Hey there word nerds!
Today I am so excited to have my good friend and mentor Jane Friedman on the show!
Jane has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She is the co-founder of The Hot Sheet (my go-to resource about the industry), is a columnist for Publishers Weekly, and has been interviewed on many prestigious media outlets like NPR, PBS, and The Washington Post.
In addition to all these accomplishments, Jane has delivered keynotes and presentations on the digital era of authorship at major writing events and today she is here to share her expertise with an inside look at her new book The Business of Being a Writer.
Listen in as we chat about the topic Jane discusses in her book and the ins and outs of the business side of writing most creatives don’t often talk about but need to hear.
In this episode Jane and I discuss:
- Bridging the divide between art and business.
- Developing your own marketing strategy to make a living as a writer.
- Understanding the truth about how the publishing industry works.
- Tips for building your own business model.
- How to be entrepreneurial in your writing career without being an entrepreneur.
Plus, Jane’s #1 tip for writers.
About Jane Friedman
Jane Friedman has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She’s the co-founder of The Hot Sheet, the essential publishing industry newsletter for authors, and has previously worked for F+W Media and the Virginia Quarterly Review. She has been interviewed and featured by NPR, PBS, CBS, The Washington Post, the National Press Club and many other outlets. Her speaking engagements have taken her around the world to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
In addition to being a columnist with Publishers Weekly and a professor with The Great Courses, Jane has delivered keynotes and presentations on the digital era of authorship at major writing events, such as the Writer’s Digest conference and The Muse & The Marketplace, as well as industry shows such as Frankfurt Book Fair, BookExpo America and Digital Book World. She’s also served on panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund, and has held positions as a professor of writing, media, and publishing at the University of Cincinnati and University of Virginia.
Jane’s latest book The Business of Being a Writer is from by the University of Chicago Press and is available now.
To connect with Jane check out her website at janefriedman.com
The Business of Being a Writer
Writers talk about their work in many ways: as an art, as a calling, as a lifestyle. Too often missing from these conversations is the fact that writing is also a business. The reality is, those who want to make a full- or part-time job out of writing are going to have a more positive and productive career if they understand the basic business principles underlying the industry.
The Business of Being a Writer offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive. It is meant for early-career writers looking to develop a realistic set of expectations about making money from their work or for working writers who want a better understanding of the industry. Writers will gain a comprehensive picture of how the publishing world works—from queries and agents to blogging and advertising—and will learn how they can best position themselves for success over the long term.
If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!
Link to Episode 194
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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!
