dang!
...oh, wait, we're not doing it for the money!!
http://www.alcs.co.uk/multimedia/pdf2/word.pdf
--------------------------------------
60% of professional writers have to take on a second job in order
to pay their bills, according to the results of a new report from
the Author's Licensing and Collecting Society, the organization
in the UK that ensures authors are paid whenever their work is
read or broadcast.
The survey of 25,000 authors discovered that
the average salary for authors in the UK is 33% less than the
national average wage of £16,500,($33,000), with many authors
earning around £4000 ($8000) a year from their works.
Those authors whose works were in the top 10% of works borrowed or
read, earned more than 50% of the royalties distributed last
year. The ALCS equated this to a salary of £82,500 ($165,000) for
the top 5,500 writers. Authors whose works were in the bottom 50%
earned only 10% of the royalties available.
Life is particularly hard for young writers in Britain, as writers between 24 and 35 earn on average £5000 a year, which is a third less than young
writers in Germany.
They also discovered a gender gap in payments, with male authors receiving 60% of the royalties available.
Not surprisingly, only 20% of the authors surveyed rely on writing as their only source of income.
The ALCS is concerned that if writers' earnings continue to fall, it will be
hard to attract people to the profession.
...oh, wait, we're not doing it for the money!!
http://www.alcs.co.uk/multimedia/pdf2/word.pdf
--------------------------------------
60% of professional writers have to take on a second job in order
to pay their bills, according to the results of a new report from
the Author's Licensing and Collecting Society, the organization
in the UK that ensures authors are paid whenever their work is
read or broadcast.
The survey of 25,000 authors discovered that
the average salary for authors in the UK is 33% less than the
national average wage of £16,500,($33,000), with many authors
earning around £4000 ($8000) a year from their works.
Those authors whose works were in the top 10% of works borrowed or
read, earned more than 50% of the royalties distributed last
year. The ALCS equated this to a salary of £82,500 ($165,000) for
the top 5,500 writers. Authors whose works were in the bottom 50%
earned only 10% of the royalties available.
Life is particularly hard for young writers in Britain, as writers between 24 and 35 earn on average £5000 a year, which is a third less than young
writers in Germany.
They also discovered a gender gap in payments, with male authors receiving 60% of the royalties available.
Not surprisingly, only 20% of the authors surveyed rely on writing as their only source of income.
The ALCS is concerned that if writers' earnings continue to fall, it will be
hard to attract people to the profession.
