Is Authorship Worth It?

In a world more interested in viral TikToks than timeless prose, a question nags at anyone holding a pen or a keyboard: Is authorship even worth it anymore? Is there still space for authors in a world where “content creators” capture the lion’s share of attention? Let’s explore the perks, pitfalls, and people fueling (or fearing) the future of authorship.

The Dream of Authorship: Alive, But Under Attack?

Traditionally, authorship was something sacred—a career path for deep thinkers, storytellers, and visionaries. And while there are still plenty of dreamers chasing that vision, authorship has become a complicated pursuit. For every author who scores a bestseller, countless others publish quietly, struggling for recognition. According to a survey by Digital Book World, only 15% of traditionally published authors and 10% of self-published authors earn more than $10,000 a year from their writing. So while it’s easy to blame this on a crowded market, there’s something bigger going on: authorship itself has become the underdog.

With social media platforms, podcasts, and endless video content, books are now just one option in a buffet of entertainment. As British journalist Ian Leslie wryly tweeted, “What’s more depressing than seeing a sea of people scrolling their phones while you’re reading a book on a train?”

Yet, many authors push forward, driven by a quiet conviction that their work matters—even if their readership, well, doesn’t always match that conviction.

For Readers: The Tides Are Shifting

Readers, bless them, still exist. But they’re changing. We’re seeing a wave of “micro-readers”—those who prefer blog posts, serialized content, or short stories over full-length novels. In fact, reading time on social media surged by 21% in recent years, with apps like Wattpad boasting more than 90 million readers who consume serialized stories chapter by chapter. Then there’s #BookTok, a TikTok community that’s revived interest in certain genres, making older titles like The Song of Achilles and It Ends With Us bestsellers once more.

This shift isn’t necessarily bad, but it suggests that traditional books may no longer be the default option for younger readers who crave engaging, easily digestible content. For authors, it means adapting to readers who might follow along online for a while before they commit to buying a book.

The Love-Hate Relationship with Authors

Journalists and media channels know they can’t live without books—they need a steady stream of stories to critique, authors to interview, and scandals to dissect. But there’s a subtle irony here. For all their praise of authors, media coverage often bypasses the complex realities of authorship. Behind every author with a book deal are hundreds struggling to get published.

Publishers are also shifting gears. Book sales spiked by 9% in 2021, yet the lion’s share went to established authors and celebrity brands. The message? Want to write a brilliant debut novel? Great, but you’d better have a social following.

Why Many Authors Keep Writing? (And Why Some Walk Away?)

For those determined to stick to the path, authorship isn’t about fame or a New York Times bestseller (okay, maybe just a bit). It’s about the deeply satisfying grind of crafting sentences, discovering stories, and exploring themes that other media just don’t capture. Despite the odds, authorship carries a timeless allure for those who truly love to write.

And yet, we’re seeing a new trend: authors walking away. Many have turned to other forms of storytelling, like screenwriting or digital content creation, where success can be faster and—let’s face it—more lucrative. As author and media analyst John Battelle puts it, “Authors are entering new spaces where words don’t just sit on a page; they’re translated into sound, animation, interactivity, and more.”

Authorship in 2024

So, is authorship worth it? The answer depends on what an author is looking for. If you’re after an audience, there are faster, flashier ways to capture one. If you’re after intellectual satisfaction, authorship still delivers. But for those looking to do both? It’s complicated.

In the end, the world is full of readers who will always hunger for a good story, a bit of satire, or a slice of truth wrapped in fiction. So, while authors may be up against YouTube, TikTok, and the relentless media machine, those who stick it out will always have a place in readers’ hearts. And as trends shift, authors may yet find that they’re not just worth it—they’re necessary.