What are Words Worth Now? Not Enough

LONDON, July 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Shocking new ALCS research into authors' earnings finds dramatic fall, both in incomes, and the number of those working full-time as writers 

"What Are Words Worth Now?", a survey of almost 2500 working writers, commissioned by the Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) and carried out by Queen Mary, University of London has found that increasingly few professional authors are able to earn a living from their writing.

The survey found that in 2013, just 11.5% of professional authors (defined as those who dedicate the majority of their time to writing) earned their incomes solely from writing. In 2005*, 40% of professional authors said that they did so.

The typical (median) income of the professional author has also fallen dramatically, both in real and actual terms. In 2013, the median income of the professional author was just £11,000, a drop of 29% since 2005 when the figure was £12,330 (£15,450 in real terms). According to Joseph Rowntree Foundation figures, single people in the UK need to earn at least £16,850 before tax to achieve a Minimum Income Standard (MIS).

In contrast to the sharp decline in earnings of professional authors, the wealth generated by the UK creative industries is on the increase. Statistics produced by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in 2014 show that the creative industries are now worth £71.4 billion per year to the UK economy (over £8 million per hour) and the UK is reported as having "the largest creative sector of the European Union", and being "the most successful exporter of cultural good and services in the world", according to UNESCO.

Commenting on the findings of the survey, Owen Atkinson, Chief Executive of ALCS said:

"These are concerning times for writers. This rapid decline in both author incomes and in the numbers of those writing full-time could have serious implications for the economic success of the creative industries in the UK. If writers are to continue making their irreplaceable contribution to the UK economy, they need to be paid fairly for their work. This means ensuring clear, fair contracts with equitable terms and a copyright regime that support creators and their ability to earn a living from their creations." 

Novelist Joanne Harris commented:

"It's good to see that finally we are becoming aware of just how little the average author earns.  Not everyone can be a high earning, high profile writer but all creators should have the right to be paid for what they do. I'm looking forward to seeing this debate continue." 

Poet Wendy Cope commented:

"Most people know that a few writers make a lot of money. This survey tells us about the vast majority of writers, who don't. It's important that the public should understand this - and why it is so important for authors to be paid fairly for their work." 

The "What Are Words Worth Now? research will be launched at an ALCS debate at the House of Commons entitled "Are We All on The Same Page?: Can a Fair Deal for Writers be Balanced With a Fair Deal for All?" on 8 July. Chaired by Baroness Floella Benjamin, the panellists are poet Wendy Cope; novelist Joanne Harris, Richard Hooper, Chair of the Copyright Hub and Richard Mollet, Chief Executive of the Publishers' Association.

8 July 2104 

*refers to figures quoted in "What Are Words Worth?", previous ALCS research published in 2007. See Editor's Note 4. below.

Editor's Notes 

• "What Are Words Worth Now?: A survey of authors' earnings" was commissioned by ALCS in 2013 and carried out by Queen Mary, University of London.
• A total of 2,454 writers took part, of which 56% were men and 44% women.17% of respondents were aged 44 or under; 54% were aged 45-64; and 29% were aged 65 or over.
• The full findings and report from "What Are Words Worth Now?" will be available in autumn 2014.
• In 2007, ALCS published "What Are Words Worth?", independent research by Bournemouth University into authors' earnings for the financial year, 2004/5. Where data for 2005 is cited, this is the research to which it refers.
• The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) 

ALCS collects fees on behalf of the whole spectrum of UK writers: novelists, film & TV script writers; literary prize winners; poets; freelance journalists; translators and adaptors, as well as thousands of professional and academic writers who include nurses, lawyers, teachers, scientists and college lecturers. All writers are eligible to join ALCS: further details on membership can be found at http://www.alcs.co.uk. ALCS collects fees that are difficult, time-consuming or legally impossible for writers and their representatives to claim on an individual basis: money that is nonetheless due to them. Since its inception, ALCS has distributed over £350 million to the nation's writers. For further information, contact alcs@alcs.co.uk or see http://www.alcs.co.uk