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? I n 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 models that writers are using these days
The commonalities of authors making over $100,000 per year
Understanding the profit and loss statement for your book

Joanna offers up our interview in three ways:

A 45-minute video you can watch
A transcript at her blog
An audio-only version (at the top of the page)

I’m grateful to Joanna for inviting me as a guest on her series, and hope you find some useful takeaways in our discussion.

Jane Friedman

View posts by Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman (@JaneFriedman) has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She is the publisher of The Hot Sheet, the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World in 2019.

In addition to being a columnist for Publishers Weekly, Jane is a professor with The Great Courses, which released her 24-lecture series, How to Publish Your Book. Her book for creative writers, The Business of Being a Writer (University of Chicago Press), received a starred review from Library Journal.

Jane speaks regularly at conferences and industry events such as BookExpo America, Digital Book World, and the AWP Conference, and has served on panels with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund. Find out more.