I'm just wondering what the normal novelist is paid? More to the point, am I working for the potential of making a penny an hour for my labor? Not that it makes a big difference; I guess I just want that extra incentive: "Whoo hooo! Another hour of writing down, another penny earned!!"

At that rate, if you could crank out and sell a 10,000 words worth of short stories every week, you'd be making $26,000 a year, which is enough to live on in some places. The problem is that very few people can write and sell short fiction at that pace.

If you're in this for the money, you probably won't be happy with how the math works out.

For the first 5,000 or so copies of the novel you sell, you earn 10%. After the 5,000 mark, the royalties rise to 12.5% and then to 15%. Check out Writer's Digest's Handbook for Novel Writing, it has the stats.

Roudning off, if the hardcover sells for $20.00 (I'm from Canada) you are looking at $2 a book coming back to you. 10% of that goes to your agent, so you are left with $1.80. And if you are Canadian you might have to pay 15% in General Sales Tax, which brings it down to around $1.53. But for now let's say $2.00.

So in order to make money beyond a $7,000 advance, you'd need to sell 3,500 copies of your book. This is a lot, especially for something out of the mainstream like s-f.

I've read many agents and authors who vouch that these three secrets to selling copies:

1. Write well - enough said. If people like it, they'll tell their friends and buy them copies for Christmas.

2. Build a readership - keep on writing new work, if you write well, the readers will come back plus extra.

2. Promote well - You can _not_ rely on your publisher/agent to promote your book. A new writer is a financial risk, they won't put much money out on promotion.

You have to fax hundres of press releases, put up a web-site, do readings, book signings, e-mail lists, publish a blog, etc. etc.

There are great books by Writer's Digest on promotion. If you start early, it is not overwhelming. I've read successful authors stating it takes up about one-half day of work a week, or 10% of their time.

Robert Sawyer's "On Writing" series, available on his web-site, has a great piece on "Self Promotion" (www.sfwriter.com). He also offers sample press releases and gives tips on doing readings and interviews. He's been quite generous with sharing his knowledge and experience.

I hope that helps. Check those sources, please, don't rely on my memory.

In creativity rising,