Writing as a Full-time Job

The average book published by a mainstream press sells only 14,500 copies nationwide.  Not a way to get rich, right?  Many people who ask me to ghostwrite their books think that they have a blockbuster and movie deal on their hands.  Regrettably, getting a book into print doesn't ensure fame or fortune.  Most books no longer receive a great deal of promotional money from publishers, and titles sink to what publishing houses call the mid-list.  It's for books that break even or make less than expected.  Sometimes books lose money.

Only about five percent of all writers in the United States can make a living and pay their bills through the occupation of writing.  I'm lucky to be in that small percentage.   I write under my own name as well as ghostwrite fiction and nonfiction.  I was a teacher for many years, and while it was a rewarding career, there came a point when it was time to move on.  I have written full-time for fifteen years now.

It's not easy earning one's living as a writer.  For me, it took many years to hone my skills, and I collected a lot of rejection slips.  I eventually published short fiction and poetry in literary journals and then published novels with small and independent presses.  I still do.  I also ghostwrite and edit.

It keeps food on the table.  I'm one of the lucky ones.

~ William Hammett

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