How Much Money Do Writers Really Make?

Don’t Quit Your Day Job

One of the things that surprised me most when I went from starry-eyed book lover to industry insider was how few authors are able to make a full-time living from writing. LitHub and Dirt are collaborating on a new series about “the myth of a the middle class writer,” and it should probably be required reading for anyone dreaming of getting their first book deal and striking it rich. 

The median gross pre-tax income of full-time, established authors was $25,000 per year, only $10,000 of which was from book-related sources. In contrast, in 1989, the median author income was $23,000, not adjusted for inflation. 

Had their income kept up with inflation, authors would be earning close to $58k now, which would put them very close to the average salary here in the U.S. There are many ways to spin a response to this, and “pay writers more” is certainly a valid one. But publishing is already feeling the pinch of higher costs, so something else will have to give, too. I’d love to see a real conversation about what a “fewer, better” model could look like.

Catch Up on Cult Classics

It’s a rare book list on the internet in which all of the titles are new to me. How many of these cult classics have you heard of? Which one should I start with? 

When You Say Nothing At All 

Sometimes a Saturday night at home alone with a good book is utter perfection, but if that’s *every* Saturday? Consider trying a silent reading club. It’s a low-key way to step up your social fitness and combat loneliness, and you know going in that you already have one important thing in common with everyone else there: books. Which makes me wonder: how important is it to you that your friends and/or romantic partners are also into reading?

Make it Meta

Books about books are a surefire way to make your brain tingle. I’d add What We See When We Read to this terrific list. Pick this one up in print; Mendelsund’s illustrations are best experienced with a physical book.