Rates of Pay

The following rates are based on A4-size projects, commissioned by self-publishing authors, or non-publisher companies or organisations. These rates demonstrate the extensive time and work involved in commissioned book illustration projects, assuming a high professional level and experience of the illustrator in addition to conceptual input and research. 

For all illustration work, an agreement should be in place between both parties before illustration work is begun. Please see our Trade Publishing Agreement for Illustrators and Author Commissioning Illustrator template agreements.

Trade publishing arrangements typically do not pay a commission – instead, the illustrator is paid in advances and royalties. By comparison, educational publishers commonly commission illustrators, offering a work-for-hire contract or ‘royalty-free contract’, with a lump sum for the illustration work.

For ‘one-off’ or single illustrations paid on a flat fee – for example, for editorial illustrations or private usage – add 20 percent to the illustration rates. For online or commercial usage, a limited time agreement of a maximum of two years and an indication of the type of access should be specified. 

Ideally, the illustrator should be paid a commission for the illustrations and royalties for the sales, however the ASA understands self-publishing authors are rarely equipped to accommodate royalty payments. If copyright is assigned to the commissioner in the agreement, the fee should be increased by 20% as compensation for lack of royalties, renegotiations, and additional income. Moral rights should always be retained by the illustrator for attribution.

Where publishers or other commissioners intend to bundle additional tasks with one particular illustrator (e.g. colour illustration, cover design, book design and lettering), the ASA recommends the commissioner to quote for each individual job component, or negotiate a reasonable package rate with the artist that does not undercut the total of all job components by more than 15%.

For additional rates for illustration and design work, please see our Comics Rates of Pay.

• These rates can be used by publishers, organisations such as teaching institutions, the corporate sector and individuals wanting to commission comics creators to produce comics work, including graphic novels, comic books, web comics and cartoons/comic strips.
  
  
• For graphic novels you would be offered rates of pay as you would a picture book with advances weighted in favour of the artist in recognition of the hours of work involved. 
  
  
• The ASA recommends that comic creators who create original work do so under an exclusive licence whereby they retain the copyright. However, if the work is produced for a pre-owned project, brand or character where the copyright resides with another person or entity, then the comics creator may need to assign copyright in the developed work.
  
  
• You may be offered two payments for the one work: (1) pages rates; plus (2) royalties for copies sold over a certain threshold. It will be up to you to negotiate the best offer you can achieve in your experience and circumstances. For example, assume that a publisher releases 10,000 copies of a comic book containing 24 pages of art and story with a recommended retail price (RRP) of $20. The writer will receive a page rate of $100 per page, totalling $2,400; and the artist will receive a rate of $100 per page for pencilling and also $100 per page for inking, totalling $4,800. Once sales exceed 7,500 copies, for example, then the writer and artist could ask for up to 5% each of RRP; That is, 0.90 cents (exGST) each per copy sold over 7,500 copies.
  
  
• Where publishers or other commissioners want to bundle jobs with one particular artist (e.g. pencilling, colouring and lettering), then ASA recommends the commissioner to pays out the rates for each individual job component or negotiate a reasonable package rate with the artist that does not undercut the total of all job components by more than 15%.
  
  
• Please note the ASA recommends these rates apply as minimum Australian rates. Overseas companies may pay different rates. There will also be variations in pay scales for emerging talent as opposed to established brand-name creators, or those who have amassed a large backlist of titles and many credits.
  
  
• Rates are exclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

NB: This is a general summary only and not intended as financial advice. They are intended as a minimum & creators are encouraged to negotiate the best deal that can be achieved.  Inevitably rates will need to be tailored to your individual circumstances. 

Contact the ASA on 02 9211 1004 or email [email protected] if you have any queries regarding this information.

We encourage you to read the Australia Council for Arts report – Graphic Storytellers at Work which includes a section on making a living as a graphic storyteller.

Freelance rates of pay vary considerably, depending on a variety of factors including the type of organisation commissioning the work and the level of experience of the writer.

Please note that these rates are applicable to short-term, one-off freelance writing projects only. They are not intended as a benchmark for sustained periods of independent writing.

The below rates are estimates only and do not seek to represent actual market conditions – some commissioning editors may be able to offer more than this and some may offer significantly less.

MEAA recommends the below rates for 2025:

Poetry rates of pay depend on factors such as how the poem was initiated, where it appears and if a reading takes place.

Refer to the categories and relevant recommended rates below:

Based on consultation with festivals, libraries and authors, as well as recent survey results, the recommended rates of pay for non-school public appearances such as festivals, libraries, clubs, community groups are:

These cover all types of appearances including virtual/online presentations.

These minimum rates of pay are designed for established, professional, freelance authors covering their own sick pay, holiday pay and superannuation. They include preparation and, appearance time, as well as travel to and from the venue but not extended regional or inter-state travel.

As with all such recommended rates of pay, the location and size of the school, your need for the work and your level of skill and experience will all play a part in the way in which you negotiate these rates. Highly experienced and skilled presenters may charge higher fees.

Please note that authors visiting schools must check if they are required to have a current Working with Children check and their own Public Liability Insurance.