November 19 is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day and this is absolutely a day you should celebrate. As a writer, you may think of yourself as more of an artist than an entrepreneur but, honestly, you’re both. 

You are a writerpreneur!

What is Women’s Entrepreneurship Day?

Wendy Diamond, a social entrepreneur and humanitarian founded Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) in 2013 as a non-governmental, non-racial, non-gender, and non-political volunteer nonprofit organization. Her goal was two-fold: 1) to bring awareness to the 250 million girls living in poverty globally that deserve to be given a chance in life and 2) to inspire and empower the 4 billion women on the planet!

Did you know that about 85% of purchases and close to $20 trillion in global spending is credited to women? Yet, we earn only around 10% of the world’s income, due to the fact that women earn less than their male counterparts. Fortunately, over the years, we have seen a rise in women entrepreneurs owning profitable businesses, but there is still much more work to do. Women’s Entrepreneurship Day recognizes women’s contributions to the business landscape while also promoting changes that would make the business world more welcoming for women.

What It Means To Be a Writerpreneur

To be a writer, all you have to do is write. But if you want to make writing your career, you must think — and act — like an entrepreneur.

Know your values and your vision. 

Businesses small and large take time to get clear on their values and then vision and you need to do the same. What are your top five values?  What does it look like to live out those values? How can you showcase those values through your writing and your writing life? 

Write a long-term and short-term vision for your writing and your life. From that develop specific and measurable goals and decide which ones you will focus on first. This is your mission and strategic plan. 

You also need to get clear on why you’re doing these things. In addition to what you want to see happen in your own life and career, consider what kind of change you want to make in the world. 

Build your brand.

Just as businesses must invest time and money into building their brands, you need to build your writer platform. Here are some ways you can do this:

Your Website – Build a website that clearly conveys who you are and what you do and how to connect with and work with you. 

Social Media – Develop a social media strategy based on your goals and stick with it. Create a content calendar and batch produce your social posts so you can stay consistent and stay ahead. 

Content Marketing – Consider what long-form content you can create to help boost your brand. This could be a blog, a podcast, a YouTube channel, or a weekly newsletter. 

Networking – Use social media to network with other writers as well as editors, publishers and agents. Don’t be afraid to network IRL too.

Press Coverage – Connect with local, regional, and national media to get coverage for your projects. Make your expertise and experience known so you can be interviewed for relevant articles. For example, because I was open about my breast cancer battle I’ve been featured in articles by BhamNow and the Birmingham Business Journal about breast cancer survivors who are also career women.

Manage Your Money 

I am not here for that starving artist cliche. I want us all to be well-fed writers. One of the best ways to do this is to have multiple streams of income. 

To give you an idea of what’s possible here’s a look at all the ways I currently make money. 

  • Freelance journalism
  • Freelance writing for businesses, organizations, and public figures
  • See Jane Write — courses, coaching, community
  • Public Speaking and Adjunct Teaching
  • Book Sales

If you don’t feel like an entrepreneur yet, you will once you start sending invoices.

Write like a boss!

A real boss is someone who’s always looking for ways to be better. As a writer, you should constantly strive to hone your craft. You can do this through classes, courses, coaching and community — all of which See Jane Write offers! 

Act like a CEO.

Even if you are a solopreneur you are still a leader. You may not have employees but you still have influence. Your writing and the content you create can have an impact on others. Be mindful of what you’re putting out in the world. Prioritize personal development and build those leadership skills. 

If you’re searching for a community of other writerpreneurs, come join the See Jane Write Collective. You’ll get access to a resource library to help you with writing, publishing, brand building and more, as well as invitations to workshops, write-ins, group coaching opportunities, and critique sessions. You can enroll for a year for $297 and get one month free or sign up for $27 per month and cancel anytime. Learn more here.

Happy Women’s Entrepreneurship Day!