How much money do journalists get?

Question

Okay, I want to become a writer, but I have no clue how much money they make each year...I might become popular, but idk. So how much money does an average book-seller make?

And also, how much money does a writer for like, CosmoGirl! make?

And are graphics designers rich?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, don't expect to get rich working as a journalist or reporter. In the St. Louis area of Missouri, a common entry-level reporter's salary is between $20-25,000 a year (and that's after you have a journalism degree under your belt). I know ... not great. No matter what genre you would like to eventually work in, most writers' first jobs are at newspapers because it's good experience -- and newspapers are happy to take entry-level people (just out of college) because they are cheap labor.

That said, there are exceptions, and if you are fortunate enough to work your way up to a staff position for a popular magazine, obviously, your salary would greatly improve. But don't expect to have Carrie's life on s*x and the City.

If you do succeed in having a book published, the sky is the limit; but very few authors are accomplished enough to be a full-time book author. (Read: keep your day job.) Have you been to Barnes and Noble lately? You will have a LOT of competition.

The bottom line is, you have to write because you love it, have a natural curiosity to find out the facts about an event or person, and be comfortable talking to lots of different kinds of people. And that's on top of having talent and being trained in journalism.