Out of extreme curiousity

Let's see...I have written 3 novels and I have made exactly $0.00. That breaks down to about $0.00 per novel or $0.00 per page. Glad I could help.

You mean advances? Seriously. It's impossible to say. There are so many things to consider -- genre, platform and agent skillz to name just 3 of eleventy billion.

They say the average for a debut novelist is between 1 and 10k. Maybe. Depending.

kayleamay said:

Let's see...I have written 3 novels and I have made exactly $0.00. That breaks down to about $0.00 per novel or $0.00 per page. Glad I could help.

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And for the English equivalent, I've written five and have made £0.00. Which breaks down to £0.00 per novel.

WinterDusk14 said:

How much are novelists paid per novel? I know it depends, so let's break it down...

First Timers
Average selling novelists
Well-established novelists
Bestselling writers

Let's add in royalties afterward...

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Wow, it varies so wildly even within those divisions. A first timer could make a couple of thousand or a couple of million. So really those figures are useless to you.

And no, I won't tell you how much I make.

And for the English equivalent, I've written five and have made £0.00. Which breaks down to £0.00 per novel.

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And when you consider all the money spent on paper, electricity, whatever else needed to write these novels, we're all making a loss. Woe.

lisamarie84x said:

And when you consider all the money spent on paper, electricity, whatever else needed to write these novels, we're all making a loss. Woe.

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We're all bound for the poor house.

I can confirm the Scottish equivalent of two and a half novels written, making me £0:00, which averages out at £0:00 per word, or £0:00 per page.

In the Publishers Marketplace newsletter, they mention if it's a debut novel or someone already pubbed. They say from a “nice deal” ($1-$49,000) to a “major deal” ($500,000 and up). And it varies greatly. No one can predict what kind of advance a book will get from a publishing house.

Writer's are so tight-lipped about what they make from their novels. It's crazy.

You know, if someone could create a resource where they get published authors to come clean about how much they make, the website would be wildly popular.

James81 said:

Writer's are so tight-lipped about what they make from their novels. It's crazy.

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No, it's just downright rude to ask someone what they make. Unless someone volunteers it, I would never ask.

It's extremely poor manners and nobody's damn business.

Hey aadams, I was just wondering...how much do you make?

James81 said:

Writer's are so tight-lipped about what they make from their novels. It's crazy.

You know, if someone could create a resource where they get published authors to come clean about how much they make, the website would be wildly popular.

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You mean like this one?

http://www.brendahiatt.com/id2.html

kayleamay said:

Hey aadams, I was just wondering...how much do you make?

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Three coconuts and a bottle of cheap beer.

Three coconuts? Three? Dammit! I got two! hmph!

aadams73 said:

Three coconuts and a bottle of cheap beer.

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you got a cheap bottle of beer? Damn- I knew I should have read that fine print better- all I got were the coconuts.

$00000000000000000000000.00 here.
OMHO
There is a publication that does post the really big deals. One of you may know the one I am thinking about, the name escapes my mind right now. But this is for the realllllly biggggg ones.

I too think it is rude to ask amounts. That would be like someone asking me how much money I have in my savings/checking account. This is very personal information. More power to you if someone shares this insight with you.

Read it and weep: three coconuts. Bottle of cheap beer.

Also(I know you'll be really jealous)sometimes they'll slip me a can of peas. Then it's like Christmas around here!

Hey, you got the beer. Quicherbichin.

James81 said:

Writer's are so tight-lipped about what they make from their novels. It's crazy.

You know, if someone could create a resource where they get published authors to come clean about how much they make, the website would be wildly popular.

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I agree, maybe if the average 'wage' was known, a lot of the 'I'm going to write a novel and retire on the proceeds!' Rowling/ Meyer wannabees would decide that writing is not a get rich quick scheme and would turn to something more profitable. Thus easing the slush piles

Ellefire said:

I agree, maybe if the average 'wage' was known, a lot of the 'I'm going to write a novel and retire on the proceeds!' Rowling/ Meyer wannabees would decide that writing is not a get rich quick scheme and would turn to something more profitable. Thus easing the slush piles

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The thing is, the "average wage" is useless. The mode(the figure most commonly occurring) might be more useful. But an average? The outlying figures are going to skew the results wildly.

Although I do agree with your sentiment about people thinking writing is a "get rich" scheme.

For me as a very small press writer, counting both novellas and novels, $500-1,500 ea--royalties only, no advance.

aadams73 said:

No, it's just downright rude to ask someone what they make. Unless someone volunteers it, I would never ask.

It's extremely poor manners and nobody's damn business.

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They'll just have to read about it in The New York Times Review of Books like the rest of us mortals.

7

KTC said:

7

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potato salad!