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Writer : Salary and conditions

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Case studies

  • The annual average income for professional writers aged 25-34 from writing alone is only £5,000. Approximately 60% of all writers have a second job, often in other professions such as teaching or lecturing. Many run writing workshops or have other part-time jobs. Only 20% of writers earn their income exclusively from writing (salary data collected May 2010).
  • Writers operate in a 'winner takes all' market - the top 10% of writers in the UK earn 50% of the total income.
  • Pay varies according to the medium and the writer's reputation and skill. A new writer can earn £52.67 per minute for a radio drama and £104.34 per minute for a TV drama with the BBC . Best-selling authors may sell the rights to their novels for hundreds of thousands of pounds (salary data collected May 2010).
  • For those who are successful in publication, especially in screen and television, salaries at senior level/with experience (e.g. after 10-15 years in the role) can be upwards of £120,000 (salary data collected May 2010).
  • The Writers' Guild of Great Britain  negotiates the standard rates of pay and commissioning guidelines that writers can expect large media organisations such as the BBC and ITV  to adhere to. These are published on the Writers Guild website and are regularly reviewed.
  • Working hours typically include regular unsocial hours. Writers often use weekends and evenings to work, fitting around other employment commitments.
  • While the majority of writers are self-employed freelancers, they may be taken on for short-term contracts in television, radio, screen or theatre.
  • The gender balance in writing favours men (60:40). Maturity can also be an advantage, and 49% of professional writers are aged 40-60.
  • Writers live and work throughout the UK, but the highest concentration of writers is in London and the South of England.
  • As the work may often be solitary, it can be very stressful and there is little job security. However, there are the benefits of being able to work in your own time and to combine work with family life. 
  • Applying for publication can be a long, arduous and demoralising process. Self-belief, determination and the ability to accept constructive criticism are crucial.
  • Getting a good agent is important and can be difficult. How you approach this depends on the medium you are writing for. For example, some agents will not take playwrights on until they have a play in production, and some publishers will not accept manuscripts unless they are sent through an agent. It is vitally important to research the medium you write for to ensure that you make approaches for publication and production in the right way.
 
AGCAS
Written by AGCAS editors
Date: 
June 2010
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