That Can't Be Right!

[Ankari]

I read a little info blurb on Steven Erickson and it stated that he has sold 250.000 books from his Malazan Book of the Fallen series. That is only 25,000 per each book! He noted that he is surprised. that his book is mainstream fantasy. 250,000 books is mainstream? Even if you were to consider only the English speaking population, that sounds like s small number of book sold.

What is the idea number of books an author wants to sell to be considered successful?

[Christopher Wright]

The confessions of a semi-successful author - Fiction - Salon.com

As of 2004, it appears 25,000 is considered a good number...

[Robert Donnell]

I have heard that it is worse than that, with the average being 800 books sold per title.

[Phil the Drill]

I think a lot of beginning writers think they are going to sell their book to a major publisher and become a millionaire. The truth is only a very, very small margin of writers become rich. I'm sure Erikson makes enough money to live as a full-time writer, but he probably has other things that he makes money doing also (maybe). For every Stephen King and JK Rowling, there are hundreds if not thousands of writers who just make enough money off their books to be comfortable.

Selling books isn't like selling records.

[Telcontar]

Heh. If that is news to you, just wait until you find out how few sales a book needs to get on the NYT "Bestseller" list.

[T.Allen.Smith]

Heh. If that is news to you, just wait until you find out how few sales a book needs to get on the NYT "Bestseller" list.

I'm guessing 3000 to 5000 per week depending on the other books on that month's list. I would think the number required would be seasonal too with December being a better sales month than January for example.

[Ghost]

I think a lot of beginning writers think they are going to sell their book to a major publisher and become a millionaire. [...] Selling books isn't like selling records.

Haha, now all those writers who want more than anything to be rich will become musicians. Nobody tell them how unlikely it is to become a millionaire based on record sales alone, even if they sign with a major label. It'll keep them out of the slushpile for a few years.

[Phil the Drill]

Haha, now all those writers who want more than anything to be rich will become musicians. Nobody tell them how unlikely it is to become a millionaire based on record sales alone, even if they sign with a major label. It'll keep them out of the slushpile for a few years.

I guess you're right about that.

There are plenty of poor musicians as well, even if they have a hit album. Basically, if you're in writing for the money, then go do something else. Yeah, you may strike it rich, but I don't think that's why most people write. They do it because they love it.

[Steerpike]

Basically, if you're in writing for the money, then go do something else.

This.

I've heard this said by virtually every writer I've talked to, from very successful ones to mid-list authors making a very modest living, to those who have had some successes but can't quit their day jobs.

The fact is, no matter how good of a writer you are, the odds of becoming rich as a writer are slim. It can happen (heck, it can even happen if you're not that good of a writer), but one has simply to think about the sheer number of aspiring authors out there, many of whom are quite good, and then look at the extremely small number of people who 'strike it rich' to see that it is unlikely. If you're out primarily for money, putting the same time and energy into virtually any job out there, instead of putting it into writing, is likely to lead to greater financial reward. Of course, writing has rewards apart from any financial incentive, which is why we do it.

[Robert Donnell]

Jesus Steerpike what a buzz kill, hell I was trying to deceide between a Bently and a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport with my Amazon.com $4.02 royalty check.