Do publishers pay you if you write books?

Yes, publishers pay for books they publish. Whether you work through an agent who markets your book with publishers or contact them directly, if they believe your book will sell they will commission it.

There are several ways that a publisher can decide to pay you, for instance a part of the profit, or a one-time fee for the rights to publish it. Be careful how this is Worded, because it is possible to give a publisher unlimited rights to publish your book forever and even change it as they want without your consent.

Always check the contract on what rights you give them, and how the payments are calculated.

It is also possible to publish books yourself, meaning that you pay a fee to a publishing agency to sell, market and produce the book you have written. In this case, you are making an investment, hoping the book sells well enough for you to get a profit out of it. This way is more risky, but can be rewarding for writers who are already popular and want more control over the publishing process.