Despite being on reality TV for so long, the Duggar family has kept many details of their lives secret. When various family members began writing books, viewers took it as an opportunity to learn more about the family and their unique lifestyle. In their teens, some of the Duggar daughters wrote a book together (Growing Up Duggar) giving conservative and religious advice.
Now that many of the Duggars are grown and married, a handful has showcased oppositional beliefs and behaviors to those of their parents. Jinger Vuolo was the first to go public with her entire story, via her book Becoming Free Indeed. Now, Jill Dillard is set to follow in her sister's footsteps with her own memoir. Since the family's reality series ended, and after fights over earnings from the various shows, here's how much Jill Dillard stands to make from her book deal.
Jill Duggar Dillard Is Releasing Her Own Memoir
Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard announced their book Counting the Cost on the heels of Jinger Vuolo's successful memoir. Though the two sisters' books feature similar themes of finding self and leaving the family religion, the titles are published through different agencies.
Both titles are quite pricey (almost $30 each), with many saying that Jinger's book was not worth the read and was more like scripture than a memoir. Fans will have to wait to read Jill's book (it releases January 2024), but will it be something of a letdown for fans who want to know more about the family's life behind the scenes?
Like Jinger's book, Jill's promises to share a "remarkable story," describing Jill and Derick's journey in a different way than it's ever been referenced before.
Jill Duggar and her husband Derick are finally ready to share their story, revealing the secrets, manipulation, and intimidation behind the show that remained hidden from their fans.
The description of Counting the Cost also highlights that Jill and Derick are "done with the secrets" and after time, therapy, and "blessings from God," are ready to share their journey.
Of course, one reason why they might be so ready to share is that a book publisher came to them with a deal they couldn't turn down.
Jill Duggar Is Used To A Life In The Spotlight
Jill's book describes her early life on TLC as the "responsible second daughter" of Jim Bob and Michelle, a perfect Christian figure for her parents' program.
The description also points out that Jill never would have been able to have a normal life, given the family's time in the spotlight, hinting that her upbringing was what made it hard for her to live a semblance of a normal life.
Fans already know that Jill shares much of her personal life on social media—and is often trolled for it—which is the tip of the iceberg in terms of the public's fascination with (and derision for) the family. It seems that Jill's book might be an attempt for her to shift the perspective of her family with Derick, and perhaps earn some of the support her sister Jinger has enjoyed.
The money is probably not a negative, either. With their income stream from Counting On having ended in 2021, all of the Duggar siblings who have moved out of their parents' home need to find a way to make a living on their own. Jill Duggar Dillard's book deal hasn't been publicized, but there are some hints as to how much she could make from the memoir.
How Much Is Jill Duggar's Book Deal Worth?
Although some celebrity tell-alls come with a publicized price tag, Jill Duggar's book deal has been kept under wraps so far. However, there are a few ways to guesstimate how much Jill Dillard stands to make from the publishing deal.
For example, many book deals offer the subjects (not necessarily the authors) an up-front payoff, regardless of how many books are sold. This is typically based on how much the publisher assumes the book will bring in. For example, Britney Spears was offered a $15 million book deal up-front, before anything is even written.
According to Statista, other celebrities have earned nearly as an impressive offer for the exclusive rights to their memoirs; Hillary Clinton was paid $14 million for Hard Choices, Amy Schumer made $9 million for The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, and Alan Greenspan received $8.5 million for The Age of Turbulence.
Both Hillary Clinton and Amy Schumer are often considered controversial personalities, so the price for their memoirs likely reflects that. As for Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman seems an unlikely candidate for such a massive book payoff, but it proves that public interest can help bolster a book's value on the market.
Even Matthew Perry's poorly-received book earned him a "mid-seven figure range" deal; around $5 million. Therefore, it wouldn't be shocking if the Duggar families' books are worth a couple of million dollars each.
How Much Did Jinger Vuolo Get Paid For Her Memoir?
The details surrounding Jinger Vuolo's book deal are also hush-hush, but a bit of math (and some Amazon rankings info) suggests that Becoming Free Indeed sells hundreds of thousands of copies per month (eBook and paperback/hardcover combined).
Because Jinger's book ranks #1 through #4 in most of its categories, the sales so far likely exceed $4 million. Depending on profit margins, Jinger's book could have paid millions up-front—but the only way to know for sure is to keep close tabs on the reality star's growing net worth over time.