Third Step to Writing Success Means Business
Building your writing success requires a plan. If you want your writing to be a business then you have to treat your writing like a business.
“What’s the most important thing about building a freelance career?” That question gets asked at all conferences where freelancing is addressed. The best answer ever given is as simple as it is true. “You better have a plan.”
Writing is an art, and many people don’t think of writing first as a business because it is an art. Anything crafted from the heart is art – be it computer coding, engineering, architecture, or writing. So if you want to make a profession from your words then like every other profession out there, you need a plan. When it comes to building a freelance writing career, you need a business plan specifically geared to your writing focus and desires.
Do you have a business plan for your writing?
For the record, “I want to sell a lot of books” is not a business plan. It’s barely a goal. In truth, it’s more of a wish than a goal because a goal needs a measurable finish line and “a lot” is not a measurable finish line.
Crafting your business plan for your writing journey doesn’t have to be complicated. There are hundreds of templates you can use to formulate your writing plan – which is just a business plan for your writing.
For today, we are going to keep it simple – just three sections that will provide an overview of what you are doing with your writing and where you want to go with your success.
Three Sections for Your Writing Plan
- Section one – write out your mission and vision statements to explain the direction for your writing. These set the tone for the rest of what you will be doing. The mission statement will be short, sweet, and to the point – it is specific, measurable, and explains the why behind what you are doing. The vision statement should be even more concise – imagine the possibilities, draw a map to that dream, and then encapsulate that in as few words as possible.
- Section two – create your action steps. These are the step by step little bits that will lead you to your writing BIG DREAMS.
- Section three – balance the budget. This is the place for your sound financial plan that includes recurring expenses, continuing education, and income streams.
Your writing business plan sets a foundation for building your writing success. Each section provides guidance for the choices you make through your writing journey. The best-written plan will be solid enough to withstand the storm but flexible enough to bend and shift as needed.
Take time to write out a plan that works for you, that is focused on you, and that embraces all the ideas you have for your writing success. If you are going to work the plan then you need a writing business plan that will work for you.
More Steps for Writing Success
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