sheltered from the worst of the decreases over this period, seeing a 12 per cent fall (in real terms) in their incomes, with a median income of £21,750. For black and multi-heritage authors, losses were far steeper at 51 per cent and 41 per cent respectively, and now have respective median incomes of £9,000 and £13,900.


Why is this happening?


There is no one simple explanation for these trends. The Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of Brexit may partly explain the acceleration of inequality and decline in earnings seen in recent years, but these dynamics have been evident for many years prior. One explanation is the unique nature of “creative labour” and the intrinsic motivation of those pursuing a career in writing. The report highlights a profession often reliant on writers’ willingness to work for modest rewards, incentivised primarily by their love of the job and reliant on financial support from other sources of income.


“Whilst many of our respondents talked about their love of creating, and passion for writing, relying on their altruism has been used to justify an increasingly unliveable wage.” – Amy Thomas, lead researcher, CREATe


Creative labour is often perceived as an endlessly replenishable resource not tied to economic reward; creativity is assumed to happen regardless of economic circumstances, driven by the passion of the creator. Such ‘intrinsic motivation’ may be linked to the devaluing of creative labour, and perhaps untenable market conditions. This is reflected in changes to contract terms, which are increasingly skewed against authors.


“Every year, the contracts get more hostile, more punitive and more unreasonable.” – Survey respondent


Contracts appear to be changing the authors’ earnings landscape with implications for long-term earning potential. Advances (a lump-sum initial cash payment) are becoming rarer, with almost half of all authors never having received any such payment. In 2014, only 18 per cent of writers said they had never received an advance in their career.


Buy-out contracts, by contrast, are becoming more common, increasing in frequency from 25 per cent in the 2018 survey to 32 per cent in 2021. This involves an author transferring copyright and their entitlement to royalties in exchange for a one-off lump sum. Copyright continues to be little understood and under-utilised by authors, the report found evidence of misconceptions which potentially curtail an author’s earning potential through the realisation of their rights.


The future of writing


The loss of earnings is in no way a reflection of a slump in demand for the creative output of writers. The work of novelists, journalists, scriptwriters and others is not only crucial for our wellbeing and education but is also a significant driver of the economy. A 2020 report from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport found that the creative industries are growing five times faster than the national economy. However, as this report illustrates, this demand is not reflected in writers’ conditions. The lived reality for


Spring-Summer 2023 PEN&INC. 29


many authors is that the income generated from writing alone is not liveable and certainly not affluent.


“This report raises serious questions about the sustainability of the writing profession in the UK. Consistently, we find that earnings from writing are decreasing, and creative labour is becoming de-valued.” – Amy Thomas, lead researcher, CREATe


As a consequence, full-time professional writers are becoming rarer. In 2006, 40 per cent of writers lived off the income from their writing alone. By 2018 this figure had fallen to 28 per cent, and in 2022 it had fallen further to just 19 per cent. If earnings continue to fall, we can expect the pool of full-time authors to continue to shrink.


“The report reveals some deeply worrying trends for writers, working within an industry which has experienced seismic shifts over the last 15 years. Given the clear contribution writers make to the economy and society as a whole, their work should be properly valued and rewarded; for too many professional writers that simply isn’t the case at present. ALCS will continue to argue for working conditions built around core values such as fairness and inclusivity. The alternative, as the report suggests, leads to a diminished profession unable to sustain the vital contribution that writers make to society and our economy.” – Barbara Hayes, Chief Executive, ALCS


If you’re a published writer, become a member of


ALCS to supplement your income and receive secondary royalties on your work. Join at alcs.co.uk. PEN&INC.


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