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Great article, Leigh! I always try to think like a business, but it’s hard without any real working knowledge of one, this showed me a few more ways to think like one. So thank you for that. I’d love to win, mostly because I am pretty well stuck right now with my writing, and also more or less starting over…which puts me in an interesting position, that’s for sure! Need all the help I can get right now. 🙂
ReplyHey Raiscara!
Thinking of writing as a business is a good way to shift your thinking about writing, too. As for feeling like you don’t know how a business runs… no one is born knowing. The key is, like everything else, doing one small thing at a time. 🙂
A good place to start, btw, is tonight’s #bookmarketingchat on Twitter. We can go into more detail in real time. (May 1, 6pm PST/9pm EST, follow the hashtag or my profile @TheLeighShulman).
Feeling stuck is the worst! How can I help?
ReplyI am in a personal period of transition, with my husband in hospice care, and I will have to redefine my life within the next two months. I’ve been writing on Medium @marblers76 for over a year and find I am getting pretty good at non-fiction writing as my finished novel languishes. As for why? I have no idea where I will be going with writing and who I will be when hospice is over.
ReplyI’m so sorry to hear about your husband. Focus on what you need for yourself and your family now. You can decide what happens next when the time is right.
ReplyWell, I already have Leigh’s book in e-version and it’s one of the best resources I have. (Definitely need a hard copy to keep by my side.) I know a bit about the workshop and I think it’s just the structured kick in the pants my writing life needs right now.
Great article, Leigh – you are, as always, a great source of information and inspiration!
Thanks so much Lisa! And of course, you know I love to hear feedback on my book! Whenever you want to join The Workshop you are more than welcome! You are a gem!!
ReplyHey Jennifer!
If you’d like to know more about how The Workshop works, you can read all about it here >> http://leighshulman.com/jointheworkshop
In the meantime, you can start with these business ideas to help focus you! And feel free to ask me any questions! I’ll be here. 🙂
ReplyIt’s a beautiful article. I loved reading especially about Plan to Scale and the Cross promotions. Thanks for sharing. I’m always writing novels, but never thought about expanding my expertise, like selling an online writing course or something like that. I think I need a writer’s roadmap to keep myself on track in expanding my writing business. The 1-month workshop is like cherry on top
ReplyMariyam!
Congrats on writing your novels! 🙂 It’s a huge accomplishment. And yes, you can branch out and sell other things… but it’s always important for what you create to fit a larger writing plan. I’d love to see you in the Workshop and am happy to answer any questions about it or my book and creating a writer’s roadmap!
Good luck with the giveaway! 🙂
ReplyLeigh,
Considering writing a business isn’t completely foreign to me, since my first career was in business. Each business has its own structure, though. By far, the tougher problem for me has been learning the requirements for the business of writing. Articles like yours go a long way toward clarifying what’s needed, and I want to thank you for writing it.
ReplyHey Dana!!
So true that every business has its own structure, which then has to take the “business of writing” — meaning how the publishing world works — into account. I find having a plan makes it easier to navigate them both bc it helps you focus and cut out a lot of option that don’t fit your plan.
Thanks for your comment!
xoxoL
Leigh, this was so helpful to me! I have two romance novels coming out this fall and am working on my book marketing plan. I just hired someone to do my website for me and it felt so good to hand that off to an expert so I could focus on writing and on the rest of my marketing plan. Thank you so much for all of this info!
ReplyAlways a relief when someone takes over something they can do better so you can focus on what you do best.
I think it’s Michael Hyatt who says that we should outsource anything that can be done by someone other than ourselves and stick to doing the things that are things only we can do.
ReplyTremendous job on this article, Leigh! So instructional and straight forward. I really enjoy pieces that go into the business of writing and publishing in a direct manner. The Workshop would be a great opportunity to compare and learn from other writers on how they work in their writing business. I already have an e-copy of your book, but a print copy would be great to have on hand and be able to physically show at some of the speaking engagements I’m at as a resource for writers.
ReplyFantastic! I’m glad you found the post useful and glad to be part of this giveaway! 🙂 Thanks to Rachel for hosting it!
ReplyGreat article! WHY do I want to win the prize? As an new(ish) author writing for a small publisher I need every advantage I can get to help me take my writing business to the next level.
ReplyAn excellent reason! 🙂 Always a good idea to level up with our writing and business.
ReplyProcesses feel like a huge pain when you’re setting them up, but once they’re in place and working, you are going to love ohw much time it saves you. It also means you can hand off some of your work to other people and focus on the things central to your growth.
Thanks for the comment!
ReplyLeigh,
I love your beginning “You can’t get where you’re going if you don’t have a destination.” Welcome to my world.
By the way, Leigh, I have the paperback version of your book The Writer’s Roadmap: Paving the Way to Your Ideal Writing Life, and often refer to your book, as well as Rachel’s 30-Day Book Marketing Challenge, and How to Best Optimize Blog Posts for SEO. They are all my go-to books.
My problem is I don’t have one clear intent, whether by choice or the way things worked out for me. I’ve heard multiple times the most important thing a writer “must do” is to build a social media following, which I have been doing. My twitter numbers are good, right about 7500 followers and I’m following just over 5000. My FB page, not so well, but I personally believe, in my humble opinion, Twitter and Instagram are the go-to pages for social media. That said, while growing my following, I started a blog: Book Reviews & Musings (https://dbmoone.com) for name recognition. And as my blog name indicates, I write Book Reviews for Random House, Simon & Schuster, and other big house publishing houses, as well as Indie Authors who contact me asking me to read and review their books. I also do author interviews, edit, et cetera. There is my time, 10-12 hours a day, six to sometimes seven days a week.
At the beginning of the new year, I made it a point that I was going to work on one of three WIPs I have sitting, waiting for my return. As you may have already figured out, I am not writing for myself, and I have not begun putting my writing first as I planned at the beginning of 2019. My manuscripts sit collecting dust.
Income, direction, growing your social media is overwhelming. No, I am overwhelmed. I spend all of my time promoting and supporting other authors, some damn good writers, but I put my all into promoting, supporting other, and growing my social media, as well as interacting with amazing writers while I am going nowhere.
I love your article Leigh, but I am overwhelmed (by my own doing) and discouraged. On a positive note, I love #NaNoProMo!
Donna
D.B. Moone
Hey DB!!
Thanks for coming to the chat last night and also for commenting here! I think you’ll find The Workshop really helpful in getting over the overwhelm Which is normal, btw. There’s always a lot to do and it’s hard to know what comes first and where to go next.
Since you have my book… how has it been going? What is your Objective? (We can also chat more on Twitter if you’d like.)
xoL
ReplyHi Leigh! Great article! I am a debut author with a book coming out in September. I am trying to gather as much information as possible so I can set up a sustainable plan for writing and marketing. Setting up an ideal writing life and processes that support it appeals to me!
ReplyIt’s never a bad idea to have a plan to get there! Thanks for commenting! More info soon!
Leigh
It’s a constant process of tweaking. But yes, having a roadmap is key! Let’s see how we can get your focus tightened! And more info the giveaway soon!
xoL
ReplyGreat post, Leigh! Some of these points I’m actively doing, others I’m working on. Thanks for the details and examples. They really help.
Wendy
ReplyGood for you for already having your writing business in place! And it’s always useful to have a checklist of things you want to implement so you always have space to grow!
Thanks for commenting!
xoL
There is so much amazing information packed into this post! Thank you so much for being a guiding light to the writing community!
XoXo
Aww… Mischa!! Thank you! For your comment and also for joining the chat last night! Always a pleasure to see your name pop up!
xoL
ReplyI DO want to win this giveaway because I DO want to run my writing like a business and I want to do it under Leigh’s wise guidance!! This piece was exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you
ReplySo glad you found it helpful, Danielle! And thanks for commenting and entering the giveaway. More on that soon!
xoL
Hi Leigh,
I noticed that I cannot trust myself to finish when things get tough.
These process documents will help me, I hope.
How do you find someone to adjust them to my business?
Hey Mats,
Not finishing things is probably the number one reason most people don’t reach their goals. Sounds simple, but yes.
As for how to set up the process docs… I’m betting most of it is in your head. You’re already doing things for your writing and business and probably already have a method of getting them done. Write it down in a list. That’s where it begins.
It would be very long going into setting up prosses in this post, bc it very much depends on what kind of process you want to set up. But start with what you already know. You can also use Trello to help lay out the steps.
ReplyI have published two books but have a lot to learn about marketing and promotion. I look forward to more information.
ReplyAs a writer, I hear a lot of “You shouldn’t” or “You can’t” from friends and family. Thinks like: “You shouldn’t write erotica if you want to be a successful writer.” Or “Writing is a nice hobby, but you can’t make a living selling books.”
Your positive message of “Yes, you can”, is something I really needed to hear today. The idea of running my writing career like a business makes sense. I mean, to me, this is not a “hobby”. It’s time I stopped treating it like one.
Thank you, Leigh!
ReplyWhat a wonderful article — so full of information and so true! You really need to see your book as a business endeavor. Thanks!!
ReplyYou are so welcome Oleander. I’m not a big fan of the words should or can’t. I even wrote a blog post about should and why to ignore it.
https://leighshulman.com/the-politics-of-should/
It’s far more useful to base what you do on a clear strategy and then work toward a goal than to rely on the things other people think may or may not be possible.
xoL
ReplyThis article confirms how I know I should treat my writing- as a business. For months I have been saying that I will be published soon. However, due to technical issues, my novel is in limbo. I want to succeed as an author- to be able to get my book out in the hands of as many people as possible because I believe my novel can help them. That’s why I subscribed to this website. That’s why I read this wonderfully crafted article. That’s why I wrote this comment.
ReplyGood for you, Maria! It sounds like you have resolved to get things done! That’s an excellent first step! Just keep moving forward a bit at a time!
ReplyI am bookmarking this for later so I can implement this. My writing has lacked that business drive that needs to be behind it. Thank you.
ReplyHey Monica! You are so welcome! Good luck implementing your writing business and feel free to ask if you have any questions.
xoL
ReplyI spent years in the coffee business as the owner or co-owner of drive-thru coffee stands and small coffee shops. I had that business on lock and was super successful. When that part of my life was ending and this new one was beginning I thought my success in that business would easily translate into success in the writing business.
Holy shit was I wrong lol.
I think one of my biggest mistakes was not taking the time or rather not putting more effort into the business side of writing early in my writing career. I am now realizing I missed a HUGE opportunity to start and grow my business back in the relative early days of e-books and internet self-publishing. Now I am trying to play catchup and I feel like I’m doing everything in reverse and its hard paying attention to all the important moving parts of this new dream of mine.
This article had some great advice that really made me think about how to reevaluate what I’ve been missing and doing wrong.
Reply