3 Steps Creative Writers Can Take to Create a Business by Lucy Reed
Let’s welcome back Lucy Reed as she shares with us “3 Steps Creative Writers Can Take to Create a Business.” Enjoy!
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As a creative writer, you probably love every ounce of what you do. That’s great.
Passion is one of the core foundations of launching a career that doesn’t feel like work.
But there are many steps you can take to transform what might be a hobby into an income stream for your family.
Follow these steps on your own or get support.
For example, there’s support to transform your writing hobby into a career from Beth Barany, the editor-in-chief and founder of Writer’s Fun Zone. She offers coaching and consulting for creative writers on how to turn your pen into a profession.
“… how to turn your pen into a profession.
Write a Business Plan
You already know how to write creatively, but a business plan is a different beast altogether.
Your business plan essentially outlines everything you need to know to get your business up and running.
A business plan is also important to have if you plan to seek investors to fund your writing endeavors.
Get Some Feedback
You probably love every word that you’ve written. But the hard truth is that does not make it a publication-worthy novel, short story, or screenplay.
You have to get your words out in front of others to get feedback to see if it’s marketable.
Liminal Pages recommends using a small group of beta readers to test the proverbial waters.
Delve Into E-Commerce
If you’re not sure how well your particular genre might sell, consider opening an online bookstore. (You can easily find items to sell online or at your local thrift store.)
Before you get started on e-commerce, however, look at online tools related to commerce that offer content creation tools, analytics, insights, and other custom capabilities, such as payment processing.
You also want to be able to manage your inventory and engage your customers with a shopping experience tailored to them.
After a few sales, you should begin to see a pattern of what’s most in-demand and what’s not.
Consider Your Writing Environment
Where do you do your best work? If you’re not sure, you need to find somewhere where you feel the creativity flowing through your veins.
Most writers find that they need silence for their brains to truly prioritize the task at hand.
The Writing and Wellness blog explains that silence restores your focus and can even help relieve anxiety and depression, which can leave you more emotionally available to write your manuscript.
Get On the Web
Even if you prefer to pluck at paper and a keyboard and want nothing to do with e-commerce, you’ll need a web presence.
While you could pay someone to create a site for you, you can also build one online using Wix, GoDaddy, or another drag-and-drop site builder. Make sure to include a biography and sample chapters of your upcoming releases.
Let Go of Perfectionism
While becoming a business person/published author means that you have to present yourself professionally, you are in a creative field, and you don’t always have to be perfect.
Don’t be so hard on yourself, especially in the early days of publication.
Remember, there’s going to be rejection and acceptance throughout this journey, and you can’t let the former overshadow the latter…if you do, you may never want to write again.
As a creative individual, you may not have the experience you need to truly move forward as a business professional.
But the simple steps above, from moving into an e-commerce realm to writing a business plan and letting go of your idea of perfection can all help you gain the confidence you need to position yourself for future success.
A Shout Out
If you’re ready to publish your science fiction or fantasy novel, contact Beth Barany today for personalized coaching that will change your status from aspiring to author.
Image via Pexels
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lucy Reed has been starting businesses since she was a kid, from the lemonade stand she opened in her parent’s driveway at age 10 to the dog walking business she started while in college. She created Gig Mine because she was inspired by the growth of the sharing economy and wanted to make it easier for entrepreneurial individuals like herself to find gig opportunities in their areas.
