‘What Do You Do and What Do You Make?’: Author with One NYT Bestseller
The cover story for the March 2026 issue of New York Magazine is What Do You Do and What Do You Make? Perhaps because I have two high schoolers, I found it fascinating to see what people in different professions make. I also couldn’t help but think about how AI and other changes are shifting the prospects of various careers.
But the item that most jumped off the page for me was this spotlight on an author with one New York Times’ bestseller, who’s living partially off his savings.
I found that super discouraging—that even an author who had broken through with a NYT bestseller was struggling. That doesn’t say anything good about the publishing industry or book-reading in our society.
While my own novel-writing aspirations are modest and squarely a side-hustle that I’m serious about but not banking on, it makes me sad to know that writing novels as a career seems to be slipping out of reach for more people.
I can’t help but think of the old and rather mean-spirited adage: “Those who can’t, teach.” Increasingly, when it comes to novel-writing, a more accurate adage would be: “Even those who can, teach … and edit … and have second jobs.” I wish that weren’t the case.
Related posts:
Book review: ‘The Business of Being a Writer’ by Jane Friedman
The Age of De-Skilling: Who do you want to be?
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