what is the average pay for an author of fiction books?

Answer 1

There isn't really an average pay because it depends on how successful your book is, how much it sells for and how much your cut is of the profit.

Answer 2

Depends on what his real job is. And this isn't to slight any authors, but no one writes novels for money - except King, Grishom and Jordan. There are some other ones, but not many.

It's like actors. Some make bizillions of dollars. Most, however, never get a job or if they do, it's bit parts which subzidize the rent.

The average best seller probably clears a couple of hundred thou for the author. So, all you have to do is write one every year and make the best seller list every single time. Film rights is where the money is and you can make another Million or two there pretty easily. Then foriegn rights and royalties. IF, you can get published, and IF you can get on the best sellers list for a couple of weeks and IF you sell the film Rights and IF people overseas like your book, you might be looking at 2 or 3 million dollars. But only 10 books per week make the best seller list and there isn't really a loto f turn over, and when there is, it's usually the same people replacing themselves. Assuming you do sell a book, you might make as little a 5k for the whole shebang if no one buys it.

Also, there are some authors who have made their names an industry. Most of their stuff is ghost written. I won't mention any names, but if you can think of an author who writer romance, mystery or Horror and comes out with 5 or 10 books per year- you have your answer. They often have offices or buildings on their property and come in with an idea and then have the ghostwriters create the books. It also makes sense for the ghost writer, because a book from a big author makes money - they get paid and since everyone in the industry knows who uses ghostwriter's you can use it as a credit on your resume. I can actually mention V. C. Andrews. I don't think I'd be letting any cats out of the back since she;s been dead for 17 years and is putting out 2 new books a year anyway.

About 10 or 15 years ago, Harlequin put out an estimate that their authors made an average of 75K a year. Of course, those are formuls books (seriously, they send you a how to write a harlequin booklet and you just plug in the names) and you can rip them out 5 a year if you have any talent at all.

Answer 3

Actually authors are paid by royalties. A paperback book may net the author 15% of every book sold. A book that sells for 15.00 would get the author around $2.25. There isn't much money paid unless the author is a million seller like King, Patterson, Roberts... and so on.

The big money comes from what is known as an advance. Some authors get a huge amount of money for their work. The advance is what the publisher feels they will get back from the sale of the book. Another big money windfall for the author is movie rights. But book sales are not the bread and butter of writers. Not unless it's a million seller.

Answer 4

Average? Probably about $10,000 a year. A few hit it big and make millions. The rest make next to nothing. The amount making next to nothing is pretty significant, and really knocks the average down.

Answer 5

If you're thinking of getting into it for the money, please do us a favor and don't. The shelves of bookstores are already littered with two bit hacks trying to make a buck rather than create literature. We don't need anymore JK Rowlings or Dan Browns.

Answer 6

From $180K to 734k a year. If he/she sucks, considerably less.