In 2008 the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (UK) commissioned a survey to examine author’s earnings.
Here’s what they found:
- The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer: £16,531
- The typical (median) earnings of a writer: £4,000
- 60% of people who saw themselves as ‘professional authors’ required a second source of income
- The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer (25-34): £14,564
- The typical (median) earnings of a writer (25-34): £5,000
- The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer (35-44): £24,533
- The typical (median) earnings of a writer (35-44): £18,000
- The average (mean) annual earnings of a writer (45-54): £35,958
- The typical (median) earnings of a writer (45-54): £14,250
- The genres that earned the most money (highest to lowest): TV writing, Theatre/film writing, Audio, internet and other, Books – fiction, Books – academic/educational, Books – children’s fiction, Newspapers/magazines and Books – non-fiction.
Source: What are Words Worth? The ALCS commissioned research carried out by Bournemouth University.
By Gary Smailes - Co-founder at 
Leave A Reply (6 comments So Far)
Joanna Penn
167 days ago
oh my goodness, that is depressing! Guess we don’t do it for the money!
[Reply]
Natalie Wright
167 days ago
Eye opening! Thank you for posting this reality check and prompt to hold onto that day job!
[Reply]
Mark
73 days ago
After tax and NI on top of my day job it pays less than minimum wage. People don’t write for money.
[Reply]
Dellani Oakes
73 days ago
I’m lucky if I get $25.00 every 2 months from royalties. Obviously I don’t write because it pays well.
[Reply]
Gary Smailes Reply:
March 6th, 2012 at 8:37 am
I wanted to give writers a realistic expectation for earnings. Writing for money is rarely a good motivation.
[Reply]