No-joke Jane is the penultimate B.S.-free authority on writing and publishing. She’s been doing the damn thing for eons, and she is not here for some nonsense. Thus, The Business of Being a Writer is straightforward and detailed. It pulls back Oz’s curtain on the mysteries of the publishing industry, introducing us to nuts and bolts like the P&L, or “profit and loss”: “a publisher’s basic tool for deciding whether a book makes financial sense to publish” (p. 47). So, OMG. It’s not a popularity contest that decides if they sign you; it’s a frigging spreadsheet. Who knew.
Jane gives broad advice, too, as soothing as it is honest: “Platform…[is] about putting in consistent effort over the course of a career, and making incremental improvements…It’s about making waves that attract other people to you—not begging them to pay attention” (p.175-176). In other words, you guys, we can quit the panic-inducing, neon-flashing GIVEAWAY! posts, and quietly do our best for the long haul instead.
If you’re done getting burned by romantic publishing fantasies; if you’ve got your big-writer panties on and you want to get to work, this book is your new bible. It answers your honest questions—“Chapter 1: Can You Make a Living as a Writer?”; it breaks down the arms of the publishing industry; it prescribes the steps one takes to get published. It gives the God’s-honest truth about how to build a platform; it goes granular in part five, “How Writers Make Money.”
The Business of Being a Writer is a writer’s career instruction manual condensed to 296 pages. With the fluff and empty promises of other book publicity "pros" boiled off, and the industry insider's knowledge added in, Jane Friedman's book is the beef demi-glace of authorhood.
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Everything You Need to Know about a Writing Career
"Publishing books is just one facet of having a career as a writer." —Jane FriedmanWriters, it's time for a reality check.Thankfully, Jane Friedman has got you covered with The Business of Being a Writer.Anyone who has ever spent enough time in this industry knows the publishing powerhouse Jane Friedman. She writes value-packed blog posts, offers top-notch guidance for authors, and keeps us in the know with The Hot Sheet.Basically, I all but jumped and down when Jane's book landed on my porch in a neat little package. And you'll see why.I've consumed more books on writing, publishing, and marketing than I can count, but this is one book that has it all: author branding, advertising, marketing, contracts, literary agents, and so much more. Jane also delivers guidance on more modern topics, such as crowdfunding, online freelance writing, contests, and online courses.The Business of Being a Writer is in-depth as well. You'll find yourself wondering how you ever got a long without it. More importantly, you'll be an informed writer by the time you've finished the last page. That's ultimately the goal of Jane's book: to inform writers and to teach them to have the right expectations in this industry.Hands down, this is the best book on the writer's life I've ever read. I took copious notes and placed tabs on exceptional paragraphs that I know I'll come back to again and again.This is not a book for the hobby writer—The Business of Being a Writer is meant for serious writers who want to do excel in the publishing world.Five big stars for Jane Friedman and The Business of Being a Writer.
Top reviews from other countries
Jules
I actually cheered. At last! An industry roadmap for creative writing students, tutors, ambitious indies
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 3, 2018
Emma Lombard Author
So packed full it’ll require multiple re-reads!
Reviewed in Australia on November 8, 2019