Becoming a Writing Entrepreneur

In my 30+ years of writing, I’ve gone from a struggling newbie agonizing over every word and more drafts than I can remember to a published author. I’ve learned the business side of things, how bookstores operate, plus the ins and outs of contracts. I’ve read numerous articles on self-publishing and traditional publishing, all of which have helped me to view my work from a business perspective as well as a creative one.

Although a minority of writers make a living from their work, plenty of them are willing to share their experiences and give advice. One blog from author Joanna Penn made me realize that publishing lots of books in popular genres is only part of the strategy to earning a good living from writing. You see, Joanna has become a writing entrepreneur.

Her six-figure income isn’t just about writing and publishing. It’s a combination of sales from teaching courses, professional speaking, affiliate sales, and podcast sponsorship. It’s really quite something and I encourage you to read her blog if you’re interesting in building a writing business. She’s broken down the percentage of income from different sources quite nicely.

It’s also interesting to note that she writes both nonfiction and fiction. As you’ll see when you read the blog, the key is to diversify. Many writers think that diversification is about writing lots of books in different genres and then turning them into audio books. But that’s only the beginning for the writing entrepreneur.

I’ve been lucky enough to take on a few paid speaking engagements this year. I’m also paid to facilitate a creative writing program from time to time. But Joanna’s blog has made me realize that there is so much more I could do.

Debra