What Advances Do Traditional Publishers Offer Today?

The answer depends on what type of publisher you're talking about. There's a huge difference between the Big Five, midsize publishers, university presses, and independent publishers.

Here's what authors can realistically expect today:

Type of Publisher	Typical First-Time Advance
Major (Big Five)	$5,000–$25,000 (most common)
Strong commercial deal	$25,000–$100,000+
Lead title / auction	$100,000–$1 million+ (rare)
Mid-size publisher	$2,000–$15,000
Small independent press	$0–$5,000
University press	Usually $0–$3,000

For most debut authors at major publishers, an advance of $5,000 to $15,000 is still very common. Highly marketable nonfiction with a strong platform or commercial fiction sold through an agent can command much larger advances. 

What percentage of traditionally published authors receive advances?

This number has changed dramatically over the past decade.

Recent surveys suggest:

• Approximately 40% of traditionally published authors receive an advance.

• That means roughly 60% receive no advance at all, particularly with smaller traditional publishers and many independent presses. 

Among those who do receive an advance:

• The most common advance is $1,000–$2,999.

• The median advance among authors who received one is about $3,000–$5,000.

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