A royalty statement shows how the economics of writing history work: an author receives royalties only after the publisher recovers the advance. Selling 947 copies produced a little over £200 in this payment rather than anything resembling a dependable salary. Permanent university posts are scarce, especially for historians whose research does not match an available institutional niche. The career described here combines university teaching, revision education, YouTube, Patreon and other public support. That mix shows how a portfolio career can sustain historical research outside a conventional full-time academic appointment.
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The economics behind working as a historian
A candid account of book royalties, advances and mixed employment explains why producing historical research rarely provides a self-sufficient income.