3 Principles for Finding Time to Write
How do you navigate the writing life when you have an intense day job? Does such a thing as work-life balance exist?
Category Archives: Business for Writers
Author Income Surveys Are Misleading and Flawed—And Focus on the Wrong Message for Writers
I don’t trust author-income survey results and I question their usefulness in improving the fortunes of writers. Too often it feels like propaganda from writers’ organizations, with the outcome boring and predictable.
How to Lessen Your Chances of an Online Crisis
It can happen to you. Your carefully built author business and your reputation can come under attack and threaten to disrupt your livelihood and your personal life. But you can help prevent a crisis in the first place by using some simple engagement strategies.
Copywriting 101: How to Earn Money By Writing for Businesses
Writing for businesses is a way for skilled writers to earn a good, dependable income. Someone is responsible for writing all the websites, brochures, and marketing materials out there. Why not you?
Building Your Business Model as a Writer
Over the last month, I’ve been talking (and writing) about how to build a business model for career that suits your particular strengths as well as the unique quality of your work. Here are my latest appearances.
Building a Strong Author Platform: It’s Not Just About the Numbers
A smart and strategic author should evaluate their platform strength on three levels: (1) ability to reach new readers, (2) ability to engage existing readers, and (3) ability to mobilize super fans.
What I Earned (and How) During My First Year of Full-Time Freelancing
In 2014, I made the leap from conventional employment to a full-time freelance career. Here’s how I did it—and what I earned, down to the dollar.
My New Book, The Business of Being a Writer, Is Now Available!
My newest book, The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), takes it on principle that learning about the publishing industry can lead to a more positive and productive career. It helps writers feel empowered and confident to navigate an ever-changing field.
3 Principles of a Successful Freelance Career
When I began working as a freelancer, I wanted to find clients to pay me in the thousands. Once I figured out how to land writing jobs, I was working long hours, always seeking more clients, and somehow still getting paid next to nothing. I was missing something on the business side of things—an essential piece of the puzzle.
The Risks and Rewards of Bringing Your Spouse or Partner Into Your Business
There are real risks to working together on a business with your spouse or partner, especially if you are both still learning how to do it well and manage your household through the uncertainty of the start-up existence. Adopting formal agreements on how to interact with one another can help avoid stress and anxiety.
A Basic Guide to Getting Permissions + Sample Permissions Letter
If you need to request permissions from an author or publisher, here are general guidelines, plus a sample letter you can customize.
A Writer’s Guide to Permissions and Fair Use
Permissions is all about seeking permission to quote or excerpt other people’s copyrighted work within your own. Here’s when you need to seek permissions.
How to Choose and Set Up a Pen Name
You should consider how secret you want to be about your true identity. Maintaining secrecy is difficult. The higher the level of secrecy, the more complicated the process
The Pressure to Release More, More, More Titles
Whenever you produce titles fast, you’re making trade-offs.
My Recent Work with The Authors Guild: New Publishing Resources and Classes
I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been working with The Authors Guild on the creation and release of their new resource guide on e-publishing.
Freelance Writing IS a Viable Career (Don’t Listen to the Naysayers)
If you dream of a full-time freelance writing career, don’t be discouraged by the largely negative messages about how difficult it is out there.
Improve Book Sales Through Better Descriptions and Keyword Targeting
Is it better to have a long or short book description on Amazon? What should go in the first line? How do you research appropriate categories and keywords? Learn principles and tools to master the power of descriptions and reach your target market.
5 Things Nonfiction Authors Can Get Sued For
Unlike pure fiction, nonfiction is grounded in the real world, with real people, real names and real places, and this inevitably creates an environment where a legal misstep can occur.
Why We Should Pause Before Mocking the Mall of America Writing Residency
The Mall of America residency isn’t going to be an appropriate opportunity for even a majority of writers. But it’s the right opportunity for someone.
So You Want to Teach an Online Writing Course?
A course’s success depends on anticipating and understanding the needs of writing students and producing the outcomes they most desire.
Building a Platform to Land a Book Deal: Why It Often Fails
If you’re preparing to pitch your nonfiction work to agents or publishers, you may have heard about the necessity of platform. What if you don’t have one?
Using Amazon KDP Ads to Sell Your Ebook on Amazon
Amazon offers two ways for authors to advertise ebooks at their site. Learn how to smartly set up and manage product display and sponsored product ads.
What Is a Hybrid Publisher?
Defining a “hybrid publisher” is difficult; you will hear different descriptions depending on who you ask. Here’s what you need to know to evaluate one.
Negotiating Editorial Control in Publishing Contracts
Today’s guest post is from writer and Sidebar Saturdays blogger Matt Knight (@mattknightbooks). One of many worrisome areas for writers negotiating publishing contracts is who has final word when editing a manuscript for publication. Publishing agreements define the right to creative control over the manuscript in the editing clause. Typically, that right goes to the […]
How to Make Money from Your Website or Blog
I’m proud to have a feature in Writer’s Digest magazine on how to monetize your website and blog. I detail eight methods.
When Should You Write for Exposure? 5 Questions to Ask
When deciding whether to write for free—or for exposure—here are 5 questions writers should ask.
A Round-Up of My Columns for Publishers Weekly
Last year, I began regularly contributing to Publishers Weekly on the topic of independent authorship and publishing. Here’s a list of all my columns so far:
My First Year of Full-Time Freelancing
A few lessons I’ve learned after more than a full year of full-time freelancing
How to Sell Digital Products & Services Directly from Your Website: Advice for Authors and Freelancers
To sell products and services directly through your website, here are a few services and tools to get up and running fast (no coding or tech help required).
Interview with Jane: Understanding the Business of Authorship
In this latest podcast interview, I discuss understanding your business as an author and expanding your personal brand beyond just book sales.
Building Your Business As An Author [Interview]
I was delighted to be a guest on Stephen Campbell’s podcast, The Author Biz.
The Long-Term View: 3 Exciting Mind Shifts for Author Entrepreneurs
Note from Jane: Today’s guest post is from Joanna Penn (@thecreativepenn), and is based on her new book, Business for Authors: How to Be an Author Entrepreneur, out now in ebook, print and audio. During the last five years, I have seen a major shift in the publishing arena because of emergent technology and a changing […]
Writers Are Opening Up About Money—And That’s a Good Thing
From a recent op-ed at the New York Times: Writers may always have worried about money, but now seems a particularly fertile time for writing about it. … This spate of talk about writing and money has opened up broader conversations about who can afford to enter the profession today, and who gets shut out. My magazine […]
What Every Self-Published Author Needs to Know About Taxes
Note from Jane: Today’s guest post is by attorney Helen Sedwick (@helensedwick), an attorney licensed to practice in California only. She just released the Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook, now available in ebook and paperback formats. This information is general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of an attorney authorized to […]
Being an Author vs. Running a Business as an Author
Is there a difference between being an author versus running a business as an author? In this interview with Joanna Penn, we discuss some of the important shifts that happen when you begin treating your writing (and/or your art) also as your business. We also cover: The trade-offs that can make full-time writing possible The business […]
The 7-Step Business Plan for Writers
Your productivity and growth are a direct result of forming a business plan (and sticking to it); here are 7 steps—plus a template—for creating your own.
Best Business Advice for Writers: September 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers (Sept 2013): a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Best Business Advice for Writers: August 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Healthcare for the Self-Employed Writer
How to find health insurance if you’re a self-employed writer.
Best Business Advice for Writers: July 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Audience Development for Writers: Your Life-Long Career Investment
In this talk from the 2013 Midwest Writers Workshop, I explain the process of growing my readership since 2008, then share a few key principles I follow to make it an enjoyable and sustainable process.
Best Business Advice for Writers: June 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing. Share any best reads you’ve found lately in the comments.
Best Business Advice for Writers: May 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a list of the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Best Business Advice for Writers: April 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing. Share any best reads you’ve found lately in the comments. Discover Your Author’s Brand by Philip Martin If you’re turned off by conversations of author branding, this post is for you. Martin […]
Best Business Advice for Writers: March 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing. Share any best reads you’ve found lately in the comments. Anatomy of a Successful Kickstarter Campaign by Tom Allen (@tomsbiketrip) It sometimes feels as if everyone is running a Kickstarter—and that […]
Best Business Advice for Writers: February 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Best Business Advice for Writers: January 2013
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up where I share the best online articles focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Best Business Advice for Writers: December 2012
Best Business Advice for Writers is a monthly link round-up that shares the best articles online focused on the business of writing and publishing.
Best Business Advice for Writers: November 2012
For a couple years, I curated a weekly round-up of links called Best Tweets for Writers. I had fun doing it, but ultimately abandoned it in 2011 when I could no longer sustain the time commitment. Nowadays, there’s no shortage of link round-ups for writers, of varying quality. While I hesitate to add another one […]