How is life as an author?

Question

I know they don't make alot but how well do they get by?And how much would they get paid for a book that only does fairly well.Any info apreciated.

Answer 1

I love life as an author but that's because I write for the love of writing and not for the money.

Only about 200 writers in America make enough money writing fiction to live off it, and that's most often temporary. Others write articles and such to help support them. The rest of us have other jobs.

How much you make depends on lots of things so there is no average estimate available that you could count on. Traditionally published authors make 8 to 12% on each book. For an $8.00 book, that's $0.64 to $0.98 per book, which gives you an idea how many you have to sell to make much of anything on it.

Answer 2

I know writers that have quit their day jobs to concentrate on writing. Each of these folks have at least 20 books in print (and several have more) and that still isn't enought to pay the bills. Many do speaking engagement on the aspects of writing or other subjects they know well, some teach these subjects on a limited basis (short courses at local colleges), and some do both. Of course many of a spouse that provides an added income.

Books that do moderatly well are a good thing. The worst are the ones you have to buy yourself and store in your garage (vanity, self publishing, and Publish America) Once the royalities have paid off the advance you received, you will begin to get those checks.

If you want to make money writing, consider doing articles for magazines, short stories (also hard to sell) for true romance magazines sell well and, guess what, they don't have to be true. But the author doesn't get their name on the story or any recognition of any kind in most of these publications, but they do get the check.

The responder who said to write as a hobby is right in a way. I write and I'm just starting to get published (every story is a new job to try to sell -- it never gets easy). But I don't consider writing a hobby, its my advocation, my other job.

BTW, I love my life as a writer.

Answer 3

If an author could earn $10,000 on a book, that author is doing better than average. Those blockbuster books like "The DaVinci Code," make millions of dollars, but those blockbuster books are rare in the business outside of well known writers like James Paterson, Anne Rice, Judith Krantz, etc. For most writers, the money they earn on one book doesn't pay all of the bills. Most writers have to depend on the spouse or have a second job to make ends meet.

Answer 4

from personal experience, an author's life sometimes it's the greatest high and othertimes it sucks. when the story you're writing is not going nowhere, it sucks. but when you are riding the 'wave', you love the world and everybody loves you. money doesn't matter much. it depends upon the PR of your publishing house. if you are into being an author for the money, forget it. my first book had great reviews and did fairly well and I got very little money.

Answer 5

It is like being an actor. A few make lots of money, but 90% have to have another 'real' job to get by.

Answer 6

Get a degree.Keep yor day job .Write for a hobby.

Answer 7

Some do very well. Go ask JK Rowling.