that is "compelling" or "well written." You must know how you and your book will stand out among the 75,000 new books published every year.

If you don't know the answers to these questions, LEARN THEM before you give up your day job.

Finally, before a publisher will buy your manuscript, she will expect that, in addition to platform and promotional skills, you have excellent grammatical skills and a passion for excellence in how you present yourself. You've written just one headline and two sentences and they make a very poor impression.

Answer 5

Dream on.

First of all you will be a first-time author. Unless you have something truly startling you will not get much of an advance; royalty payments are entirely dependent on sales.

The best thing to do is to submit yr MS to a publisher; if by chance they are interested in your first they may also want to have 1st crack at yr second. In the meantime, remember that interest does not pay the rent; writing is one craft that can be pursued while working at other jobs and the best thing for a writer is not to have a blockbuster first time around. (Don't ask, you'll be able to figure out the whys and wherefores)

Answer 6

Possibly yes.....so much will depend upon of course your content as well as the marketing of your book. I wish you the best.
In the best of all possible worlds I would love to say yes, though not knowing anything about your book...lends me to sadly say....I really do not know, though it IS possible. First time Published Writers have a harder go at it....I am sincerely hoping that you already have your second book in motion and look at whatever contract that you signed to see what the codicils on future publications would be. If it is NOT in there, make the suggestion that it is. I don't know how many chapters you are submitting for publication (possibly) but it is important to devise a plan to keep you going. Financially that is, taking the heat off of a regular job which may in fact take away from your dreamline and watermark for success. I wish you the very very best.

Answer 7

I would recommend reading Stephen King's book "On Writing". He explains a good about of information on how the process works and how he started and where he is now. In short, his answer was no, the chances of you becoming rich are not all that good, unless you are an extremely good writer, for one, and two, the public WANTS to read your work. A publisher could publish your work, but that doesn't mean it will be a best seller and the company may not give you any kind of contract in which you will receive an enormous salary.

Answer 8

Therer are many variables to yoru question. First we don't know who you are and if anyone would want to buy yoru manuscript. It's very possible that if it ever gets printed it may sit on the shelf collecting dust or just used to keep coffee stains off the end table. Nothing against you of course..I was just trying ti make my point clear as I believe their is a big different between royalty expectations of a former president or dictator, and my 3rd grade PhyEd instructor..I don't think my old P.E. instructor will be able to retire from his manuscript. Once you get a good understanding of how popular you are to the American people or even the population of the entire world you can get a good idea on how many people will buy your book..from there you can follow the other responses because they looked pretty accurate. Expect about 10% unless you front the money for printing yourself..then you'll get nearly 100%.

Answer 9

I'm not in the publishing business, but I have a friend who published a book and no, it was not enough for her to live on. Unless it becomes a major hit, then that would be a different story, I would guess.

Answer 10

Unless you have such an astounding book or novel, you really can't expect to survive on just one or even two books for that matter. Stephen King, a prime example, as long and drawn out as his books are, people still purchase his books and he makes millions from the royalities. A person just starting out in the business will have a more difficult time getting ahead in the business until they have been established in some other writings. In other words, don't quit your day job.

There are different deals that come with writing a manuscript. Some publishing companies will offer you a deal, where you have to sell your book or novel to various stores, then they will pay you for the sell. There are varying situations, especially in a business such as professional writing. Some companies will pay you an upfront fee to begin your next planned book. Royalities from writing are much different that royalities from movies. For one, they sometimes are more, but, more so are usually less depending on whose writing the book.

Some writers, the rare instance of those who have the luck of writing just one book and making a fortune off of it come along every once in a blue moon. Most writers you will find have to write at least five good selling books in order to survive alone on writing without doing anything else. And yes, if you make enough profit off of one book, you can vacation for up to six months even, possibly even longer if you play your cards right to write your next book.

Whatever happens, I wish you the best in the uncertain business of writing.
J.F.

Answer 11

Don't expect to make a living from one book being published. More often than not, it's going to take several books being published before you can say you are making a living. But don't people crash your hopes either. You could get lucky and make millions off that one book. However, you have to keep thinking realistically.