The average income of a fiction author varies according to what and where he publishes his work. Authors who publish short stories in literary magazines are usually paid a one-time check for their submission, if anything. For instance, The Sun pays $300 to $1,500 for fiction, while the Boston Review states that payment varies.
Novelists usually receive an advance for each novel, followed by royalty checks as the novel sells. Best-selling authors such as Audrey Niffenegger receive millions for an advance, but The New York Times reports that $30,000 is typical. Royalty rates usually start at 10 percent for the first 5,000 copies, according to Poets & Writers Magazine, and may go up as more copies of the book sell.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for salaried authors--such as columnists and journalists--was $53,070 in May, 2008. However, as most fiction writers are not salaried, income varies greatly depending on the successful publication and sale of their writing.