The Weekend Writer: Money

Okay, money is the elephant in the room when it comes to writing. Well, maybe it is one of the elephants in the room. Not making sales is another one.  Getting the writing done is still another. But today we're talking money.

People think writers make a lot of money because, I believe, Judith Krantz began making really serious money in the late 1970s. In my mind, it all goes back to Krantz. After her, you started hearing about other Krantz-like writers. James Michener. Danielle Steele. By 2000, J. K. Rowling was becoming well known for having become rich writing children's books.

From there it wasn't far to believing that writers make a lot of money because some writers made a lot of money. When we had an addition built onto our house, my neighbor's mother assumed we were paying for it with my writing income. My writing paid for some living room furniture once. People don't like to hear that sort of thing.

Last January, Ann Bauer wrote an article for Salon in which she talked about the advantages writers with financial support or connections through family have. In June, Christine Sneed published an article at The Billfold that gives a picture of  the other side, someone spending years writing without financial support or connections.

Neither one of them is talking about Judith Krantz-type of money.