Karen White Owens | Writing is a Business

Independent business owner.

I’m eleven books and three novellas into the publishing business and the wise advice of a fellow author still remains in my head. &mquotYou are now an independent business owner. Treat writing that way.&mquot

When I signed my first contract and months later turned in my completed manuscript, I believed my work was done and that I had fulfilled the terms of my contract. I was wrong. I had no idea about what laid ahead. There were so many additional aspects to becoming a published author that went beyond finishing the book. Writing a book is only the beginning.

Here are a few items to consider:

1.Editing, Your masterpiece will come back and you will have to make some changes to it before it becomes a final product.

2. Promotions. Do you have a plan? Ideas for getting your novel to the reading population? Trust me, booksignings are not the answer; and

3. Keep writing. An author must keep writing. You must work on the next novel while doing all of the above and more.

Authors don’t sit behind a desk and let the money roll in. We promote our work and invest our time in all forms of promotions. In addition, with the Internet becoming one big ball of advertisement, we find ourselves involved with social networking, maintaining a website, staying in the loop with twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and blogs. How do you balance all of this against finding time to write while negotiating the next contract?

Time management is the key.

1. Set goals for writing. For example, I’m going to write three (3) pages each time and edit ten (10).

2. I’m a early morning writer. I get up between 5 and 6 am. I do my creative writing, no editing and then I email the whole thing to my job where I edit at lunchtime.

3. Remember the Internet is addictive and seductive. If you find this master sucking the life out of your writing time, let it go.

4. Create a promotional plan and try to stick to your plan.

In conclusion, always keep in mind that writing is a business just like Ford, GM, and Chrysler are companies who build cars for profit. Every aspect of the writing business needs your attention. An agent can make life easier. At the end of the day, an author must write.