Talking money?

It's published in places like Publishers Lunch a lot--even if only in general terms.

And there are standard rates, in broad terms, for specific kinds of books.

And there are standard contracts, too.

SFWA has a lot of resources worth checking even if you're not writing SF and F, as do other sites.

Once in a while, someone will admit to specific money received on a contract, but honestly, I don't see it all that often. Even here on AW. I've certainly never revealed the details of my contracts. When I offer up numbers as examples, they're not my specific dollar amounts.

It's up to each individual writer, if they want to talk about money. Some do, some don't.

It's funny, because in real life, I'm amazed by the number of people who think it's okay to ask me how much I sold my books for. I look back at them and ask what their current salary is--usually gets the point across.

I don't think it's something I'd post either...

I went to a lecture by Brandon Sanderson where he was talking about money/publishing/surviving on self-employment as a writer. He made up a unit (the amount of money he made on Elantris during its first year) and then used that unit -- Elantris-money-years -- to describe advances/sales of everything else. It was highly informative...and at the same time, didn't mention specific numbers, because none of us could translate Elantris-money-years into a dollar amount.

I'll talk percentages, but never specifics unless I have a damn good reason to.

I'm only published with erotica epresses, so I wouldn't presume to Chaos's level of success (yet!) but I too have had people ask me how much I earn or how much I have in the bank and it amazes me that they think they even have the right to ask.

I tell people there are three types of advances: walking around money, pretty good money, and life-changing money. Then I tell them I am not yet making life-changing money

Some people are candid because there's so little info out there and lots of writers are curious about the information. And for some, the general info is out there. My deal was announced in Publisher's Lunch, and they break down deals by a range of what they sold for, so anyone can see generally what I was paid. They won't know if it's the upper or lower end of a deal, but it's close enough to have a decent idea.

I think it has a lot to do with folks not understanding how much you can or can't make writing. We hear the most about the big names, but very few writers ever achieve that level. Most write on the side because they can't make a living off selling books. So people want to to know if this is a career they can actually live off of or not.

I'm new here so I don't know what's considered acceptable in this particular venue. I do know that in the outside world, while discussing actual salaries may be embarrassing because others are making much more or much less than you, the only people who really discourage it are employers who don't want you to realize you could demand much more. ;-)

I've not seen it often here. I have posted the amount of my PublishAmerica royalties, only because I think it's hilarious (and hopefully a heads up to any new PA authors still thinking they are going to be rolling in the green once their book gets listed on PA's website).

I've been paid for some of my shorts, but I don't see how disclosing the amounts would do anyone any good.

If any of the specifics of my experience are helpful to other writers, I don't care if it's considered "bad form" by the publishing industry--I'm going to share them.

(Granddaughter of a union organizer speaking here.)

I also respect other people's choices if they choose not to share specifics of their own compensation. That's something I respect whole-heartedly; the pressure from employers not to share details of compensation with one's fellow employees (even though we're generally independent contractors in this case), not so much.

I never talk about my income online, and unless you're receiving really huge advances, no one is going to know how much you make. Even then, I learned a long time ago that income information you see in trade journals is wrong as often as it's right, at least when dealing with specific writers. Even with writers such as Stephen King and J. K. Rowling, most of the published numbers aren't close to reality.

There is typically no legal or moral reason why people should either disclose or withhold their information. It is a personal choice.