In an episode of Start with This, Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor talk about the business of creating. So, look at the time you dedicate to your work (not your day job work) and plan on spending possibly as much as 90% of that time on the business of putting your work out in the world to be seen, read, bought.

“At minimum, you’re looking at, if you want to be a working artist, if you want to eat based on your art, 75% of that is going to be the working half. That means making budgets, that means answering emails and figuring out logistics. And you do all that so you can spend 25% doing your art. And that is in the best case. Sometimes it’s more like 90% is working.” ~Joseph Fink

This discussion made my stomach churn. It reminds me of all those report cards I received in school that made it clear I failed to “manage time wisely.”

Even if you think they’re exaggerating, they aren’t far off. You must plan on the business: budgets, taxes, marketing, etc.

I need to better understand how I use my time and what I need to work on. Should I self-publish or find an agent? (I want an agent.) What can I do to improve my newsletter? (Mulling over ideas.) Should I give up on the idea of Patreon or go ahead and try it? (No idea.) If I blog more regularly, what should I really be blogging about? (Everything seems done and done better elsewhere.) What the hell is my budget? (Zero!) How much time am I wasting? (Loads.) What do I still need to learn? (Learning never ends, but some things should be goals.) So many more questions…

Watch this space. Leave a comment.

In the meantime, I’m a finalist in a Writer’s Digest’s contest. Go here to vote: Writer’s Digest/Your Story #98. My entry is number 11.

Thanks for reading.