How much does the average author make with a moderately successful book?

[Rico Trump]

Lets say I write a book and it does "ok". Not a best seller.. but not a complete failure.

What can I expect to make?

[lintu]

Not enough to live on.

Writing isn't a get rich quick scheme, you're probably going to have to work *and* write until you have... say two or three 'good' books translated into a couple of languages with a gradually increasing audience.

Unless it's crap like That Word by Smeyer don't expect any bags of tinkling cash.

[lintu]

Not enough to live on.

Writing isn't a get rich quick scheme, you're probably going to have to work *and* write until you have... say two or three 'good' books translated into a couple of languages with a gradually increasing audience.

Unless it's crap like That Word by Smeyer don't expect any bags of tinkling cash.

[akaMaryn]

Assuming you or your literary agent can sell your book to a legitimate publisher, which is not easy...

Typical royalties for hardcover editions are 10% on the first 5000 units sold. Most first novels by people who are not celebrities sell under the first 5000. If you sold 5000 hardovers retailing for $25, you’d earn $12,500. That's less than you'd make at a full-time job paying minimum wage.

Typical trade paperback (the oversized ones) royalties are 7 ½% on all sales. Sell 5000 of those at $15 and you make $5,600.

Mass market royalties are usually 8% for the first 150,000 units sold and 10% thereafter. Sell 5000 at $8 and you earn $3,200.