tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post2304030482633359205..comments2023-11-22T06:35:25.251-05:00Comments on POE'S DEADLY DAUGHTERS: Yes, you can earn a living by writingJulia Buckleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10270211923343731659noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-80784948517395386062011-11-17T15:33:24.479-05:002011-11-17T15:33:24.479-05:00My guess is the only authors who earn a comfortabl...My guess is the only authors who earn a comfortable living writing only fiction are those who pen TV/movies screenplays as well as books, those who have part-time teaching or other jobs, or those who crank out a huge amount of material--three or more genre/romance mmpb and short stories each year. Jeri, journalist stringer pay for small newspapers is minimal.<br />Sally CarpenterAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-91077731732223878972011-11-17T11:54:20.873-05:002011-11-17T11:54:20.873-05:00Thanks so much for the research, Sandy. I am not s...Thanks so much for the research, Sandy. I am not surprised, but I sure was back in 2004 when,in their book section, The Christian Science Monitor published a national map with the numbers of current book publishers of record in each state. I am sure the map was based on purchasers of ISBN blocks, and publishers included some like "Granny's Cookbook and Memoir Press." However, even Radinehttp://www.radinesbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-58647440198796005402011-11-17T11:00:06.420-05:002011-11-17T11:00:06.420-05:00I'd be interested in seeing a breakdown of inc...I'd be interested in seeing a breakdown of income between that 44% self-employed and the rest. And also whether the income is completely from writing. When I had a part time day job, most of my hours were spent writing, but most of my income was from the day job. I know people calling themselves writers, but they basically write documentation or ad copy for large corporations. No ELENA SANTANGELOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03257788794914218924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-6852383260887287412011-11-16T22:14:14.818-05:002011-11-16T22:14:14.818-05:00Yes, the figures do surprise me, Sandy, although I...Yes, the figures do surprise me, Sandy, although I'd believe that most writers earn their largest amounts by writing nonfiction.June Shawhttp://www.juneshaw.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-59075272115090460442011-11-16T20:18:13.881-05:002011-11-16T20:18:13.881-05:00Good luck with the book, Gail!Good luck with the book, Gail!Sandra Parshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17403144248962124138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-38463299436281186672011-11-16T19:58:58.588-05:002011-11-16T19:58:58.588-05:00Interesting post, Sandy.
I think that fiction w...Interesting post, Sandy. <br /><br />I think that fiction writers have to be somewhat creative in finding paying gigs. <br /><br />Five years ago I started publishing spoofs at a British website, www.TheSpoof.com. No pay, but fantastic publicity. <br /><br />Now I sell spoofs (usually three or four a month) to the Westchester Guardian (http://www.westchesterguardian.com/), a neighborhood Gail Farrellyhttp://www.farrellysistersonline.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-74997989050100558532011-11-16T17:28:38.560-05:002011-11-16T17:28:38.560-05:00As a life-long Minnesotan (almost) I am not surpri...As a life-long Minnesotan (almost) I am not surprised. We also have one helluvalot of good crime fiction writers, compared to the national averages. Must be something in the water.carl brookinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16400731716746662544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-57363962363123139192011-11-16T12:16:18.400-05:002011-11-16T12:16:18.400-05:00I was a journalist for too many years to count, bu...I was a journalist for too many years to count, but now I'm trying to earn my living through fiction writing. I wonder if I count toward the statistic the same in the two different categories?Harvey Burgesshttp://kisshergoodbye.authorsxpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-78434968143563431982011-11-16T11:50:47.053-05:002011-11-16T11:50:47.053-05:00I "make my living" as a writer. Of cours...I "make my living" as a writer. Of course, if there wasn't an income coming in from my husband it would be a piss poor living, one where I certainly couldn't afford to pay my mortgage. But I only went rogue a year and a half ago. I expect that income to rise as more books are out there collecting royalties.<br /><br />When I was a freelance reporter, had I really hustled and Jeri Westersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08621322664609246112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-53700497996257546892011-11-16T11:32:57.319-05:002011-11-16T11:32:57.319-05:00"It doesn't surprise me that a small perc..."It doesn't surprise me that a small percentage of foreign-born people work as writers. It's very difficult to write in a second language." True, Patricia, but only if you were not already reasonably fluent in the second language and came to the country where that language was spoken as an adult. I can attest to this personally: I didn't learn English until I was seven, JJMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13404985455733545060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-46098731837684518912011-11-16T11:19:03.673-05:002011-11-16T11:19:03.673-05:00I think fiction writers tend to forget that there ...I think fiction writers tend to forget that there are many types of writing -- some of which actually pay well. :-)Sandra Parshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17403144248962124138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-71486231411934987222011-11-16T10:49:33.456-05:002011-11-16T10:49:33.456-05:00I enjoyed the blog, Sandy. It's interesting ho...I enjoyed the blog, Sandy. It's interesting how many writers (fiction or not) just assume other writers don't make any money, except for the big name writers, of course!Joyce Lavenehttp://www.joyceandjimlavene.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-50957397264245412842011-11-16T10:04:02.938-05:002011-11-16T10:04:02.938-05:00Tammy, yes, these figures are for all people whose...Tammy, yes, these figures are for all people whose primary job is writing, regardless of what kind of writing it is.Sandra Parshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17403144248962124138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-84458526549789968372011-11-16T09:18:52.097-05:002011-11-16T09:18:52.097-05:00The figures would be very different if the questio...The figures would be very different if the question had been whether <i>fiction</i> writers make a living.Elizabeth Zelvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13944424094949207841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-44543379052497241472011-11-16T09:12:20.628-05:002011-11-16T09:12:20.628-05:00This is very interesting. It doesn't surprise ...This is very interesting. It doesn't surprise me that a small percentage of foreign-born people work as writers. It's very difficult to write in a second language.Patricia Wintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05095600674659292509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8056815460076050228.post-13333424547317555142011-11-16T08:52:10.784-05:002011-11-16T08:52:10.784-05:00Interesting stuff, Sandy! Do you have any idea if ...Interesting stuff, Sandy! Do you have any idea if "writing" encompassed all types? I assume it must. I have a day job as a technical writer, so I'd count (though I wouldn't call it the "artistic" sort of writing), and I've made a living as a freelance marketing, technical, etc., writer in past years. None of that included writing or being paid for writing fiction. Tammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01033264133869966636noreply@blogger.com