What are the average earnings of a published writer?
Asked by techmartinb
I'm working on a book that I think will be published. As a beginning writer, what is the average commission I can expect to receive on my book sales, if I am published with a major publisher, like say, RandomHouse?

Best Answer:
Well, I have a friend who has published with RandomHouse, and she can pretty much afford whatever she wants, her first book sold like 60,000 copies, and for her first contract she got $1,500 (since she was a first time author). It takes a LONG time to get a book published, especially with RandomHouse-RandomHouse will NOT accept manuscripts unless you have a literary agent, and literary agents usually take twenty percent of whatever the book makes. You also have to finish the book before you think of making money from it, I am a writer too and I still have some novels that aren't finished yet. Some good books never sell, just because it does not have commercial appeal. Look around you, see what's on the best-seller's list, see what other people are reading, but make sure that whatever you write is still original, people can usually tell if you are trying to be the next Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. When you write, just be you, and that is original.