The business plan for authors is a document that an aspiring author can use to try to raise capital for a new project. If you have already written a work and can use that as a sample of what you can accomplish, don't shy away from including excerpts, reviews, praise, etc. in your new business plan. If the plan is asking for funds to back a new writing assignment, make sure that the capital raise you have in mind (assuming it's not a grant) makes sense weighed against the likely distribution deal you can get for the book. Do you have a guaranteed contract but not a per diem to write the work? The business plan should address:
• The topic of your new work
• The likely contents, length, etc. of the book
• The target audience for the work
• Your marketing and promotional campaign
• The expenses you face
Break out the expenses in a profit and loss table and show the start-up expenses you'll face right away in a separate “pre-revenue†section of the business plan. Since break-even will only occur once your book sales reach a certain level (or a new clause in your contract kicks in), make sure this part is done correctly. Depending on your audience and their needs, you might need a more in-depth market analysis as well, including a review of competing authors, a look at the market need, and some stats on the industry today. MasterPlans has the expert writers, modelers, and analysts on staff to make this business plan for you. If you get stuck, call us at 877-453-2011 and we can take over.
