Incorporating Business Practices into the Creative Writing Process
I knew little about business when I started my first company at fourteen years old. Surprisingly, I made money at it. I had a camera, a sound recorder, a manual typewriter, and a heavy imagination. I traveled to businesses, telling them I’d like to make commercials for them. They looked at me like I was crazy. Many told me, let’s see what you can do. This is what we call 'working on spec ', where you create a product or service without a guarantee of payment, but with the hope that if the client likes it, they will pay for it. I worked on spec. They liked what I did. I got paid. My work got broadcast. I didn’t realize at the time how lucky and fortunate I was.
As a writer or creative person, you have your own business, just like I did and do. Over the years, I learned that, though it is creative and maybe even art, you need to run it like a business. Surprisingly, conversely, I have found that business can be run creatively, almost like art.
Owning your own business is like the proverbial cat herder. You have a staff. In the case of a writer, that might be an assistant, accountant, or lawyer, but it also includes your agent, your editor, your cover designer, your copyeditor, and, of course, your customers, the readers. You may not pay them all directly, but you do pay those you don’t in reverse. For those you don’t pay directly, from the money that comes in, they take their part out of your paycheck, a percentage. They are an expense. It’s also your job as the writer to employ all these people and keep them employed. That means running an efficient and reliable business. That means always paying close attention to the financial books and the bottom line. For instance, you need to manage your cash flow effectively, ensure timely payments to your team, and invest in marketing and sales strategies. You oversee research and development, product creation, and marketing and sales in that capacity. You may be creative, but if you are to be successful, you are as much a businessperson as you are a writer.
Carrying this weight, sometimes your dreams seem impossible. I have five-year plans for what I want to do in my consulting, speaking, educational, and creative work. Each year, usually after Killer Nashville, for me because that is my work year (not fiscal because the government doesn’t see it that way), and so my goals for the next year are under the heading of something such as “2024-2025 Goals”. It’s Killer Nashville time for me, so my goals for 2024-2025 are already laid out for myself and my team members. This last statement is an important point. You are only as good as your team members. To make your dreams happen, you need a team; with that team, you also need to ensure that their dreams are incorporated into your dreams. Everyone wants to live their dreams. Keep your team members in mind and ensure they get what they want. I’ve worked with bad teams, awful teams, and great teams. Having a great team makes all the difference in productivity and happiness. It makes your dreams possible. Remember, your team is not just a group of people you work with; they are your partners in success.
If you want to write full-time, you must consider why you would like to quit your day job and run your own business as a creative professional. It’s a lot of work, but control, being your boss, and taking the cap off your income potential might influence you to want to take the plunge. Once again, I didn’t mention writing. Never forget that writing and business are the same, but they are also two distinct parts of the same whole. So, if you desire to write full-time, I suggest that you set goals for yourself. You don’t have to be fourteen (or young) to start your own business. You can lay the groundwork now. I don’t suggest anyone quitting their day job without a backup plan. That’s fool-hardy and being ignorant of the business. Success in writing is a slow climb for just about everyone. I also don’t suggest working hard for a year or two to make enough money to take time off to be a writer for a year to write that Great American Novel. I’ve never seen this work. These do not produce success stories. How do you make the transition? You write every day. You get better every day. And you constantly attempt to publish. In the context of a creative business, 'publishing' means getting your work out there and building a brand, establishing a unique voice, and engaging with your audience. It is publishing that will make all the difference and accelerate your climb.
When I started, it was just me, an old manual typewriter, paper and carbon sheets, and a camera. I no longer work alone. I have an incredible staff for which I’d take nothing. You start with yourself and then grow, no matter your age or circumstances. It’s wild: American small business owners collectively create sixty-six percent of all new jobs yearly and employ around fifty million people. You have much potential ahead of you, even if you are just a writer (I smile). And you can make such a difference in many people's lives beyond just your readers. Since we’re talking about business in this essay, you make a financial difference in the lives of the people who work with you and their families. That, in itself, is incredibly rewarding as you watch yourself achieve your dreams and see them achieve theirs right there with you, as well. The creative business is not just about writing; it's about creating opportunities and making a significant impact.
All of this doesn’t happen on its own. Frankly, beyond blogs such as this from me, you will probably have little support in making your transition. You must be a self-starter and be willing to do things yourself. And when you start, like any business owner, regardless of the field or product, you’ll start doing everything yourself. There will be no money to hire anyone. No one will be interested in taking you on and working for deferral (an agent or editor). It will simply be you and your computer keys. But you can do it. Through Killer Nashville, I see people do it every year and well. They say writing is a game of chance. Not really. It’s a game of strategy. And like any game, you must be willing to gamble on the time during your startup when no one is paying you other than your satisfaction in the belief that something extraordinary will come from all this time and effort you put in. And I will tell you: if you keep at it consistently and daily, things will come. Make it an obsession, and then watch it grow.
Here’s an interesting fact: small businesses (such as the one you are starting) fail not because they are undercapitalized but because they have an information deficit. That’s why I began Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference and Killer Nashville Magazine (if you’re a writer, you’ll be interested in both) and started doing this blog. I want you to have information. I’ve walked the walk from nothing, knowing no one to have whatever degree of success I have had. I want to see the same for you and even more. I’m an educator as well as a creative. I want you to have the information you need to succeed.
I’ve made mistakes, which I’ve tried to share in these essays. I’ll continue to share them. I’m proud of them, as you should be, as well, of your mistakes and setbacks. It meant I tried, even if I failed. I can’t answer every question you might have about starting your new creative business, but I can certainly try. Contact me at contact@claystafford.com, and I promise I’ll try to get back with an answer.
You’ve got the dream to be a full-time writer (or other creative person). You can do it. For today, I want you to imagine what it would be like to have your own business, work full-time as a writer, or whatever it is you want to do. Write down your thoughts. Get excited. Make a plan. We’ll continue this discussion later, but write down what it will look like next year or five years from now and, maybe most importantly, what you emotionally and intellectually want. This last part is essential.
This is your first step to your independence and control. You can do it. If I can carve out a life in this business in my rags-to-happiness story, you can, too. At this stage of my life, it's my job to make sure everyone who has a dream has the opportunity to achieve it. As always, I’ll watch your back, but you must pull hard and work. Let that start today.
Like this blog? Sign up for Clay Stafford’s newsletter, which offers encouragement, skills, resources, and knowledge relating to a balanced life while writing, marketing, promoting, and living. By signing up, you'll join a community of like-minded individuals on a similar journey, providing the support and connection you need. https://claystafford.com/newsletter
