Author Earnings & Careers

How self-publishing authors strategically split print, audio, and ebook rights across multiple publishers—and what bifurcated dealmaking means for author control and income.

New York Times bestselling author Scott Reintgen breaks down the author-publisher relationship and how his career has been built over time, both incrementally and with purposeful intention.

For writers who approach a newsletter with intention, it’s one of the most powerful—and genuinely scalable—channels available today.

You love teaching, and your students love you. How can you position yourself to deepen their experience with a powerful live or online event?

I’d love to see you at AWP Conference & Bookfair (March 4–7, 2026, Baltimore). I’ll be exhibiting (Booth 624) and speaking at the Bookfair.

The author’s historical novel, Finding Flora, was an instant number-one bestseller in Canada which led to rerelease of two previous novels.

The Smashwords store (owned and operated by Draft2Digital) has announced a new royalty rate structure that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Learn how to find and assess anthology opportunities, which offer short fiction authors income and visibility by sharing audiences across contributors.

Last week’s article on direct sales elicited significant response from readers and service providers. Here’s what they had to say.

Authors who have strong brands and/or serve identifiable communities have plentiful tools to reduce reliance on Amazon and Ingram.

The bestselling author, who writes under the name Ruby Roe, has seen her career take off after getting on TikTok and investing in direct sales.

What every creator should know before signing a contract—protect your work, your time, and your well-being.

The landscape is very different today: publications have folded, arts coverage has dried up, and most opinion writing is on Substack.

The Alliance of Independent Authors has launched a survey for writers who self-publish in English and meet certain qualifications.

An artist’s life is unpredictable, so tapping into your inner grit will give you and your career a fighting chance to blossom for years to come.

Even awards that offer only bragging rights, but no prize money, can telegraph something important: your work matters to readers.

This new edition dramatically revises and re-envisions how to best help writers understand the business they’re entering.

Legacy planning is neither morbid nor presumptuous—it’s a sign of love for your work, your readers, and anyone who may one day carry your stories forward.

The director of an MFA program wrestles with how to make it a more useful degree for aspiring commercial novelists.

HarperCollins has struck a deal with Microsoft to provide some of their nonfiction backlist for training for an as yet unidentified AI model.

Authors are happy with profits even when sales are lower than expected.

My book, The Business of Being a Writer Second Edition, releases in April 2025. To mark the occasion, I’m offering a free, email-based course.

An experienced crowdfunding author offers an overview of the current landscape and tips for how a novice can plan a successful campaign.

The tarot is a powerful brand building tool for creatives, because it gives us a rich language for finding—and articulating—ourselves.

Insight into the complexity and customization of royalty statements.