Setting Up Your Writing Business

DfgDfg Admin
edited August 2010 in Life
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Taken from Chip's Blog. These tips will help you get into writing bussiness. I am mostly interested in freelance work and hopefully by following these simple yet essential tips I might be successful in earning something.

How do you officially set up your writing business? What are the benefits to treating your writing business as a ‘real job’ by setting it up in a professional manner? And what have you done to make that happen?”

Let me offer a handful of thoughts for you...
  1. Find a place. Make this your "writing" place and designate it as your office.
  2. Make that your official "home office," then read up on what the IRS will allow you as a tax deduction.
  3. Establish a writing time. For most authors, that's simply "morning." Protect a time each day when you can do some actual "writing" and not just checking email, answering letters, meeting people for coffee, etc. When I started, I set aside 6 to 8 every morning. (I had young kids. Later wouldn't have worked. I hate mornings.) Tom Wolfe starts writing at 9 and stops at noon. Find a time that works, in which you'll just WRITE.
  4. Create a filing system. ("Alphabetical by title or author" works well. Don't rely on the "Eureka!" system.)
  5. Set up a bank account that is just for your business. Sign up for PayPal.
  6. Set up your address book. Keep emails and phone numbers handy...and if you want to move into the bold new world of 1996, invest in a phone or something that will keep those handy.
  7. Create a calendar. Not just for your day, but for the big projects you've got. It'll help you figure out what you're writing when. It'll also remind you that you've got to take Fiona to the orthodontist.
  8. Group similar activities. Do all your mail at one time. Group your phone calls back to back so you get through them all. Ditto email, if that were possible. Things that are "occasional but regular" should be scheduled -- for example, I look at submissions every Friday morning.
  9. Create a budget. How much do you expect to make this year? How much do you expect to spend? (Having more of the former makes for a better business, by the way.)
  10. Create a to-do list. Every day. Work through it. On Friday (or every other Friday) start at the bottom and work up – that’ll prevent you from never doing the one task you hate.
  11. Create a contact list. Capture names and email addresses.
  12. Invest in a separate business phone line or business cell phone.
  13. Invest in a website and business cards.
  14. Make sure you've got quality high-speed internet. (Duh.)
  15. Invest in the help you need – training or people or space or tools.
  16. Invest in a great computer and the software you'll need.
  17. Invest is a good printer, preferably with a scanner.
  18. Invest in yourself -- take a class, attend a conference, join a support group, get therapy, whatever it is you need to grow. Buy a good dictionary and thesaurus.
  19. Learn to keep good records. If you need a class on it, take one. (There are even personal organization trainers who will help you get organized. Talk to someone like Tiffany Colter about that.)
  20. Learn about taxes -- expenses, etc.
And the BEST advice? Write regularly. If you don't do that, you won't make a living at this.
That help?

Comments

  • ImaginariumImaginarium Regular
    edited August 2010
    I make sure never to ever follow anyone else's rules about writing, except for maybe the "write regularly" one. Everything else is just an excuse to make a list.
  • weathersweathers Regular
    edited August 2010
    I make sure never to ever follow anyone else's rules about writing, except for maybe the "write regularly" one. Everything else is just an excuse to make a list.

    I agree with this if you're writing fiction or as a hobby. My only rule is to ALWAYS have a pad and pen on me.

    I've spent time as a freelance writer (non fiction) as well, though, and for that you really need a routine. I used to have 9am - 3pm as strict office condition writing time.
    All it takes is one missed deadline and your name's mud. In two years, something like 90% of the people/companies I worked with knew each other in some way, so piss one off and a whole bunch of unseen doors close.
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