A lot of us probably know the brutal truth, but How Publishing Really Works sets it out very clearly, so if you know anyone who's writing because they dream of millions, point them at this:

http://howpublishingreallyworks.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-writers-earn-part-ii.html

Emma

...even so, an electrician doesn't have the chance to see his name up in lights....or, maybe he does.

Wow, I dream of earning 16,500 a year.
Susiex

If I earnt that, and all from writing, I'd consider myself flush indeed.

JB

...even so, an electrician doesn't have the chance to see his name up in lights....or, maybe he does.

LoL Naomi.

And of course plumbers are often flush with cash.

I dream of earning 16,500 a year.

But for the vast majority it's nowhere near £16,000 - it's all in the difference between the mean average and the median average. It's dragged upwards by the very few who earn tons, while the majority don't earn anything like £16,000:

The top 10% of UK authors earned more than 50% of total reported income, while the bottom 50% earned less than 10% of total reported income. Which means that for every £100 earned through writing in the UK, the top-earning 10% shared out £50 between them, while the lowest-earning half of all writers had to make do with sharing out just £10 between them all. The remaining £40 was shared between the 40% of writers who occupied that relatively middle-to-high-end income bracket.

Or to put it another way, of the 10,000 books in a bookshop (pretending they're all the same price), the top 10 authors sell 500 each; the 40 good steady sellers read by 'heavy' readers (official definition is one book a month) sell 400 each; and 90 other authors sell 100 books between them: just over one book each.

Emma

I'm a retired academic that always wanted to write fiction so I don't need the money - especially since I have a non-retired husband. I've got friends that have published one or two novels and teach creative writing on the basis of that - they never made much from the books (which were good) but it made teaching at a community college a possibility. So they might be seen to be making a living out of writing. (They like what they do, actually...)

Since started writing fiction, I've earned US$360. two charming mugs and a splendid book bag. Mainly in $10. $20 and $30 dribs and drabs. After reading this, I feel kind of good about it.

they never made much from the books (which were good) but it made teaching at a community college a possibility

Yes, I do think that for many writers it makes more sense to see being published as the key to the door of writing-related work, rather than being the main earner for the rest of your career.

Emma

Ah, yes, I remember now why I took up teaching instead of writing as a career. Mind you, after doing an English degree you'd have to be pretty gormless not to notice most published fiction writers have private incomes. Yes, Virginia wrote about having a room of one's own but the small print mentions a pretty sizeable amount per year on the side. And as a friend used to say, 'Jane Austen never tapped a tap'.

People point to JK Rowling but exceptions make poor evidence. Besides, I assume she was paid by the state, what with being a single mum. That's a good thought - how many single writing mums/published does the government unwittingly/unwillingly sponsor every year?

Just heard Alan Sillitoe on 'Desert Island Discs' and thought 'Hello, what's this? A writer with a working class accent?'(except I knew because you don't get many of them to the pound) but it turned out he had a pension after getting TB in the army. That's another way to do it, but a bit happen-stance.

Sheila

Well they say it is a sign of Civilisation, Shelia, when the State can afford for people to produce Art rather than food.

It's not really in the small print - a room of one's own and £500 a year, is the phrase, isn't it? Society won't pay for art it doesn't want, or doesn't yet know it wants. One has to survive some other way, until they do know...

That's a good thought - how many single writing mums/published does the government unwittingly/unwillingly sponsor every year?

I can promise you that what the government contributes towards single parents, male or female, wouldn't give you time to write a three line poem, let alone a novel. We write in the cracks and the gaps like anyone else. The bonus - if you're very lucky, as I have been - is alternate weekends free of children. But that's all: the other twelve days of the week leave no energy or time for anything remotely like writing, at least until they're at school. And if I could have found a proper job then, which could accommodate the fact that I couldn't work except during school hours in term time assuming they weren't ill, I would have. It suited me to muddle on somehow, but I really, really resent the suggestion that the state subsidises single parents in idleness and leisure to write.

Emma

Emma, I definitely think the state should support simgle mums. No child should suffer financially because their parents haven't stayed together. If the mother writes a best-seller at the same time, good for her -and for everyone else, because the tax they pay on earnings will help the common good.

Sheila

Yes, Emma, I'm fully in support of state help for single mums. This should be a society that cares for it's young and vulnerable, not finds new ways to criminalise them.


- NaomiM

Emma - my other half has been away so much recently that I've come as close to being a single Mum as one can ( though without the financial constraints ) and it's draining. It's not just the physical aspect of doing absolutely everything for every member of the household, it's the overwhelming responsibility that I find leaves me brittle.
My daughter has a nut allergy which is, of course, no less life threatening when Andrew is here yet it feels so much more frightening when he's not.
I take my hat off to you because even as a faux single Mum I aint written more then 1000 words this week.
HB x

I agree Emma. Back in the seventies, my dad had a very hard time of it bringing up two small children on his own. He says that back in that time, for the children to be with the dad and not the mum was practically unheard of. There was quite a social stigma, and from what I remember, it was a real struggle.

Generally, I think any writer who shows some level of success should get help. We live in a society that only supports success when it is BIG success. I tried the Arts Council but they didn't want to know, stopping short of calling me a liar while bestowing $5000 on a friend who wasn't even published. I kind of lost faith in them after that.

JB

<Added>

£5000 even!

Interesting blog. To be fair though, I never went into writing with the expectation of becoming the next multi-millionaire selling writer (though if it happens then that would be nice). I understand writing is hard to be a good earner. Heck, I know a guy who's acts on a regular basis in the west end--but struggles to make ends meet.

Guess I should look into finding a high paid job at the same time then.