For strangers to the book industry, publishing can seem like a baffling business – it’s one that’s certainly rife with all kinds of false beliefs. So, for novices and outsiders, here are five of the most common misconceptions about being a writer with at least one published book.
The most risible and yet stubbornly prevalent of all misunderstandings is that authors – of all and any genres – are rolling in cash post publication. In fact, making a decent, liveable wage from books is only the province of a tiny minority of writers: those who are household names like Trent Dalton or Liane Moriarty. For the rest of us, it’s more akin to pocket money. Very few can afford to give up their day jobs.
Thuy On is the Reviews and Literary Editor of ArtsHub and an arts journalist, critic and poet who’s written for a range of publications including The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Sydney Review of Books, The Australian, The Age/SMH and Australian Book Review. She was the Books Editor of The Big Issue for 8 years and a former Melbourne theatre critic correspondent for The Australian.
Her debut, a collection of poetry called Turbulence, came out in 2020 and was released by University of Western Australia Publishing (UWAP). Her second collection, Decadence, was published in July 2022, also by UWAP. Her third book, Essence, will be published in 2025.
Threads: @thuy_on123 Instagram: poemsbythuy
