How much money can a author potentially make from a book, bestseller or not?

Question

I would like to know the monetary potential of writing a book is. From a normal selling book, to the top of the charts. How much money does the author usually make?

Answer 1

Depends on how best your book sells..first time authors dont have the luxury of a reputation and cannot demand any advance payments. Royalties are limited to 5-8% of the publishers price.. This price is different from that the publisher sells to a book club as compared to individual book distributors like Barnes and Noble.

If your book is a best seller and the publisher finds that your name sells, you can then demand for an advance depending on the subject topic and how hot you are.. royalties can then be negotiated as well..

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

There are so many variables to that question that it would be hard to answer completely here.

The short version is that only 200-250 fiction writers in America each year actually make a living by writing fiction. (I don't know the number in other countries but it's likely the same percent or lower.)

Some publishers offer advances and they have a wide range depending on how much they think you will sell. Most often, that is the ONLY money an author makes on a book because you will not receive money from sales until after the publisher makes back whatever he gave you as an advance. Not all publishers offer advances. They do tie your book up in a contract, though, so if you don't get an advance and it doesn't sell, you get nothing from it. If lucky, you can outwait the contract and try again with someone else.

You will make money on a bestseller -- the amount depends on your own work of marketing it. The publisher won't do much of that although some of them will help support your efforts.

If you do it on your own, it completely depends on two things:

1 -- Is it marketable (have you edited it well, are you characters interesting, is your plot fresh or cliche)?

2 -- Are you willing to work hard to market it?

Bookselling is largely a marketing game. If you aren't willing to put a lot of time and effort into setting up signings, running a website (or hiring someone to run it), promoting constantly in any way you can think of or read about, and getting people to review it publicly, then your book will not sell regardless of its quality. It's a long uphill battle, unless you are one of the few very, very lucky.

I have two books published and great reviews but I have yet to break even on the publishing/promo costs. But that isn't why I write. It's a job you have to be passionate about or it isn't worth your time. Don't plan to give up your day job. You never know, though, a few actually make it.

Answer 4

J. K. Rowling, the authoress of the Harry Potter books, is the richest woman in England. Rough estimates of the money she made from the 6 books, with movie rights and a cut on HP Halloween costumes, replica wands, model broomsticks, etc. is 1.5 billion dollars US. Since they came in a stream, and #1 was still selling briskly when people were lining up for # 2, (and #1 and #2 were still selling briskly when they were stocking #3 by the pallet for the midnight release date) it is hard to estimate how much a single book was brought in.

At the other end of the scale, you can lose money, if the publishers don't think the book is worth taking a gamble on, so you take it to a vanity press and pay them to knock out 1,000 copies, which end up in your garage.

I think $5,000 (US) is the smallest payment if a publisher accepts your book. You might read a couple of FAQ in "Writer's Market", which should be in your library's reference section, if you are in the USA. If you are not, your country probably has the equivalent. It is a list of all publishers and magazines that accept free-lance material. It has some guidelines as well. Ask your librarian.

Answer 5

Read the novel Bend In the Road Or Message In the Bottle Both written by My favorite Author Nicholas Sparks.

Answer 6

Are you a freelance author who would like to discover much more about how to earn wonderful money carrying out what you appreciate? If you want to advance your creating occupation

Answer 7

1

Answer 8

anywhere from nothing (most books) to billions (Harry Potter). And even Harry Potter was rejected by several publishing houses before it got printed.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

1,000 around there