The thing about being an author is that it's kind of like having another job that doesn't pay anything.
Except that's a lie. I do make royalties. And I get praise from readers. Who knows, one day my work may have that watershed moment and catapult me to another place. There are other compensations too.
This great Zen Pencils comic speaks to that.
Here's just a bit of it. Go check it out.
Writing is its own reward.