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How to Make Money from Books — A Complete Analysis of Authors' Income on Forgeon

April 24, 2026

Forgeon is not just a platform for publishing books.

It’s a system where an author can earn in multiple ways — both from sales and from readers engaging with their story.

Let’s break down exactly how it works.

Book Sales

The most straightforward source of income is sales.

When a user buys your book:

  • first, payment system commissions are deducted;

  • then, the net income remains;

  • 80% of this goes to the author, and 20% goes to Forgeon.

This is the basic model, where you earn directly from each purchase.

Author Pool — Income from Subscription

The second source is the Author Pool.

It is formed from the Premium subscription.

Each month:

  • the platform receives income from subscriptions;

  • from the net income, 50% is directed to the authors’ fund.

How the Pool is Formed

These 50% do not go into the pool immediately.

The amount:

  • is distributed roughly over the entire subscription period (about 30 days);

  • and is gradually added to the pool daily.

This is important because:

  • if a user buys a subscription at the end of the month,
    → their contribution is spread over months,
    → rather than going entirely into one period.

How the Author Pool Works

Throughout the month, the system tracks activity within books:

  • reading;

  • time spent in the book;

  • depth of completion.

Authors earn points for this.

At the end of the month:

  • a total fund is formed;

  • it is distributed among authors proportionally to their points.

Protection Against Fraud

The points system is designed to prevent abuse:

  • only real user activity is counted;

  • limits and checks are applied;

  • it is impossible to artificially inflate points.

When Payments Are Made

  • activity is collected throughout the entire month;

  • calculation takes place at the end of the month;

  • the Author Pool is distributed starting on the 1st day of the new month.

Referral Program

The third source of income is the referral system.

It allows you to earn by inviting new users to Forgeon.

How It Works

You have a personal link with a ref parameter.

A user:

  • registers through your link
    or

  • names you before their first payment

If the user makes their first payment:

  • for a Premium or Author Plus subscription

→ you receive a bonus.

When the Bonus Arrives

  • the bonus is not credited immediately;

  • the money is credited to your balance 5 days after the payment;

This is done to account for possible refunds.

How Much You Can Earn

By default:

  • $1 for the user’s first payment

Higher Rates

If you have an audience, you can get a higher rate:

  • from 10,000 subscribers → about $1.5

  • from 100,000 → about $2

  • from 1,000,000 → about $3

The rate is agreed upon and fixed in your profile.

Important Details

  • the bonus is credited once per user;

  • only authors can participate;

  • the link is available in the author’s dashboard;

  • the invited user may receive a discount on their first payment (if conditions allow).

How Payments Are Made

All income is accumulated within the platform:

  • book sales;

  • Author Pool;

  • referral bonuses.

After filling in the required information, you can withdraw funds.


Summary

Forgeon offers several sources of income:

  • book sales (80% to the author);

  • Author Pool (50% of the net subscription income is distributed among authors);

  • referral program with fixed and increased bonuses.

You can use one source or combine them — and build a stable income from your stories.

How to Earn Money from Books — Complete Guide to Author Income on Forgeon — Forgeon | Forgeon