The Business of Writing

Hi, everyone. I know that I still owe you all a metrics report on the Summer/Winter promotion I did. However, I've been feeling led (thanks to discussions in various on-line groups) to talk a little bit about the business side of what we do as independent authors, whether we are self-published, with a small press or even just getting our ducks in a row to finish that book and get it out into the world.

As independent authors, we need to remember that we are entrepreneurs. That means that much of the business falls on our shoulders: accounting, marketing and so on. It's easy to think about what our responsibilities might be as an author, but not so much as a businessperson.

What are some things you can do to prepare yourself if you're just getting started, or to get up to speed if you're already out there and wondering what to do next? Well, you can start with developing a brand statement. Some people call this an "elevator speech." It's something you should have ready to share when people ask you about your work. It's also something that should be on your website (yes, you need one), your Facebook fan page (yes, you need one of these, too), your GoodReads profile ... you get the picture.

Branding doesn't just apply to your writing: you are a brand yourself. You never know when you'll run into a potential customer/reader, so look the part of a professional author.

Build relationships with your readers and potential readers. Don't treat people as walking wallets; let them get to know some things about you, and vice versa. They'll be much more interested in your product as a result. It's "pull" marketing instead of push marketing.

At the same time, don't be hung up on the number of fans you have. It's an easy trap to fall into: "So-and-so has eleventy-bajillion FB fans and I have 100." Continue to work on building relationships and your fan base will grow.

And now for the "not so much fun" part: actual business. Maybe you don't know too much about running a business ... and that's absolutely fine. The good news is that other people do, and write wonderful books about how you can do the same. One I highly recommend is The Good Life Guide to Entrepreneurship. It's an easy-to-read, plain language guide to running a small business. Now, it doesn't get into super-duper detail. For that, I suggest Small Business for Dummies. The "For Dummies" series is outstanding in its non-nonsense approach and I cannot say enough good about them.

Which brings me to the next point: do read books about business and do so regularly. Some I particularly enjoy are Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun, Lead with Luv: A Different Way to Create Real Success, and Inspired to Succeed.

It's important that you read up on business and stay abreast of trends and ideas. The authors of these books can become mentors to you, without you ever meeting them. I'm honored to call authors like Stacia Pierce, Martha Beck and Molly Burke my mentors ... even though Molly's the only one I know in person!

And when you find a mentor? Be sure to thank that person. It only takes a moment to let someone know that you appreciate their help. Little things like this matter far more than you might imagine.

Well, I've gassed on for far longer than I planned to do. I'll probably write more about the business side of things from time to time. Thanks, as always, for being such great fans. I appreciate each and every one of you.