The Business of Writing

I never wanted to be a writer - I simply was one, from the day I was capable of holding a pen. I copied poems down, wrote out words I liked, and stared at them as if they held some kind of secret. I told myself and others stories, stories convincing enough to land me in hot water at least once (I convinced the other children in the neighbourhood that a certain alley between two houses was haunted). Beyond all that, however, I was always living in a story. Call it creativity, imagination, or maladaptive daydreaming, but it has been the foundation of my life and my livelihood.

As I've moved further into the business of writing, as a copywriter, a ghostwriter, and even an author of romance and erotica (under a pseudonym), a few truths have come to light. The first and most universal is the fact that many people who come into this industry expect to make money, good money, fairly quickly. The second is that many are more in love with the idea of what writing as a career seems to be than what it is.

The pervasive idea of a travelling, free-spirited writer who works as and when they want has made a home in the public consciousness, but the truth is far from this.

5 Things You Need to Know About the Business of Writing

Whether you've always wanted to be a writer or you found yourself in need of a side-hustle during the pandemic, freelance writing can seem like a great idea. After all, if you have a good grasp of the English language, a touch of creativity, a PC and an internet connection it's possible to dive right in. In fact, that's really all you need so the overheads are fairly low unless you want to sink money into courses, certifications, and learning. This makes writing incredibly accessible - this is the plus-side. There are, of course, downsides. Here are five key facts that you need to know before you undertake the business of writing

1. It's a Buyer's Market

The market is saturated - there are literally thousands of writers trying to sell freelance services. Not just this but not all of them are skilled or even have a professional attitude. This means that freelancers trying to make a serious career are often swimming against the tide. People will try to underpay you and other writers will be more than happy to undercut you.

The truth is that there will be times when you have to take peanuts simply because you need work, especially if you don't have a day job. This is why I recommend that you start building a client base and find your niche while you have some form of traditional job. It's much easier to set boundaries with clients when you aren't desperate for every single invoice coming your way.

2. Reputation is as Important as Skill

Most clients would rather have a competent copywriter who is reliable, professional, and happy to take criticism than a wildly talented writer with a reputation for being difficult. Even if you have reservations about your skills, I recommend you walk into every pitch with confidence.

Over-estimate your timescales and deliver before deadline when you can. Do not argue with the client, not even if you think something could be done in a better way - while making a suggestion will generally be fine with most clients, some know exactly what they want and won't budge. If your first suggestion is rejected, don't push it. A client who fails to recommend you can be as damaging as one who complains about you.

Your first concern should be to create a reputation for reliabilty and consistency. Do what you promise when you promise and treat your clients with professionalism and you'll find that doors begin to open.

3. Writing Fiction is Like Making Music

Most writers want to write fiction, few ever manage to do it with the kind of success that allows them to live on the proceeds. The median annual income of a professional author is £10,500 per annum. So, it's easy to see why so many authors are also ghostwriters, freelancers, or otherwise traditionally employed. If you want to make a good annual salary writing fiction you'll need to be prolific.

What's more you'll need to be a shameless self-promoter. I firmly believe marketing classes and certifications are a necessity for authors. Networking, social media marketing, and the ability to plan a digital marketing or email marketing campaign will give you an edge over the writers still dedicated to the artistic lifestyle and vision. If that sounds callous and hard-nosed, I can only apologise - the one insurmountable truth I want to impart here is that writing is a business. If you approach it like a business you'll save yourself some serious frustration.

4. Overheads are Low, Effort is High

Writing can be done almost anywhere with very little need for equipment and next to no space requirements. This means that overheads can be rock-bottom in this industry, but the amount of effort required is sky-high. You are literally creating content on a daily basis, and to make ends meet you might need to write 15,000 to 20,000 words per week, depending on your rates.

The way to reduce this effort is to take on writers and perform the role of a client liaison who gathers and assigns work. This can be more profitable, but it still requires effort - it's a different kind of job. Choosing this route will reduce the amount of time you spend writing and it will increase your overheads (because you'll need to factor fair pay for your writers into your pitches and invoices).

5. Everyone Thinks They can Write

And because of this, clients in this business can be some of the most rude, condescending people you'll ever meet. This business is 50% serious business people who know the work that good content creation takes and are willing to pay reasonably to have someone do the work for them. The other 50% can be lazy, arrogant people who want their ideas pulled from thin air at break-neck speed for pennies and who will absolutely berate you given the chance.

You will meet both kinds of client in your career, with a few creative genius-type outliers, and you will have to remain calm and polite no matter what happens. Unless you have reviews, good ratings, and a solid presence on some recognized platforms to give you leeway, you'll have to take a shit sandwich or two from people you know are wrong. This business is not for everyone, you have to be a scholar, a mediator, a marketer, a project manager, and your own best customer service assistant while still managing to pay your bills, eat, and sleep.

So, with all of that in mind - you're probably wondering why I do this. It's a reasonable question, but the truth is that I'm not qualified for much else - I picked this career, I carved out the skills, and I took my lumps until I found some truly stellar clients. You can absolutely do the same if you're willing to put the effort in. If this is what you want, I wish you all the luck in the world!