I'm a professional novelist myself working in a relatively small field (Science Fiction), I think about this question all the time

But I've been very, very lucky. Most of my fellows are not so fortunate, as you can see
here.
Quote:
The average author earns about £16,000, a third less than the national average wage, it is revealed. So what? They're doing what they love. But hidden behind that figure released by the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is a grimmer truth: when you take away the superstars who are earning shedloads, the actual figure for the rest is closer to £4,000.
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