{"id":524,"date":"2009-06-03T04:34:03","date_gmt":"2009-06-03T12:34:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/publishingblog\/?p=524"},"modified":"2009-06-03T04:34:03","modified_gmt":"2009-06-03T12:34:03","slug":"the-business-of-authorship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/publishingblog\/?p=524","title":{"rendered":"The Business of Authorship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writing is a craft and publishing is a business<\/em><\/strong>. <\/p>\n

Publishing is not an extension of your writing<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

You hear and read me and other professionals make such statements. Still, so many authors and hopeful authors miss the point of this truth. I have to ask, \u201cDo you know what a business is?\u201d It\u2019s a means of selling a product or service. It\u2019s an entity through which one sells goods or services for profit. <\/p>\n

When you become a published author and start selling your books, you are in business. You can approach your business in a couple of different ways. <\/p>\n

\u2022\tCreate a business plan, take the steps to establish a bonafide business\u2014apply for a fictitious business name, request a resale permit, get a local business license, etc.\u2014and get serious about promoting your book. <\/p>\n

\u2022\tOr you can remain in denial about your responsibilities as a published author and sit around waiting for your book to start selling. <\/p>\n

What does it mean to be in business?<\/strong>
\nIt means that you are responsible for providing a product or service, promoting it adequately, taking orders, getting it to customers in good shape and in a timely manner, keeping accurate records of purchases and sales, handling customer concerns and living up to your tax\/licensing obligations to your county, state and country. <\/p>\n

Those of you with books published through traditional royalty publishers, don\u2019t need to establish a company of your own. Your publisher has done that, already. You will receive royalty statements, for example. But you will need some sort of business model which includes a record-keeping aspect in order to keep track of your expenses. <\/p>\n

Do you need to create a business if you paid a fee-based POD \u201cself-publishing\u201d company to produce your book? <\/p>\n

\u2022\tIf you want to claim your expenses, you probably need to form a business.
\n\u2022\tIf you plan to get highly involved in promotion, you should establish a business.
\n\u2022\tIf you hope to produce additional books and other related items and or services, you really need to create a business. <\/p>\n

Not every author wants to go into business. And that\u2019s okay. But you can\u2019t have expectations of your book selling by the truckloads, being invited as a guest on major TV shows, landing a distributor, getting your book into bookstores and so forth, if you don\u2019t have a business.<\/p>\n

A huge part of that business, of course, is promotion and marketing. And this is one great reason for establishing a business. <\/p>\n

\u2022\tWhen you promote a book through a legally established business, you are apt to take this task more seriously than if you are just haphazardly selling books when you feel like it.<\/p>\n

If you are writing a book for publication or if you have already reached author status, consider forming a business around your book. You\u2019ll treat it with more respect and so will others. <\/p>\n

For additional information about establishing a business, finding a distributor, writing a book, self-editing, book promotion, getting book reviews, choosing a publishing option, approaching publishers, writing a query letter, writing a book proposal and MORE, order my book today: The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book.<\/em><\/strong> http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/rightway.html<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Writing is a craft and publishing is a business. Publishing is not an extension of your writing. You hear and read me and other professionals make such statements. Still, so many authors and hopeful authors miss the point of this truth. I have to ask, \u201cDo you know what a business is?\u201d It\u2019s a means […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t