The Business of Being a Writer
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Narrated by:
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Tavia Gilbert
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By:
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Jane Friedman
About this listen
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. The reality is, those who want to make a full- or part-time job out of writing are going to have a more positive and productive career if they understand the basic business principles underlying the industry.
The Business of Being a Writer offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive. It is meant for early-career writers looking to develop a realistic set of expectations about making money from their work or for working writers who want a better understanding of the industry. Writers will gain a comprehensive picture of how the publishing world works - from queries and agents to blogging and advertising - and will learn how they can best position themselves for success over the long term.
Jane Friedman has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with an emphasis on digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She is encouraging without sugarcoating, blending years of research with practical advice that will help writers market themselves and maximize their writing-related income. It will leave them empowered, confident, and ready to turn their craft into a career.
©2018 Jane Friedman (P)2019 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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- By Ludmil Mitrev on 03-20-21
By: Courtney Maum
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Refuse to Be Done
- How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts
- By: Matt Bell
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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They say writing is rewriting. So why does the second part get such short shrift? Refuse to Be Done will guide you through every step of the novel writing process, from getting started on those first pages to the last tips for making your final draft even tighter and stronger.
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many great tips
- By lauren on 06-30-24
By: Matt Bell
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How to Write Short
- Word Craft for Fast Times
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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In How to Write Short , Roy Peter Clark turns his attention to the art of painting a thousand pictures with just a few words. Short forms of writing have always existed - from ship logs and telegrams to prayers and haikus. But in this ever-changing Internet age, short-form writing has become an essential skill. Clark covers how to write effective and powerful titles, headlines, essays, sales pitches, Tweets, letters, and even self-descriptions for online dating services.
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Ironically long
- By Amazon Customer on 03-14-16
By: Roy Peter Clark
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The Author's Checklist
- An Agent's Guide to Developing and Editing Your Manuscript
- By: Elizabeth K. Kracht
- Narrated by: Nan McNamara
- Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Over time, literary agent Elizabeth Kracht noticed that many submissions had similar problems, so she began to make a list of the pitfalls. She knew that even excellent projects could be rejected based on these surmountable issues because those on the receiving end of proposals most often don’t have the time to walk writers through needed adjustments. The checklist Kracht has created helps writers make their manuscripts good to go. It offers short, easy-to-implement bites of advice, illustrated by inspiring - and cautionary - real-world examples.
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The Art of Creative Writing
- By: Lajos Egri
- Narrated by: Dennis Kleinman
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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As practical as it is inspiring, The Art of Creative Writing remains a timeless, illuminating guide that teaches every writer, and aspiring writer, how to create works that are both compelling and enduring.
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Raging misogynist
- By Jessica Estey on 10-18-24
By: Lajos Egri
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20 Master Plots
- And How to Build Them
- By: Ronald B. Tobias
- Narrated by: Barry Abrams
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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The best stories linger in the hearts and minds of readers for decades. These tales gain their power through plots that connect with the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level. Ronald B. Tobias details these 20 time-tested plots. Each is discussed and analyzed, illustrating how a successful plot integrates all the elements of a story. Tobias then reveals how to use these plots effectively in your own work.
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Some Good Ideas
- By Christine Amsden on 10-05-20
By: Ronald B. Tobias
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Help! For Writers
- 210 Solutions to the Problems Every Writer Faces
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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The craft of writing offers countless potential problems: The story is too long; the story's too short; revising presents a huge hurdle; writer's block is rearing its ugly head. In Help! For Writers, Roy Peter Clark presents an "owner's manual" for writers, outlining the seven steps of the writing process, and addressing the 21 most urgent problems that writers face. In his trademark engaging and entertaining style, Clark offers 10 short solutions to each problem.
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Good advice, but novelists beware
- By Robert Jason on 06-17-20
By: Roy Peter Clark
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Pity the Reader
- On Writing with Style
- By: Kurt Vonnegut, Suzanne McConnell
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Here is an entirely new side of Kurt Vonnegut, Vonnegut as a teacher of writing. Of course he's given us glimpses before, with aphorisms and short essays and articles and in his speeches. But never before has an entire book been devoted to Kurt Vonnegut the teacher. Here is pretty much everything Vonnegut ever said or wrote having to do with the writing art and craft, altogether a healing, a nourishing expedition.
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Unlistenable
- By Grant Swalwell on 01-06-20
By: Kurt Vonnegut, and others
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Damn Fine Story
- Mastering the Tools of a Powerful Narrative
- By: Chuck Wendig
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Great storytelling is making listeners care about your characters, the choices they make, and what happens to them. It's making your audience feel the tension and emotion of a situation right alongside your protagonist. And to tell a damn fine story, you need to understand why and how that caring happens. Using a mix of personal stories, pop fiction examples, and traditional storytelling terms, New York Times best-selling author Chuck Wendig will help you internalize the feel of powerful storytelling.
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This writer's approach might work for some, but. .
- By zacman on 04-24-19
By: Chuck Wendig
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Writing Life Stories
- How to Make Memories into Memoirs, Ideas into Essays and Life into Literature
- By: Bill Roorbach
- Narrated by: John McLain
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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From drawing a map of a remembered neighborhood to signing a form releasing yourself to take risks in your work, Roorbach offers innovative techniques that will trigger ideas for all writers. Writing Life Stories is a classic text that appears on countless creative nonfiction and composition syllabi the world over. This updated 10th anniversary edition gives you the same friendly instruction and stimulating exercises along with updated information on current memoir writing trends, ethics, internet research, and even marketing ideas.
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Why oh why didn’t I find this book 50 years ago?
- By LauraVeronique on 12-08-23
By: Bill Roorbach
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The Mental Game of Writing: How to Overcome Obstacles, Stay Creative and Productive, and Free Your Mind for Success
- By: James Scott Bell
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 2 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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The keys to success as a writer are yours for the thinking! All success begins in the mind. For writers, the mind fuels the imagination and creates stories. But for authors who are productive and resilient, and see a good return on their efforts, there is another factor at work. They are winning the mental game of writing. Successful writers have the ability to inspire themselves to produce consistently, improve systematically, overcome obstacles and keep up a positive mental attitude. In this book, #1 bestselling writing teacher James Scott Bell takes you through the mental landscape of ...
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good practical advice
- By Camden on 11-08-24
By: James Scott Bell
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The Emotional Craft of Fiction
- How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface
- By: Donald Maass
- Narrated by: Timothy Andrés Pabon
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you. That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.
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Read this if you're a writer
- By Reed Ramlow on 08-08-20
By: Donald Maass
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Successful Self-Publishing: How to Self-Publish and Market Your Book
- Books for Writers 1
- By: Joanna Penn
- Narrated by: Joanna Penn
- Length: 2 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Do you want to successfully self-publish in eBook, print, or audiobook formats? There are thousands of new books being published every day, but many self-published books quickly sink to the bottom of the pile. Many authors are frustrated because there are so many options for self-publishing, and they don't know which one to choose or what will be best for their book. Others spend thousands of dollars to publish and end up brokenhearted with the result. But it doesn't have to be this way.
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Too Much Self Promotion
- By Erik Peter Carlson on 06-11-21
By: Joanna Penn
What listeners say about The Business of Being a Writer
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Massiel
- 08-27-24
Good information
I think this covers a ton of information and is a good background for overall writing. It felt like a Niagara Falls of information
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- David C.
- 12-21-22
Very helpful
Very well written, and the reader did a wonderful job.
In regards to the content, it was incredibly thorough. Honestly, I’m going to need to listen to this multiple times because there is so much valuable information. I bought the book here on Audible, then bought a second copy in paperback, so I could easily look things up for reference. I recommend having a fresh notebook to dedicate to this book.
I will be showing this book to my writing group, and I don’t regret buying two copies.
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- Customer 101
- 11-22-19
EXTREMELY HELPFUL!!
With years of experience in the industry, Jane Friedman provides intelligent information and insight on all aspects of the publishing process. She expands the information on her website and in her blog making this book a must read for new or aspiring authors. The narrator, Tavia Gilbert, gave an impeccable performance.
Excellence in audio format.
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- Michele A. Cacano-Green
- 03-07-22
More Thorough Than I Could Have Imagined
After listening to the first few chapters of this book, I ordered the paperback as well. This is an invaluable resource for all things writers need to know about working as a writer! I will be going through it again, making notes. A must-have for all serious writers.
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- Joy
- 06-21-24
Unbelievably complete
Jane left no stone unturned in this one. I’m amazed at how much one person can know about the business of being a writer. I was disappointed to discover that Jane didn’t read this book herself. I understand she is one busy woman and I’m sure reading such a book would take considerable time. It may only make a difference to those of us who have heard Jane speak. The narrator did just fine; it just wasn’t Jane. A must read for anyone in the world of writing.
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- Cheryl C. Malandrinos
- 08-29-24
Must Have Resource for Writers
Friedman, who has focused on author education and trend reporting for years, leaves no stone unturned as she gives you sound advice based on decades of experience. Just as important as learning the craft of writing, is learning how to successfully manage a writing business. Friedman dissects the publishing industry for you. She shares everything from generating leads to working with publishers to grants and contests and everything in between. If it has to do with the business of writing, then you will find it in The Business of Being a Writer. Three helpful appendices provide additional information and resources.
Narrated by Tavia Gilbert, The Business of Being a Writer should be a go to resource for writers everywhere.
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- Jeff
- 10-03-24
Informative and useful
A great book about the various ways to make a living as a writer and how to network with other likeminded professionals to build a following. It also provides great tips about how to design an author platform that will help you stand out.
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- Mary Sue Dahill
- 06-04-23
Comprehensive, but not clear recommendation on a successful path.
This book covered every aspect of being and authorpreneur. It was written like a choose your own adventure without a clear recommendation on how to be successful.
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