Earning a living from writing is not as easy to wrap your head around as opening a coffee shop or becoming a tax accountant. The work writers do is often mitigated by a publisher. Thinking of what “goods” or “services” you provide as a writer and who your “customers” are can feel intangible and vague.

But that doesn’t mean that writing isn’t a business or that writers should skip creating a business plan.

This is a lesson I keep having to learn.

In 2015, I launched a website, opened Twitter and Instagram accounts, and reached out to newspaper and magazine editors in the city where I lived. Before I knew it, I had writing assignments and deadlines, and soon enough, paychecks.

But the path from a few paychecks to a profitable writing business hasn’t been as smooth as I expected.

It wasn’t long until I received a notice from my city’s Treasury Department. It turns out that in Roanoke, VA, writers need a business license in order to work. Who knew? Filing taxes as a sole proprietor was a steep learning curve.

One of the magazines I wrote for didn’t send my promised fee. When I reached out, the editor connected me with the finance department, who told me they had no record of my invoice. Wait. I was supposed to send an invoice?

Eventually, I reached out to my local Small Business Development Center. These centers are located across the country and offer free support to small businesses. I scheduled a meeting with a business counselor, who answered my questions and sent me home with a thick packet filled with information. I scanned the packet, read sections that seemed pertinent. . . and filed it away.

Then, in 2024, I felt the need for better systems to track assignments, expenses, and pay. I considered forming an LLC and finding ways to take on more complex work. I reached for that long-neglected file and discovered a treasure trove I wish I’d spent more time with all those years ago.

On the opening pages, this packet described a business plan as “a road map to how the business will operate.” It assured me “the most important part of the business plan is the process itself.”

Much of the information wasn’t tailored to a freelance writing business (i.e., how to on-board employees, how to stock merchandise).

But much of it was. There was a great questionnaire to kick off the plan-writing process, titled: Are You Ready to Own Your Own Business? It featured inquiries like: Are you good at solving problems? Can you make timely decisions? Are you good at managing money?

I’m not sure I considered any of those questions when I started freelancing.

Walking through the included Simple Business Plan Template helped me clarify goals. My mission statement? To find local, regional, and national print and online publications to publish my writing or employ me as an editor.

Other prompts asked more technical questions: How will you price your services? What will your operations look like? What would be your ideal work week?

For those interested in resources more customized for writing careers, try Jenni Gritters, a “solopreneur” coach with relevant advice, or The Write Life with information for a variety of writing businesses. The Creative Penn offers its own Business Plan Template. And publishing expert Jane Friedman provides free and fee-based resources and classes for writers of all kinds.

Do I wish I had spent more time early on thinking through what it meant to run a writing business? For sure. But it’s never too late. The day I spent creating a business plan will help me make decisions to move my career forward, seek out the knowledge I need to improve my business, and help me reach my business goals. Win. Win. Win.

BIO – Christina Nifong is a freelance writer based in Roanoke, VA. Find more of her work at christinanifong.com.