How Much Can You Make From A Non-fiction Book?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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At

$50/m

, you would have to write 100 books to earn $5,000/m (or hire ghostwriters to write them). In many niche nonfiction markets, you would be lucky to even earn $50 a month from book sales with no platform or audience.

Do non-fiction books sell well?

We see that

fiction books sell more copies than nonfiction books

, in other words, fewer copies are needed to qualify a book for the nonfiction list than the fiction one. … Overall, we find that median sales mostly fluctuate between 4000–8000 in fiction and 2000–6000 in nonfiction.

Do non-fiction books sell?

The good news:

More nonfiction books are published and sold around the world than fiction

. … Some are, in fact, most concerned with the writing or the ideas within the books they acquire. But if they are to stay in business, publishers have to also consider market conditions, and that’s why I’m writing this post.

Do non-fiction books make money?

Although you’ll make money on the book sales, the real money for nonfiction writers

is usually in the future business you also do with your readers

. When you sell your book through Amazon or Barnes and Noble, you don’t know who those buyers are to contact them about future business.

What non-fiction books sell the best?

  1. #1. Peril. …
  2. #2. If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family… …
  3. #3. Brand Hacks: How to Build Brands by… …
  4. #4. Change the Story, Save the World: Efficiency… …
  5. #5. A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st… …
  6. #6. A Thousand Days in Venice: An Unexpected… …
  7. #7. Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American… …
  8. #8.

How much do first time authors make?

As we can see from many authors and agents the average first time author is projected to earn

around $10,000 for

their new book. After you pay your agent and invest in promotion, there isn’t much left over.

How much do authors make a year 2020?

Their research found

a $6,080 median for all writers

, while full-time writers have $20,300 median. The survey speaks to the wide disparities that exist in author salaries. Publishing ends up being a “winner-takes-all” market – a couple of authors at the top make the vast majority of the earnings.

Why are nonfiction books more expensive than fiction books?

Non-fiction books usually sell for higher prices than fiction,

as people are paying for information and an answer to a specific question

. Fiction readers are often buying books every day or several per week, so they expect a lower price, whereas non-fiction readers expect the book to be more useful for the longer term.

What is the best selling fiction genre?

  • Romance/Erotica – $1.44 billion. …
  • Crime/Mystery – $728.2 million. …
  • Religious/Inspirational – $720 million. …
  • Science Fiction/Fantasy – $590.2 million. …
  • Horror – $79.6 million.

What makes more money fiction or non-fiction books?


Adult non-fiction

revenue totalled $6.18 billion across the publishing industry in 2017, while adult fiction revenues reached $4.3 billion, according to Penguin Random House, using data from Association of American Publishers (AAP), the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Bookscan.

What is Amazon’s #1 best seller?

The Amazon #1 Best Seller badge icon means

a product has the highest number of sales in that specific category

. Amazon’s A9 algorithm determines how products are ranked in search results. Amazon’s algorithm updates best seller status hourly.

How long should a non fiction book be?

Generally speaking, traditional publishers expect completed nonfiction book manuscripts to be

between 50,000 to 75,000 words

. Most traditional publishers will place restrictions on an author and require that the manuscript not exceed a specified word count, unless special concessions are made.

What makes a good non fiction book?

Every nonfiction book

should have a coherent topic and serve a clear purpose

, whether it’s a work of history, journalism, biography, science, etc. You’ll need to create a clear path for your readers to achieve their goals, starting with the table of contents.

Can you make money writing a book?


Average book authors don’t make a lot of money

. … A typical book author barely makes more than minimum wage. You receive an advance and 10% royalties on net profit from each book. If your book retails at $25 per copy, you would need to sell at least 4,000 copies to break even on a $5,000 advance.

How much does Amazon charge to publish a book?

You don’t pay for book printing – you simply collect a commission whenever it sells. You’re in charge of the price and associated commission as well. When you upload your book, Amazon tells you what their costs are

— $2.50 for example, for a 150-page book

.

Can you make a living as an author?

Writers can work full or part time, and earn a supplemental income to help cover the bills or generate a lucrative primary income. … If you have the skills and the motivation, you get to define your own career.

Leah Jackson
Author
Leah Jackson
Leah is a relationship coach with over 10 years of experience working with couples and individuals to improve their relationships. She holds a degree in psychology and has trained with leading relationship experts such as John Gottman and Esther Perel. Leah is passionate about helping people build strong, healthy relationships and providing practical advice to overcome common relationship challenges.