Summary

New writers should prioritize honing their craft before adopting an entrepreneurial mindset to avoid losing focus, procrastinating, becoming overwhelmed, damaging their confidence, and straying from their original passion for writing.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the importance of new writers concentrating on the development of their writing skills rather than prematurely taking on the identity of an entrepreneur. It argues that the initial stages of a writing career are critical for cultivating discipline and creative focus, and that the distraction of monetization strategies can impede this process. The author suggests that the pressure to generate income through writing can lead to procrastination, with business tasks taking precedence over creative work. Moreover, the article points out that writing and entrepreneurship are distinct skill sets, and attempting to master both simultaneously can be overwhelming. It also warns that teaching writing before fully understanding the craft can undermine a writer's confidence and that diverging into entrepreneurial activities might lead writers away from their original goal of writing for passion.

Opinions

Writers should concentrate on developing writing habits and creative development rather than dividing their focus with monetization concerns.
The pursuit of business activities can serve as a legitimate excuse to delay creative writing projects.
Writing and entrepreneurship require different skill sets, and trying to learn both at once can lead to quick burnout.
Teaching writing or creating related products without having mastered the craft can lead to frustration and a loss of self-confidence.
Writers risk losing sight of their original passion and goals by prematurely engaging in entrepreneurial endeavors.
Authors, especially independents, will eventually need an entrepreneurial mindset, but it should come after establishing oneself as a skilled writer.

5 Reasons New Writers Shouldn’t Think of Themselves as Entrepreneurs

You’re going for it! You’re giving this writing thing a real try — finally!

You’ve created a new folder on your computer and have labeled it “My writing”. You’ve started staying late, scribbling down story ideas. You may have even jotted down some writing goals in your phone or diary. Slowly, the creative force inside of you is awakening.

And then, you read an article, or you listen to a podcast. You learn about authors who enjoy multiple income streams. Intrigued, you dig deeper and you find information on freelancing, blogging, course creation, membership sites — the many ways people make money with their writing.

“How neat!” you say to yourself. “I could be an author-entrepreneur.”

That’s when it happens. Your identity shifts, ever so slightly. You no longer think of yourself as “just” a writer. You now aspire to be an entrepreneur, too. After all, since you write anyway, isn’t it smart to plan to monetize your writing?

Not really. At least, not at first.

While I do respect business-minded go-getters, I strongly believe that new authors should stay away from the label “entrepreneur” for a while. Here are a few reasons why:

You will lose focus

Being a writer is not easy. It requires dedication, discipline and focus. As a newly-minted writer, you should put all your efforts into developing writing habits. Worrying about how to make money with your craft will split your focus and will likely slow down your creative development.

Don’t fool yourself into believing that you can do it all. If you truly want to be a writer, focus on the craft, not on the money.

You will give yourself an excuse to procrastinate

What is the most legitimate way to delay writing your novel or your next short story? You have a client to call. Or an educational blog post to crank out. Burying yourself in business work will, without a doubt, delay your creative writing work. Mostly because business work is more tangible and has a better ROI than the mushy, creative stuff that you pour your heart into.

You already have enough trouble helping the creative writing ideas that sprout inside your brain come into the world. Don’t make it harder by crowding them out with business worries.

You will likely become overwhelmed

Make no mistake — being a writer and being an author-entrepreneur are two different skill sets. The former means that you put ideas into words in such a beautiful and compelling way that other people want to read them. The latter means that you can make money by selling your books, your services and your knowledge.

Yes, being an author-entrepreneur does sound aspirational but it requires learning things that have nothing to do with writing. If you don’t pace yourself, you may become overwhelmed fast.

Your confidence may take a hit

There’s nothing wrong in writing “How to” books and passing on your knowledge to novices in your field. Do it too soon, however, and you’ll have to face the reality that you don’t know all that much about the subject matter you’re trying to teach. Telling others how to do something that you haven’t mastered yourself is putting the cart before the horse. This kind of exercise is likely to leave you frustrated and allow self-doubt to erode your fragile self-confidence.

Take your time and learn your craft before you begin selling your expertise.

You may end up somewhere you don’t want to be

Let’s remember your original goal. You wanted to write. You wanted to get your ideas down on paper, for the world to see. If you decide on the author-entrepreneur path, on the other hand, your days will likely be filled with many activities different from writing. Is this what you wanted to be doing in the first place? If your answer is “no”, you may have veered off your original path.

Listen. I agree that authors todays, especially independent ones, need to have an entrepreneurship mindset in order to make a living with their craft. All I’m saying is that, to become a writer, you should think of yourself as a writer, first and foremost. You should allow yourself to be an artist and let your new, creative identity sink in! Focus on mastering the craft of writing before you tackle the entrepreneurial part of the game. This way your heart will be full, your mind will be at peace and you’ll become a better writer, faster.