If you've learned anything so far from this book, it's that writing is only part of the magazine writer's job. There's a heck of a lot more going on in the background of most successful writers' lives than thoughts about verbs and adjectives, and it all starts with a real dedication to treating writing as a business.

Yes, if you are crafting articles for magazines, then you are a writer. However, at the core of your everyday work should be the notion that you are an entrepreneur. You are a business unto yourself. You are the information technology department, the accounts payable department, the marketing department, the administrative assistant, and the chief executive officer, all rolled into one.

Jack of All Trades

If your computer suffers a virus attack, then you are the one who has to salvage the files. If a magazine fails to pay you for your work, then you have to deal with recovering invoices. If you want to see your newest article promoted online, then you have to send out e-mails or upload a press release (that you write) to your own Web site. If your voice mail and e-mail inboxes are full, then you have to weed through the messages to find the important details. Perhaps most important, if you see your article sales slipping or your income shrinking, then you have to take a step back, look at the big picture of your business, and figure out how to change course.

There are plenty of ways to get all of this done without infringing too much on your writing time, and with the growth of home-based businesses in recent years, more and more companies are promoting themselves as ready and able to help. You can sign on for an annual plan with a computer service and repair company, for instance, in case you run into software or hardware problems. You can make a one time investment in accounting software to keep track of all your invoices, not to mention the information you will need when tax time rolls around. You can hire a public relations firm to help promote you as a writer, if that's important to helping you find more work. You can even hire by-the-hour assistants to help you with administrative tasks such as transcribing notes and returning messages if it all just gets too overwhelming.

Realizing Your Limitations

Yes, you can do all of those things, but the more important question is, should you?

The answer depends on your goals as a magazine writer. Do you want to earn a six-figure salary year after year, or do you simply want to sell a few stories here and there for a little added income from time to time? If it's the former, then you may be able to pay for lots of extra help. If it's the latter, you're going to be a one-man band. Figuring out your goals will help you determine where you fit along the magazine-writing spectrum, and this self-knowledge will in turn help you organize your business plan accordingly.