Okay, a post on numbers--for transparency's sake, and also because I desperately wished for some real numbers before I yeeted the day job. Caveat that I have been lucky and owe a lot to my agent and my publisher.
Gross income (agency percentage already taken out):
2020 $100,240.09
2021 $49,055.98
2022 $128,345.90
2023 $109,722.23
Context--I signed translation deals for my first trilogy, signed a new trilogy contract in 2022 (hence the bump), and took a coaching job in 2023.
Drowning Empire book deal, signed early 2020:
£220,000 (exchange rates were great for me then, was about $300K at that time, though payments decreased in value as exchange rates changed)
July 2020-December 2020 was my first statement
January 2023-June 2023 was the statement I earned out and got about $25K over earning out (after agency cut)
July 2023-December 2023 statement I got about $75K (after agency cut)
I expect royalties for the next statement will be a lot less because I had a paperback release for the last statement.
As of the last statement (Dec-31-2023) sales are:
TBSD-169,787
TBSE-63,162
TBSW-29,433
So I’ve had a big drop off, though I did see a bump after the series finished, and TBSE and TBSW have been out for less time (Apr 2023, paperback release in Nov)
My deal for The Hollow Covenant was also £220K, though exchange rates are much less favorable now so it’s about $277K US, but exchange rates may shift in the future so the final total may go up or down; this is an estimation.
Anyways, I'm very happy with how the series has done! Publishing is fickle and I know things can go up or down tomorrow, and it is not a meritocracy. This is not because I'm any better than other writers.
If I hadn't been married (and hadn't had health care through my spouse), I would have moved back to Canada to make the # s work. That second-year dip was a doozy! So those of you considering making the leap--plan for that!
Also, if you get a big deal, TALK TO AN ACCOUNTANT ASAP
Andrea G Stewart
Art and Writing
2023 Awards Eligibility
It’s that time of year! These are the works I have eligible for awards this season:
Novel: The Bone Shard War
Short Story: “Her Ravenous Waters” in The Book of Witches
Series: The Drowning Empire
Since The Bone Shard War completed the series, it is eligible for the Hugo Award for Best Series!
Thank you for your consideration!
DragonCon Schedule
I’ll be at DragonCon this weekend for anyone who is attending! Schedule is below:
