In publishing, a book advance, an upfront payment against future royalties, signals a publisher’s confidence in a manuscript’s commercial potential. Advances help authors cover living expenses, research costs, and marketing efforts before royalty checks start arriving. Yet for Black authors, these vital funds routinely fall short of industry norms, reflecting deeper systemic biases rather than purely market-driven calculations.
Publishers gauge advances by forecasting sales, assessing comparable titles, and weighing an author’s platform. Factors such as prior sales history, social media reach, and media visibility inform the “advance matrix.” In theory, a debut literary novel with strong early buzz might command a modest five‑figure sum, while a sequel from an established bestseller could fetch six or even seven figures. However, these formulas often embed subjective judgments about which audiences “count” and which voices are deemed broadly marketable.
The #PublishingPaidMe movement, sparked by author L. L. McKinney in June 2020, shattered the silence around this issue. Writers of all backgrounds shared their advance figures on social media, revealing that celebrated Black authors frequently received lower advances than their white peers despite equal – or greater – critical acclaim. Acclaimed authors like N. K. Jemisin and Roxane Gay disclosed advances in the low tens of thousands, while white authors on similar trajectories reported six-figure deals. The disparities were so pronounced that British children’s author Malorie Blackman noted she had “never in my life received anything like the sums being posted by some white authors.”
In the UK context, these revelations echoed broader trends of underrepresentation. According to Nielsen BookScan data, only 23 Black-authored titles made the UK’s top 1,000 bestsellers in 2023, generating £10.1 million in sales versus £700 million for all bestsellers – – an imbalance that trickles down to advance offers.
At the heart of these inequities lies a perception that books by Black authors serve niche markets, prompting cautious advance offers. Publishers’ predominantly white editorial and marketing teams may unconsciously assign lower potential to stories outside the “mainstream” white British or American frameworks. This can skew internal forecasting models, leading to a self‑fulfilling prophecy: smaller advances generate fewer marketing resources, resulting in modest sales that appear to justify the initial low advance.
Industry insiders also point to opaque contract negotiations. Non‑disclosure clauses and the absence of standardized benchmarks mean that authors rarely know what peers are earning, weakening their ability to negotiate effectively. As our Founder and CEO, Selina Brown, observes, UK publishing has become less accessible for Black authors since 2020, in part because diversity efforts are treated as trends rather than sustained commitments.
For authors, a smaller advance can translate into financial instability. Without sufficient upfront capital, writers often juggle multiple jobs, reducing time for writing and book promotion. This can delay subsequent projects, erode momentum, and limit creative risk-taking. Early‑career Black authors, in particular, may feel compelled to accept unfavorable contracts simply to secure any deal, perpetuating a cycle of underinvestment in Black literary talent.
Economically, the industry loses out on the full potential of diverse voices. Books by Black authors that receive limited support miss opportunities to expand markets, both domestically and internationally, as readers increasingly seek authentic, varied perspectives. The result is a narrower literary ecosystem and stunted revenue growth for publishers.
Some publishers have begun to respond. In April 2021, Hachette UK launched an author audit as part of its Changing the Story programme, aiming to track representation across authors, editors, and illustrators. By publicly sharing audit findings and setting measurable equity targets, Hachette took a step toward accountability and more equitable advance practices
Similarly, industry advocacy groups like the Black Writers’ Guild have called for collective transparency. Publishing trade associations are exploring anonymized advance‑range disclosures to help authors negotiate fairer deals, much like salary bands in other creative industries.
Achieving parity in advances requires a multi‑pronged approach. First, publishers must normalize transparent conversations about advance ranges, enabling authors to negotiate from an informed position. Second, diversifying decision‑making bodies, that is bringing more Black and other underrepresented professionals into editorial and marketing roles, will broaden the lens through which manuscripts are assessed. Finally, festivals and platforms that showcase Black talent, such as the Black British Book Festival, must continue to amplify these voices, driving sustained industry attention and proving the commercial viability of diverse narratives.
By confronting the systemic factors that depress advances for Black authors, and by fostering open, data‑led equity initiatives, publishing can move beyond tokenism toward genuine inclusion. Only then will book advances truly reflect the rich diversity of stories waiting to be told.