At this early period, their working titles were Elinor and Marianne, First Impressions and Susan. Lady Susan was also probably written during this period. In 1803, Jane Austen actually sold Northanger Abbey (which was then titled Susan) to a publisher, for the low sum of £10. However, the publisher chose not to publish it.



In January of 1805, Jane Austen's father died and the family became very reliant on financial support from Austen's brothers. They had about £450 per year. In 1806, the family moved from Bath to Southampton. In 1809, Jane Austen, her mother, sister Cassandra and Martha Lloyd moved to Chawton, where her brother, Edward, provided a small house on one of his estates. Jane soon resumed her literary activities after returning into Hampshire and revised Sense and Sensibility, which was published under the name "By a Lady" in October of 1811. There were at least two fairly favorable reviews and the first edition eventually turned into a profit of £140 for her. Encouraged by this success, Jane Austen turned to revising First Impressions, a.k.a. Pride and Prejudice. She sold it in November 1812 and was published in January 1813. She had already started work on Mansfield Park by 1812 and worked on it during 1813. A second edition of Sense and Sensibility was also published in October 1813. In May 1814, Mansfield Park appeareard and was sold out in six months. Emma was published in December 1816 and a second edition of Mansfield Park arrived. She started Persuasion in August 1815 and finished it in August 1816; although during 1816 she was becoming increasingly unwell. In early 1817 she started work on another novel, Sanditon, but had to give it up in March. During April, she made out her will, leaving most to Cassandra, and in May she was moved to Winchester for medical treatment. Jane Austen died there on Friday, July 18th, 1817. She was 41. It was not known what caused her death, but it seems as though it was Addison's disease. She was buried in Winchester Cathedral on July 24th 1817.