People are curious about how much money their author acquaintances make. Didn't J. K. Rowling purchase her own private island?
The reality is harsh. Most writers will never make a living off their short stories and novels. I had dreams of quitting the day job after my first novel publication. Then the publisher went belly up.
So I was surprised to receive a royalty statement from them this week. Our business relationship had ended several years ago.
I thought I'd dispel some myths about the lifestyle of rich and famous authors by sharing this stunning royalty statement. Okay, this isn't a good representation. They don't sell my books anymore. This stunning sum is left over from some long ago sale. They don't write royalty checks for less than $50, so my 31 cents will float around for the rest of eternity.
My new publisher is doing quite a bit better. But it's definitely not quit the day job money. If most struggling authors are like me, they are writing for the joy it, not the anticipation of wealth. We have stories to tell.
The reality is harsh. Most writers will never make a living off their short stories and novels. I had dreams of quitting the day job after my first novel publication. Then the publisher went belly up.
So I was surprised to receive a royalty statement from them this week. Our business relationship had ended several years ago.
I thought I'd dispel some myths about the lifestyle of rich and famous authors by sharing this stunning royalty statement. Okay, this isn't a good representation. They don't sell my books anymore. This stunning sum is left over from some long ago sale. They don't write royalty checks for less than $50, so my 31 cents will float around for the rest of eternity.
My new publisher is doing quite a bit better. But it's definitely not quit the day job money. If most struggling authors are like me, they are writing for the joy it, not the anticipation of wealth. We have stories to tell.
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