Photo by San Jose Library

According to a recent survey of more than 1,000, less than 10 percent of self-published writers claim that they “earn a living.” Findings from the survey, which was conducted by Taleist, an Australian publisher and authors’ service company, show that self-published writers who have agents earn more than the average self-published writer.

The Taleist survey found that 97 of the 1,007 respondents indicated they could live exclusively off their royalties. In fact, half the respondents failed to reach $500 in royalties in 2011. Despite the low-wages reported, most writers seem to like self-publishing: Nine out of 10 of the respondents said they would continue to self-publish.

Do you know of anyone who makes a decent living from their self-published work? Share thoughts below.