Do You Treat Your Writing As A Business?
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Noted copywriter John Carlton said, “Nothing happens in business until the writing is done.” That is very true, especially when your business is writing.
If writing is your business, you will have no business if you don’t do the writing. Networking and promotion is futile without writing to promote.
However, you can’t spend all of your time writing unless you have a staff to do the promotion and business activities for you. Most of us don’t have that luxury.
Even if your writing business hasn’t yet started to pay off, you must realize that it is indeed a business. You are the owner of your own small business.
No one (especially the IRS) will take your writing business seriously until you do.
So, how do you treat your writing as a business?
- Manage your time well
- Balance the writing with the promotion and business activities
- Hire someone or learn how to handle the business details
- Invest in yourself
- Attend writing classes and seminars
- Attend conferences
- Read books on the craft of writing
- Invest in your business
- Track your income and expenses well
- Keep records of all your income
- File estimated taxes
- Keep receipts of all your expenses
When you treat your writing as a serious business, others will as well.
Look for future posts about managing your time to achieve your goals as well as tips to make your social networking time more effective.
What are your biggest challenges in your writing business? Leave a comment here and tell us about it.
Write on,
Lynn
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Hi Lynn,
Just stopping by to say good luck with the 30day challenge and I love your blog. I will be sure to keep following your advice. I’m trying to get in the habit (due to the challenge) of updating my blog daily – but also writing an article a day. And I am trying to get started on a screenplay – its SO much. Maybe I should just become a writer as a business LOL.
Thanks for the advice and I’ll come back to see what you have tomorrow
Gwen
Hi Gwen,
With all that writing, it sounds as if you are building a good foundation for your business.
I also have several projects in the works at one time. I prefer to think of it as “diverse” rather than “scattered”.
The challenge is good to make sure that our blogs get equal attention.
I will have some time management tips as well as some tools.
Good luck with the challenge and your other projects.
Lynn
One of the hardest things for us creative types is to be business like. At least, it is so for me! I’ve really had to force myself to learn some rudimentary systems to keep things flowing. I resisted any kind of system for anything for so long–until I figured out that they actually enhance creativity instead of stifling it.
Hi Charlotte,
When you get the business stuff down to routines, you have more time and energy for creativity.
Hi Gwen,
Are you doing the EzineArticles 100 Articles in 100 Days Challenge? I am doing that one as well as the blog challenge. I find it hard to re-purpose the blog posts. They have to be almost totally rewritten. I use a different voice and share more personal things here in the blog.