How Much Does An Author Make Per Year? Average Author Salary

The national average salary for an author ranges from $30,000 to $70,000, mostly depending on the sale of their books. Authors either opt for a flat fee from the publishers or consent for royalty over the sale of the books. Also, most authors receive a good sum as advance in the beginning and then wait to get royalties. In general, hardcover books pay standard royalty rates of 10%, 12% and 15% of the cover price. However, for paperback books, rates vary from as low as 1% to as high as 10% with the average loyalty being 6%. Authors are usually regarded as self-employed and pay self-employment tax.