Jane Friedman Shares the Business of Being a Writer
A review, an interview, and announcing the new book in the Books for Thriving Creatives series
Jane Friedman’s dirty little secret is that she doesn’t actually like to write books. “Frankly, it's the last thing I want to do,” she says. “A lot of people underestimate the amount of work that goes into making a coherent book.” But she managed to do just that when she wrote The Business of Being a Writer, a reference book for anyone who wants to become a professional writer. Originally published in 2018, the second edition updates the work to reflect the changes that affect writers in 2025.
Creating the appropriate writer mindset takes up the entirety of Part One. Friedman says, “Unless you address some of the mindset psychology issues up front, it doesn't matter what you tell people about the business. They're set up for failure.” This decision demonstrates her dedication to creating a reference book that will help writers succeed. This is the section that no one should skip.
The rest of the book delves into the specificity of each space. So, rather than reading the book from beginning to end (though you can absolutely do that if you wish), I recommend using it as more of an encyclopedia. As you confront any issue, dip into that section. Time to create a platform, or just want to know what a platform is? Read Part Two. Have an idea you want to pitch to a magazine? Chapter Twenty-Four leads you through that process.
Chapters tend to be short, most are under ten pages, which makes it easy to insert reading the appropriate pages as a small step in your process.
If you want to transform your writing into a business, or even if you just want to get published, The Business of Being a Writer, 2nd Edition, gives you specific, actionable information to make this happen.
Friedman sat down with me to discuss the role creativity takes in her own work and the effect of the current economic upheaval on the business of writing.
What do you see as the primary effect of the current economic upheaval on the writing business right now?
The good news about the economic situation, tariffs or no tariffs, is that if the economy were to suffer, whether for a year or more, books almost always do well in a downturn. It's an affordable luxury that people tend not to give up. People may say no to a new TV or something that costs hundreds of dollars, but they're not likely to say no to the latest novel by their favorite author. And then there's also libraries and other institutions that support reading and books, where if people are really strapped, they can still read if they're willing to wait for the book to come available from their library. So that's the good news.
The less great news is that depending on what sort of publisher you are, you're going to see increased costs, most likely. Some of this depends on how well the publishers prepared or changed their production and sourcing during the pandemic (another time when the supply chains were severely disrupted and they had to look for other solutions for producing books). Some publishers have been shoring up that supply chain and creating more robust solutions, so that they have lots of options if one area becomes unworkable. If they can't print in China for some reason, maybe they can go to somewhere in Singapore or India or wherever. But there's no question that all of these things happening with the tariffs, especially tariffs that might apply to paper and printing, are very disruptive and likely to lead to increased prices for some types of books.
For publishers that specialize in gift products and children's books that might be manufactured overseas, that's where you see more of the immediate pain, especially publishers that get involved in the toys business. There’s some natural affinities with children’s books and toys. But let's hope that the tariff situation and some of these other issues are momentary, because all businesses like predictability and the chaos isn't productive for anybody, no matter what their goals.
What role does creativity takes in your own work?
A lot of my creativity arises from pattern recognition. I read an ungodly amount of trend articles, news reporting, cultural analysis, political analysis, all of the things that can touch authors and publishing. Publishing is very much a cultural business. It is affected by what's happening in society, culture, politics, tech and all the rest of it. That part is actually exciting and keeps the job that I do very interesting. Publishing tends to express what's happening in all sectors of society. Doing all of that reading and seeing commonalities across very different communities, being able to link those and come up with insights, that's what the creativity piece of my job is like. To draw a parallel with fiction writers, they often develop their voice by reading a lot of other authors and mimicking or absorbing certain stylistic or aesthetic choices from their favorites, and then combining them in new ways that are uniquely their own.
How do you define being a thriving creative?
Freedom to pursue the work that I want, and being able to balance work that pays with work that may not be commercial, but finding a way to pursue both and let them inform each other in ways that make this a sustainable career.
A big thank you to Jane Friedman for sharing her wisdom with the Thriving Creatives! You can discover more about Ms. Friedman at her website, JaneFriedman.com. If you haven’t picked up The Business of Being a Writer, 2nd edition, grab a copy at your favorite local bookstore, library or online.
Our next book is Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World by Anne-Laure Le Cunff. This book embraces the experimental mindset to release your creativity and curiosity. Here we’re promised to find practical tools and strategies to awaken your curiosity and discover authentic ambitions to make a meaningful contribution. Pick up a copy and read along! Find the book at your local bookshop, library or online.
I’m LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois, a writer and KMCC-certified creativity coach dedicated to walking with you through any transition! Whether you’re looking to deepen your relationship with your art or patrons, explore a new possibility, or ignite the passion for creativity again, I’ve got your back. Click here to explore becoming a member of the Coaching Cohort or contact me at la@labourgeois.biz to ask questions and schedule an exploratory call.
Good info in a good piece.