do you get paid more for a book or short story? also, how much of a difference would it make if u r not known?

Answer 1

For a short story in a magazine or an anthology expect to get between a penny to a nickel a word or 5 - 25 dollars. Not much considering what you put into it.

For a novel, it depends entirely on how you sell it. If you sell it to a small publisher, you will make 10% royalties on what you sell. In some cases I know of, that means 3 books.

If you sell to a large publisher through an agent you can expect an advance. That advance is 50% of the royalties you would make if the whole first printing sells. A good agent can start a bidding war between publishers and get you more.

The average first printing these days is around 15 thousand books for a new author. That means about $18,750 less 15% plus expenses to your agent. When you sell 7501 books, you start making royalties on the second half of the print run. Authors often have to invest that advance in a marketing specialist to promote the book for them or it won't sell and they will end up in the hole.

However, if your books don't sell and they end up, as so many do, in the bargain section at B and N, you make ZERO. No royalties whatsoever.

Then if you self publish it, you are on your own. You make whatever you can manage to make. The average sales of a self published book is less than 100.

Most authors do not make a living at it. Most do not have the luxury to quit their day jobs. Glen Cook was kicking out amazing fantasy and sci fi books while working on a Ford small truck assembly line. It happens.

I have starred some other responses to this. You can find them on my profile. Pax - C

Answer 2

Longer works usually bring more money.

Oh course it makes a difference, a lot of amateur publications pay nothing, while J K Rowling has wheel barrows full of loot. So zero to a quarter of a billion dollars.