Authors Guild survey reports on member earnings

[fjtorres]

From Publishers Weekly:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...erty-line.html

The survey, which will be released next week, indicates, among other things, that the majority of authors would be living below the Federal Poverty Level if they relied solely on income from their writing.

Mary Rasenberger, executive director at the Guild, acknowledged that the findings paint a grim picture. “When it comes to income there is no good news to report,” she said. Citing a swirl of factors, from online piracy to publisher consolidation to the rise of Amazon (and the shuttering of brick and mortar bookstores), Rasenberger said the takeaway from the survey is that authors should be, receiving higher royalties from publishers. “Authors need to be cut in more equitably on the profits their publishers see, or we’ll stop seeing the quality of work the industry was built on.”

The survey, conducted this spring by the Codex Group, is based on responses from 1,674 Guild members, 1,406 of whom identified either as a full-time author, or a part-time one. The majority of respondents also lean older—89% are over the age of 50—and toward the traditionally published end (64%).

So what does that Federal Poverty Level statistic mean? Given that a single person earning less than $11,670 annually sits below the poverty line, 56% of respondents would qualify, if they relied solely on income from their writing. The survey also indicated that not only are many authors earning little, they are, since 2009, also earning less. Overall, the median writing-related income among respondents dropped from $10,500 in 2009 to $8,000 2014 in 2014, a decline of 24%. The decline came for both full-time and part-time authors with full-time authors reporting a 30% drop in income to $17,500 and part-time authors seeing a 38% decrease, to $4,500.

One thing the survey indicates is that more authors are taking a hybrid approach to their careers. While only 4% of respondents said they have only self-published, 33% reported having self-published at least one book. To Rasenberger, this stat shows authors are recognizing opportunities that self-publishing offers.

More at the source.
Note this is only representative of AG membership, not the profession as a whole.
And with only 4% of the respondents being self-pub only (I'm surprised they allowed them in!) it is primarily reflective of the state of midlist authors in tradpub. This is reflected in the use of median income rather than average, which would be unduly skewed by including the 1-percenters of the AU gang.

Also note the obligatory Anti-Amazon dig in what is really a report about author contract terms.

Finally, AUTHORS EARNINGS is polishing up a report due in two weeks at which point we'll get a different look at the state of the business.

[Fat Abe]

The only writing job that pays today is Software. This is the sad, but undeniable reality of jobs in today's economy. More fiction books have been written than can ever be read in a lifetime. Software, on the other hand, is mutable, always in need of repair, and the profession, if you can call it that, is loaded with more hack "writers" than you will ever find in a pulp fiction magazine. Programming pays handsomely, and by God, you do not even need to be perfect to succeed.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by Fat Abe

The only writing job that pays today is Software. This is the sad, but undeniable reality of jobs in today's economy. More fiction books have been written than can ever be read in a lifetime. Software, on the other hand, is mutable, always in need of repair, and the profession, if you can call it that, is loaded with more hack "writers" than you will ever find in a pulp fiction magazine. Programming pays handsomely, and by God, you do not even need to be perfect to succeed.

Writing software, no doubt, pays better, but there's also (and will likely always be) steady work in technical writing. I imagine it could be a nice parallel occupation for a writer of literature, especially if the technical writing can be performed remotely.

[gmw]

Fat Abe, not being perfect while writing software is actually one of the ways to succeed - how else can you justify upgrade costs, and a v2 to include all the things you didn't get around to in v1.

Being a software developer I really shouldn't have said that. But what I can add is that one of the most depressing things about writing software is its short lifespan. You've barely released it and it's out of date (if it wasn't already out of date before you released). Fiction may also fall out of date, but you generally get at least a few years out of it before it gets embarrassing.

None of which changes the fact that anyone that takes up writing fiction expecting to make a living from it has obviously not done much research - like maybe five minutes with Google. Sure some people make it that far, but it's not something you can expect, just something you can try and see how it comes out - pretty much like anyone else that tries to run their own business.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by gmw

...

None of which changes the fact that anyone that takes up writing fiction expecting to make a living from it has obviously not done much research - like maybe five minutes with Google. Sure some people make it that far, but it's not something you can expect, just something you can try and see how it comes out - pretty much like anyone else that tries to run their own business.

Yep, it's pretty much always been that way. The biggest difference now is that in the past, most would be authors were never published. Now they can self publish rather easily (yes, I know that vanity publishers have been around for a long while, but that was pretty expensive).

I suspect that what happens is people read the stories about authors making it big (either traditional or self published) and identifies with them rather than the 99% who sell books to their family and friends and that's about it. Not much different than the kids who think that they are going to make it in pro sports, or people who expect to win the lottery.

Not saying that people shouldn't go for it, especially if they enjoy writing, but as the advise to budding comedians goes - Don't give up your day job, at least not until you have a successful book or two.

[meeera]

I wouldn't suggest that authors who have a book or two under their belts give up their day jobs either, not unless the books have been ridiculously runaway successes and they have plenty of others in the pipeline. Are these figures really any surprise to anyone? I don't personally know any writers who write full-time hours - they're all fitting it around their day jobs. You don't go into fiction writing expecting a consistent full-time wage to drop into your lap, any more than you go into acting or music or inventing expecting the same.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by meeera

I wouldn't suggest that authors who have a book or two under their belts give up their day jobs either, not unless the books have been ridiculously runaway successes and they have plenty of others in the pipeline. Are these figures really any surprise to anyone? I don't personally know any writers who write full-time hours - they're all fitting it around their day jobs. You don't go into fiction writing expecting a consistent full-time wage to drop into your lap, any more than you go into acting or music or inventing expecting the same.

And most people who make a living from writing are not writing fiction; they're working in journalism, advertising copy-writing, etc. Writing is a broad church; it's a mistake to think (and I'm not suggesting that you do!) that the only way to be a professional writer is to write fiction.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HarryT

And most people who make a living from writing are not writing fiction; they're working in journalism, advertising copy-writing, etc. Writing is a broad church; it's a mistake to think (and I'm not suggesting that you do!) that the only way to be a professional writer is to write fiction.

Or that the various national Authors' groups are particularly representative of the profession.

A lot of the writers making good livings off writing (even fiction) do it outside the bounds of traditional publishing. Staff writers on TV shows, for example. Few are known to the general public but their numbers far exceed the membership of groups like AG or AU or whatever.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by meeera

I wouldn't suggest that authors who have a book or two under their belts give up their day jobs either, not unless the books have been ridiculously runaway successes and they have plenty of others in the pipeline. Are these figures really any surprise to anyone? I don't personally know any writers who write full-time hours - they're all fitting it around their day jobs. You don't go into fiction writing expecting a consistent full-time wage to drop into your lap, any more than you go into acting or music or inventing expecting the same.

I know a few that are making a living at writing. One was retired when he started writing. 2 others didn't quit their day job until they were making more than their day job. 1 didn't quit her job until she had a huge savings built up.
All others I know are still working or were housewives to begin with.
Note: the retired guy is now making money hand over fist but he also writes at least 5 books a year and works about 16 hours a day, writing and marketing.
The next two, I worry about. They are making a living wage and that is about it.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Note: the retired guy is now making money hand over fist but he also writes at least 5 books a year and works about 16 hours a day, writing and marketing.

That would be about right for a successful freelance writer.
Income will generally be proportional to time commitment.

It's not an easy job but few are, anyway.
And if the writer enjoys it...

[Josieb1]

I know an author of dozens of books (self and small publisher published) who recently said her royalties had dropped by two thirds in the last two years. The genre she writes in is a small one admittedly (MM Romance) but she is a 'known' name. She is looking for a job as she can't make a living on writing alone. She is also over 50.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I know an author of dozens of books (self and small publisher published) who recently said her royalties had dropped by two thirds in the last two years. The genre she writes in is a small one admittedly (MM Romance) but she is a 'known' name. She is looking for a job as she can't make a living on writing alone. She is also over 50.

I know several NYT bestsellers that have to have day jobs.
Hope your author finds a job soon.