More Author Income Data

Definitely not a random sample, but interesting all the same...

http://www.jimchines.com/2017/02/2016-novelist-income-results-1/

 

I bet the amount of lifelong amateurs outnumbers them all many times over.

 

In my limited experience, those authors who sell very few copies are far less likely to share that info, even if it's anonymous.

That said, making money...decent money or even earning a living isn't impossible. Hard work, being productive, continuing to improve skills, and a little luck, why not?

 

The second part is up now:

http://www.jimchines.com/2017/03/2016-survey-final-results/

 

Income is a very long tailed phenomenon these days. Ordinary statistics will be misleading.
But that curve will give the right idea.