A thoroughly revised edition of the comprehensive guide to building and maintaining a successful career in writing. Writers talk about their work in many ways: as an art, as a calling, as a lifestyle. Too often missing from these conversations is the fact that writing is also a business, and those who want to make a living from their writing must understand the basic business principles underlying the industry. The Business of Being a Writer offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive. Jane Friedman is one of today’s leading experts on the publishing industry. Through her website, social media presence, online courses, email newsletters, and other media, she helps writers understand how to navigate the industry with confidence and intentionality. This book advises writers on how to build a platform in a way that aligns with their values, how to spot critical mindset issues that might sabotage their efforts before they even begin, how to publish strategically, and what it means to diversify income streams beyond book sales. For this second edition, Friedman has updated every topic to reflect how the industry has evolved over the past half decade. New features include a section on business and legal issues commonly faced by writers, exercises at the end of each chapter, and a wealth of sample materials posted on a companion website. Reaching beyond the mechanical aspects of publishing, The Business of Being a Writer will help both new and experienced writers approach their careers with the same creative spirit as their writing. Friedman is encouraging without sugarcoating reality, blending years of research with practical advice that will help writers market themselves and maximize their writing-related income. Her book will leave them empowered, confident, and ready to turn their craft into a sustainable career. Jane Friedman's The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition , is the War and Peace of writing success books. Business is an essential, comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to meet the challenges of becoming a writer. No matter where you are in your career, you will have reasons to consult the book. Just the resources the book provides are worth the price. It's the most dog-eared book I have ever owned. Now is the best time ever to be a writer. And this remarkable book is the best way to understand the rapidly changing art and business of writing. — Michael Larsen, author coach and author of How to Write a Book Proposal “I’ve been a full-time author and freelancer for the last seven years, and so much of what I had to learn the hard way is easily and expertly accessible in The Business of Being a Writer . As a reader, I’ve always finished a Jane Friedman book knowing more than I did before, but this one inspired me to make real, hopefully long-lasting, shifts in the way I care for my creative business.” ― Ashley C. Ford, writer “Essential reading for writers entering and already in the world of publishing. The Business of Being a Writer is a level-headed look at an industry full of contradictions. I can think of no other guide more important to keep at your writing desk right now.” ― Carly Watters, literary agent and cohost of "The Shit No One Tells You about Writing" podcast “This book is an essential crash course for anyone who hopes to make a life in letters. Friedman is a kind of patient tour guide who offers a clear-eyed, nonjudgmental, and, most of all, hopeful look at the many, many paths open to writers—and, indeed, to editors and publishers as well.” ― Hattie Fletcher, coeditor, "Short Reads" literary magazine “Friedman has made an already indispensable guide to the professional side of writing even more useful. This second edition offers writers the tools of publishing craft to help them send their art out into the world.” ― Leslie Rubinkowski, director, MFA in Nonfiction program, Goucher College Jane Friedman is widely known in the creative writing community for her website and blog JaneFriedman.com and as cofounder and editor of The Bottom Line newsletter. She has spent more than twenty-five years working in the publishing industry, with a focus on author education and trend reporting. She has appeared in countless media outlets, including the New York Times , the Today Show , CNN , Wired , BBC , the Guardian , CBC , and the Washington Post , among others.