Hello Author Friends,
Happy New Year!
New year, new resolutions (or not).
We often don't commit to what we want but what we think is possible. What's possible based on what we know or think we can accomplish.
This year, I invite you to commit to what you actually want for your author life. Then, figure out how to get there.
Better than figuring out how to get where you want to go, next ask yourself who can get you where you want to go? Who can help you?
Who, Not How. This is an idea that's captivated me and I'm applying it to my own business challenges. It's the title of a book by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy, who claim it's the mindset shift that pushes you through procrastination and other places of stuckness and towards what you actually want.
If you want an income-generating, sustainable author enterprise (of any scope), lean on me. Get help with your places of I don't know how to do it.
Let me be your who. I am the who who knows how.
I'm Your Who for Author Business Acceleration
Lean on me and...
- my 30 years of publishing experience;
- my deep and creative understanding of business models;
- my ability to see opportunities specifically for you that you may otherwise miss;
- my strategic thinking;
- my wide network and my partnership expertise;
- my systems knowledge; and
- my enthusiastic cheerleading for and commitment to your success.
If you don't know how to build an income-generating, sustainable author business you love but really, really want one, my next Author's Business Accelerator may be for you.
It's a combination of group and personal coaching that delivers real results. In ten weeks time we'll dive into some business basics, plus business mindsets, finding your business model, revenue streams, outreach, marketing, branding, sales, pricing, and more.
Accelerate your business...with another Who, an author friend who shares a similar goal
Take 10% off our next Author's Business Accelerator cohort that begins in February, 2026, when you join with a friend.
For Slower Business Support from this Who
Get a year's subscription to The Profitable Author / An Author Business You Love Substack for $97 or less than twenty-seven cents a day. A small investment in your author business! And, if at any time, you don't think you are getting a sufficient multiple of that investment back, simply email me and request a refund. I am confident of the value the content delivers. When you subscribe by January 7, 2026, I'll mail you a free print copy of my 500-page, multiple award-winning book, The Profitable Author: 1,001 Ways to Build a Business You Love Aroun Your Books.
Want a Taste of the Who of Community?
Join our next free Zoom power hour for authors. It's a little bit topical business know-how each month combined with a whole lot of mutual author support and community brainstorming and inspiration for your author questions and challenges.
January's Topic: New Year, New Revenue Streams: Practical strategies to diversify your author income in 2026
When: Thursday, January 15, 12pm-1pm CT
RSVP here.
Do-It-Yourselfer?
If you want to DIY it, lean on my cheat sheet to get you started.
Whether all at once or one at a time. Whether in steady succession or spread out. Can you implement these things for yourself and your author life over the course of next year?
This article covers 8 things:
- Determine your business structure.
- Get an EIN.
- Separate your money.
- Put profit first.
- Prepare for quarterly tax paying.
- Track everything.
- Protect yourself.
- Know when to get help.
Do yourself a favor.
Even if you don’t need to make money on your author activities, consider establishing yourself as a sole proprietor at the very least:
- Your author and publishing expenses will be tax deductible.
- It establishes your professionalism and could make you feel more like a “real” author.
- You will learn and experience a whole new, wonderful world of small business.
- It just might lay the foundation for greater income, increased exposure, and unexpected opportunities.
Finally, Personal Who Support
You can also get personal coaching for your author goals from me. My rates are increasing $20 per session February 1, 2026, but you can lock in current pricing by buying a package of sessions by January 31.
Claim your free, 30-minute call to discuss your author goals and challenges and how we can work together. By the end of the call, you'll see at least two opportunities you didn't see before. This offer is good for any author who has not already had one of these free calls in the last 5 years.
All the best,
Sharon
Sharon Woodhouse, owner, Conspire Creative
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