Don’t give up your day job: how Australia’s favourite authors are making ends meet

If you ever decide to finally write that book, beware: you’ll likely end up making $50,000 less than an average Australian each year.

According to new research by Macquarie University, the Australia Council and the Copyright Agency, the average annual income from practising as an author is only $18,200. This has left two-fifths of authors relying on their partner’s income, and two-fifths relying on a day job unrelated to their writing.

It takes time and energy to find and manage multiple sources of income, leading the report to warn of a potential loss of Australian stories.

We spoke to some of Australia’s most celebrated authors who are supplementing their income with day jobs. Here is what they have to say:

Jennifer Down: the Miles Franklin-winning copywriter

Down won the 2022 Miles Franklin for her novel Bodies of Light, which was also shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s prize, the Stella prize and the Voss prize. She is also the author of Our Magic Hour and Pulse Points.

At a weekend writers’ festival in October, Jennifer Down had work to finish for her day job: a brand launch