For strangers to the book industry, publishing can seem like a baffling business – it’s one that’s certainly rife with all kinds of false beliefs. So, for novices and outsiders, here are five of the most common misconceptions about being a writer with at least one published book.
The most risible and yet stubbornly prevalent of all misunderstandings is that authors – of all and any genres – are rolling in cash post publication. In fact, making a decent, liveable wage from books is only the province of a tiny minority of writers: those who are household names like Trent Dalton or Liane Moriarty. For the rest of us, it’s more akin to pocket money. Very few can afford to give up their day jobs.
