MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - What if you had to live entirely off your royalties?

doreenjoy · 10-23-2010, 05:34 PM

There's an old joke about writing as a profession -- You can make a killing, but you can't make a living.

Even in the mainstream publishing world, it's difficult to get by on royalties alone. Over 80% of the authors with books currently in print still have day jobs. Of the other 20%, I'd guess more than a few are being supported by spouses or trust funds.

Another old saying -- One writer's trough is another's pinnacle. For my own books, I consider sales of less than 500 copies in the first week to be failure. I have friends who consider not making the NY Times list to be failure. As with many things, YMMV.

10-23-2010, 05:34 PM	#22
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	There's an old joke about writing as a profession -- You can make a killing, but you can't make a living. Even in the mainstream publishing world, it's difficult to get by on royalties alone. Over 80% of the authors with books currently in print still have day jobs. Of the other 20%, I'd guess more than a few are being supported by spouses or trust funds. Another old saying -- One writer's trough is another's pinnacle. For my own books, I consider sales of less than 500 copies in the first week to be failure. I have friends who consider not making the NY Times list to be failure. As with many things, YMMV.