Business for Authors. How to Be an Author Entrepreneur

By: Joanna Penn

Narrated by: Joanna Penn

Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

Everything you need to run your business as an author. This is not a book on creativity or the craft of writing. This is not a book for hobbyists. This is a book that will take your writing into the realm of actually paying the bills. You will learn how to go from being an author to running a business as an author. In the book you will discover:

Part 1: From Author To Entrepreneur: The arc of the author's journey, definition of an author-entrepreneur, deciding on your definition of success and why it's important as well as what you want for your life. Part 2: Products and Services: How you can turn one manuscript into multiple streams of income. Part 3: Employees, Suppliers and Contractors: The team you need to run your business as an author-entrepreneur. Your role as author and what you're committing to in the business. Part 4: Customers: Who are your customers, and what do they want? Part 5: Sales and Distribution: How to sell through distributors and your options, plus all the information you need to sell direct. Part 6: Marketing: Defining and reframing marketing so you feel more comfortable with it as well as key overarching concepts for book-based marketing, author-based marketing, and customer-based marketing. Part 7: Financials: The money mind-set, revenues, and costs of the author business and how to make a profit. Part 8: Strategy and Planning: Developing your business plan and managing your time. The long-term view and the process for becoming a full-time author if you choose that route.

©2014, 2015 Joanna Penn (P)2015 Joanna Penn

a look at writing through the lens of business

Any additional comments?

It's not a book about the craft of writing, how to self-publish a book, or how to market your book once it's out there. It's a broad look at the entire spectrum of the writing, publishing, and managing an author catalog, from a business perspective.

Using business language, Joanna discusses products, services, customers, sales, financials, and business strategies to help authors gain comfort in approaching their writing career as an entrepreneurial business. And how that approach can help you stay focused, motivated, and profitable.

I highly recommend it for writers looking to take that next step.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Perfect summation of the Indie Writers's life.

Would you consider the audio edition of Business for Authors. How to Be an Author Entrepreneur to be better than the print version?

I listen to Joanne's podcast, and I can't imagine getting this info any other way.

I'm giving her performance four stars because she said she's working on improving her audio readings. I love listening to her, but I could see where she could improve. I hope she continues to do the audio.

What did you like best about this story?

She covers the exciting bits of writing, but also the boring bits. She tells us the things we need to know.

Which scene was your favorite?

There wasn't a particular scene, but the part that I enjoyed the most was getting her full origin story. How Joanne made the changes in her life to get her to where she is today. I loved hearing about that.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did listen to it all in one sitting. =)

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Amazing: Great read for anyone who writes

This book has everything an author needs. The author covers everything from marketing and selling as well as writing and publishing. It's obvious the author knows what she is talking about. The information is practical and sounds tried and true. I highly recommend it to anyone who writes. The content is applicable for someone just starting out as well as someone like me who has been writing for years. It got me motivated to take a look at what I was doing with my career and helped me make the changes I needed to make.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Valuable Information for Beginning Authors

What did you love best about Business for Authors. How to Be an Author Entrepreneur?

If you are serious about making money as an author or making a living solely as an author, this book will help you get organized and moving toward a career in books.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Business for Authors. How to Be an Author Entrepreneur?

I appreciated the references to resources for cover design, distribution, websites and sales portals.

What does Joanna Penn bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Joanna always sounds like she is smiling.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Useful Information, and charming reading

I've been following Joanna Penn for some time now and have always found her blog useful. This book was filled with useful and pragmatic information for authors. Joanna's narration was like a nature film, which certainly livened up the more boring sections on tax and accounting. I kind of wished I got the print version as there were sections I'd like to refer back to again, and many many book recommendations I must follow up on. If you haven't already read Steven Pressfield, the you'll find that bit more compelling than I did... But I've practically memorized his work. I am so glad the author read this book herself rah her than hiring out.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great Book

So insightful!! I really enjoy her writing style as well!! I would definitely get another business book from her.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

covers just about everything

There's a lot here so prepare yourself. I was taking notes the whole time.

I now have more clarification in where I want to take my author business and more importantly where I don't.

I loved it!

This book gives useful and practical information about what it takes to start your journey as a professional Indy author.

thank you very much for the valuable information

I enjoyed a very deep and focus information which I am very interested about learning

Great information

I love Joanna's work overall. She's very insightful, creative and business minded, which is why she's successful. Even if we're not there yet, we can exercise our business and creative muscles to build them up over time.

I also listen to her podcast and/or YouTube videos via thecreativepenn.com. I discovered Joanna via a book from the Sterling & Stone guys, as she did a guest interview to discuss her writing business. I'm impressed enough that I bought this book!

Essential Listening!

It was actually lovely to hear Joanna read this book out - especially after listening to so many of her podcast episodes!

The book itself is absolutely essential listening in order to get realistic advice of how to make money sustainably from your books. It not only dispelled some myths I had hung onto, but also opened up new exciting possibilities that I hadn't even considered.

Lots of info

Great audio book for aspiring authors who's aim is to make a full time income working the hours they chose!

0 of 1 people found this review helpful