When thinking of a novelist’s life, many imagine roaring royalty checks and champagne brunches. Yet, the real chapter might read more “beans on toast” than caviar. A recent feature spotlights the wide financial gulf in the book world, wittily contrasting Richard Osman’s spectacular £10 million success with the breadline reality faced by most authors—some of whom earn barely enough for a celebratory dinner at the local chippy.
Richard Osman, known for his bestselling ‘Thursday Murder Club’ series, is quite the literary jackpot winner. Meanwhile, AK Blakemore, a published writer in her own right, confesses she once received a grand total of £250 for her debut’s advance—barely enough to stock up on notebooks, let alone finance a country manor.
The numbers rarely add up to bestseller salaries.
According to figures discussed, many published novelists in the UK toil over their words only to pocket advances closer to £10,000, with years of work balancing precariously on that sum. The average is sobering, and the dream of striking literary gold often remains just that—a dream, not a bank statement.
Despite the financial realities, authors remain unfailingly resilient, penning stories for the love of words rather than the promise of wealth. As the article’s tongue-in-cheek tone suggests, most writers are ready to “cash out” not on millions, but on the joy of seeing their name on a spine—even if the only jackpot they hit is the library’s return bin.
So, next time you spot a novelist at the café, consider buying them a coffee. While the occasional Richard Osman enjoys the commercial updraft, most are simply rich in imagination, if not in royalties.
