US Income For Authors Falls Below Poverty Line

[Carol Rose]

I know some people don't like links posted without discussion/text/something along with it, but really this needs no introduction/extra words from me.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/20...thors-falls-below-federal-poverty-line-survey

 

[Alistair Roberts]

No real surprises there, but certainly not good news for any of us. Who knows where it will go...

 

[Emurelda]

Isn't the UK already there?

Maybe authors just have to change with the times. There's a thread by Marc about this too..thinking of ideas to improve audience numbers on a large scale.

 

[Emurelda]

This the breadline figure;

"The majority (56%) of writers, it said, earned less from all of their writing-related activities than the $11,670 judged in 2014 to have been the minimum income needed by a one-person household in the US."

 

[Emurelda]

No real surprises there, but certainly not good news for any of us. Who knows where it will go...

Indeed. As we are self-employed we must manage ourselves like a business. Self management and hence discipline is a major factor I think. Carol knocks out books periodically maybe in that there is a lesson. Quantity or as i call it churning content is key nowadays. Keeping it going with new stories and books if the first doesn't work out. Am trying to get my head round this as I am struggling with the emotional side of disappointment when really there is no room for that especially at my early stages.

 

[Nicole Wilson]

That is so, so very sad. *sigh*

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Sorry there's no easy answer Emurelda, just keep plugging away. Sometimes a short break is good, then charge right back in again. I have a lot of editing to do, after advice here, so I really should do more myself!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I like to think of it this way...because I run my own business (writing, now), I have the ability to do other things that add to our household economy. I produce about $50,000 worth of food each year for the family, supplying most of our food, and freeing my husband's salary for other expenses (not to mention giving us food security in the face of our earthquakes, which has been very nice the past 5 years).