Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Writing Is a Business

Are you writing as a hobby, profession, or business? Your answer makes all the difference in the world.

Self gratification comes from a hobby.
Wages come from a profession.
Profit comes from a business.

It's your choice. One must understand the ramifications of the choices. Don't believe for a moment that you can do one and get paid as the other. It really doesn't work that way. No matter what Tooth Ferry you believe in.

Here are insights from publishing industry insiders about the business of writing.

"In today's market, writers can't just be writers. They have to be performers and publicists as well." - novelist Joshua Henkin, "Writer with a Roadshow", New York Times, July 5, 1997

"Publishers lavish promotion on books likely to sell, written by bestseller writers." - Jeff Lippman, Wall Street Journal, September 2, 1997

"Everyone else pretty much has to fend for himself." - Robert Crais, author of the Elvis Cole mystery series, quoted in the Wall Street Journal, September 2, 1997

Many artists are confused about the model they are using and wind up operating their art as a hobby and wondering why they aren't making any money. I made this mistake for many years. You don't need to.

To change your income, first, change your operating basis.

Click here to read the elements of fiction writing, starting with a discussion of the writers product.



-- Richard A McCullough, the Rich Writers Coach, is the creator & editor of http://www.write-better-fiction.com, the fiction writer's source for writing better fiction faster and selling more of what you write.
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