How I Actually Make a Living as a Writer

The honest reality of how I get paid, and why I’m bringing this conversation to a live event you won’t want to miss.

For the last 12 years I’ve made my living as a professional writer. But, as I wrote about here, that probably doesn’t look like most people think.

So, what does it look like? And how do I actually make money?

As a Brit, talking about money doesn’t come naturally. We are taught – or at least, I was – that talking about money is rude. You don’t ask people where their money comes from, and you certainly don’t ask them how much they earn. Maybe this is the result of a middle-class upbringing, or maybe it’s a wider cultural thing, but for a long time, I was at best clueless about money, at worst downright irresponsible with it. So, when I got my first book deal, life didn’t quite transform in the way I thought it would, and nor did my bank balance.

It's true – I think – that the way money works for authors is still a vague business. Though people are sharing information more than ever, it’s not something that gets talked about much. Even after I’d signed my first contract, I still didn’t understand how payments worked, instead trusting my agent to ‘take care of all that,’ and pathetically grateful for whatever made its way into my account.

I can honestly say that’s changed now. When you work for yourself, it has to. But earning a living has been scrappy – a slow process of figuring stuff out, experimentation and chance. I know I’m not alone.

That’s why I wanted to share this post – to show the reality of how many working writers actually earn a living – for anyone who wants to do the same, or for those already living it and wondering if they’re the only one juggling so many hats. (You’re not.)

So, here’s a list of all ways I’ve earned money over the last decade or so. I’m not sharing figures here, so if you want to specifics you’ll have to come along to The Inkwell Salon later this week, where, with my guest Rebecca Mascull I’ll be exploring this topic.

Let’s start with the books…

Book advances

My first book deal was a solid six-figure dream come true. It allowed me to drop to two days a week at my day job at the time. While this was amazing, let’s just say that because of how book deals work, big headline numbers often don’t translate to a living wage.

Later, I was able to write full-time for a short spell by drastically cutting costs (goodbye expensive rent, hello house-sitting in the north).

Royalties

None so far – though that may change with my next indie-published book, where I’ll earn royalties but no advance.

Though it hurts a bit to admit, because my first book advance was relatively substantial, my books haven’t earned that back in sales, meaning I’m unlikely to ever see royalties on my first three novels.

Screen option deals

I currently have two books under option for film and TV. While this is lovely, it doesn’t translate to big money unless the projects get made, but option fees (worth a few thousand in my case) are a welcome bonus when they come through. Many crossed fingers on this one!

PLR (Public Lending Right)

When someone borrows your book from a UK library, you earn a small payment. It’s pocket money for me – in the hundreds rather than thousands – but always delightful.

ALCS (Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society)

This system pays authors for secondary uses of their work (like photocopying). I’ve sometimes earned a few hundred from this – again, a welcome extra.

The other stuff…

Author events

Many author events don’t pay anything. After a few years saying yes to everything (which often cost me money) I set a rule: no more working for free. Now I only do events that pay or that I genuinely want to do for other reasons. I’ve earned a few hundred here and there this way.

RLF Fellowship

An absolute lifeline. Over four years as a Royal Literary Fund fellow (plus three years mentoring new fellows), I helped university students with their academic writing. This was regular, reliable income that kept me afloat and which laid the foundations of the work I do today. The current fee is £16,000 p.a. It was a little less in my time.

Editorial work

I was commissioning editor for both Historia magazine (voluntary but brought in a small stipend) and the RLF’s Collected magazine (a paid editorial role that sharpened my skills in nonfiction and essay editing). The latter kept the lights on for three years, paying a decent freelance rate.

Fulbright Scholarship

In 2018, I received a Fulbright grant to research a novel in the US. The scholarship ($60,000 at the time) covered all my relocation and living costs for a year – a rare and life-changing gift of time and financial freedom.

Teaching

Teaching creative writing at festivals, online and for writing organisations is something I’ve done since before I was published. These days I get paid. Rates vary, but usually a few hundred a day.

Freelance writing

Very occasional commissions – a few hundred here and there.

Podcast appearances

OK, I’ve only been paid for this once or twice, but I’d love to do more.

And now?

Coaching and mentoring

This is currently my main source of income. I’m a qualified coach, working 1-1 with writers on mindset, practice and craft. Building a business around writing is something I never thought I’d do, but it’s been transformative – both for my clients and for me – and I love it.

Manuscript assessment

I offer this mainly to my coaching clients now. While I’m good at it and enjoy the depth of connection with a manuscript, the time commitment versus market rates makes this less profitable than you might think.

Substack

I love Substack for the community and direct support of writers it allows, and I truly appreciate every penny that you pay. I currently earn a few thousand pounds a year from your direct support, which – in the spirit of transparency – doesn’t come close to matching the time I invest (yet). I continue to have faith.

In summary…

For most writers, a writing career looks like this: a mosaic of different income streams, each one helping to keep the lights on. As you can probably tell, I haven’t quite made my fortune – yet!

But every strand of this work has taught me something, improved and enriched my own writing, and connected me to opportunities and people I would never have met otherwise. Over the years, I’ve built a life where I get to talk and think about writing every single day and – crucially – still prioritise time for my own creative work.

It’s not easy or secure, but it’s given me something that I value more: freedom, flexibility, and a lifestyle that I’m grateful for every day.

So, I’ll keep going. I’ll keep writing. And I’ll keep those fingers firmly crossed. (come on Netflix – make that movie! 🤞)

If you’d like to hear more, or have questions, I’m hosting a live Inkwell Salon with my friend and fellow author Rebecca Mascull, on 19th June, where we’ll be diving deeper into the realities of earning as a writer: what works, what doesn’t, how to navigate the tricky bits – and how to craft a writing life that works for you.

It’s open to all paid Inkwell members, and if you’re not yet part of our community, you can join us here →

I’d love to see you there.

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