Jane Friedman is widely known in the creative writing community for her website and blog JaneFriedman.com and as 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.

• IntroductionPart One: Mindset Matters1. Can You Make a Living as a Writer?2. It’s Not about Talent3. Dealing with RejectionPart Two: Platform Development4. It All Starts with Your Work5. Relationship Building and Literary Citizenship6. Networking with the Powerful or Influential7. Your Online Foundation: Website, Email, and Social Media8. Producing Audio and Video Content9. Developing a Sustainable Path ForwardPart Three: Book Publishing10. Which Publishing Path Is Best for Your Project?11. How Traditional Book Publishing Operates12. The Challenges of Literary Publishing13. Determining Your Category or Genre14. Understanding and Working with Literary Agents15. Researching Agents and Publishers16. Writing Strong Queries17. Nonfiction Book Proposals: Making a Business Case18. Working Effectively with Your Publisher19. Marketing and Promoting Your Books20. Self-Publishing: Valid Path, Different Business Model21. Marketing and Promoting Self-Published Books22. Hybrid Publishing and Other Paid-for Publishing OptionsPart Four: Publishing Short Work23. The Business of Magazines and Digital Media24. Freelance Writing and Learning to Pitch25. Publishing in Literary JournalsPart Five: How to Make a Living as a Writer26. Building a Business Model27. Finding Your Readership and Building a Funnel28. Patronage: Crowdfunding and Donations29. Newsletters, Blogging, and Subscriptions30. Serials and Serializations31. Advertising, Sponsorships, and Affiliate Marketing32. Freelance Editing33. Teaching and Online Education34. Contests, Prizes, Fellowships, Residencies, and GrantsPart Six: Business Basics for Writers35. Tax Basics for Writers36. Business Formation for Writers37. Contract Language Every Writer Should Know38. Common Legal Issues Writers FaceAfterwordAcknowledgmentsAppendix: ResourcesNotesIndex

“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.”