Children's Picture Books

• The children's publishing industry turns out everything from pop-up books to full-length novels to series for teenagers. As with any type of book, the amount of money the author earns depends on how many copies of the book are sold. However, children's book authors often take a smaller cut when they work with an illustrator. According to the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, a 32-page picture book typically generates $12,000 advance that must be split between the author and illustrator, with a higher percentage going to the illustrator. Writer and illustrator each typically receive a cut of 3.5 to 6 percent of the royalties on sales.
  
  

Children's Easy Readers

• Easy readers, or "chapter books," are aimed at elementary school children. While they contain illustrations, they are formatted like a regular book and there are fewer pictures. The pictures are in black-and-white, and the text is the focus. In this case, the illustrators are typically paid a separate fee by the publishing house. The writer will receive the entire advance, typically $5,000 to $8,000, with 7 to 10 percent on royalties.
  
  

Older Children's Literature

• Middle-grade and young adult novels are formatted and sold in the way same as adult novels. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2010, writers in the book industry earned an annual mean wage of $53,050, or a $25.41 hourly mean wage.
  
  

Literary Representation

• Getting any type of children's literature, from picture books to young adult novels, considered by a publishing house is impossible for unpublished authors, so literary representation is often necessary for an author to earn any money writing children's books. For a fee of 15 percent, a literary agent finds the right editor and publishing house for the project, negotiates the contract to get the best deal on behalf of the writer, and deals with royalty statements.