Illusions and delusions. Writing is a business

I don't know whether to make this item a Giggle of the Day, or a Sob of the Day.

Unfortunately, it's just fact: writing for publication is a business. If you have romantic illusions about writing as a career, read novelist Rebecca Brandewyne's post on "How Authors Are Paid".

Rebecca says:

>>>
All authors, being self-employed, are basically freelance writers. They conduct business by signing contracts with publishers for the production of one or more books, for which they agree to accept as payment for writing and delivering the book(s) either a percentage (royalties) of the profits from the book's or books' eventual sales, or else a straight flat fee (work for hire) for the book(s).

When a contract is negotiated between an author and a publisher, the author is usually paid an advance. Again contrary to popular belief, this is not a sum that is over and above any agreed-upon royalties, however. Rather, it is an advance against all future royalties, and it must therefore be earned out before any royalties are ever actually paid.
>>>

Yes, this might come as a shock to some aspiring writers. Rebecca's item "Will Write For Food" says:

>>>
One aspiring writer, after reading my own article, sent me a rather strident email, vehemently insisting that what I'd written about how writers are paid couldn't possibly be true, that I was simply jealous and zealous about my career and wanted to discourage any competition. After reading her email, I could only shake my head ruefully, because she wasn't the first aspiring writer who didn't want to believe me (or any other published author, for that matter), and she probably won't be the last. But if she ever does succeed in being published, she will undoubtedly be one of those who suffers a profound shock when she receives her first paycheck.
>>>