Hello Reader,

Here's something I wish I'd known sooner in my author journey. Hey - you're now a small business owner.

Say what?

Contracts, copyrights, financial data, taxes.

But it's the MONEY stuff that I absolutely knew nothing about.

What am I supposed to be filing in taxes?

Royalties count. A paid speaking gig counts. That one freelance editing project counts.

And if you're thinking... I'm not MAKING any money right now, I'm just spending it... well, you can

Nobody hands you a manual when it happens. So today I'm giving you the starter version, free, no strings. Five business basics that protect your money, your rights, and your sanity. Each one takes an afternoon or less to set up.

1. Separate your money.

Open a checking account that only touches your author business. Every royalty deposit goes in, every business expense comes out. This one move makes everything else on this list about ten times easier, and it takes less than an hour at your bank. Your future self, sitting down to do taxes, will want to hug you.

2. Track your numbers monthly, not annually.

You don't need fancy software to start. A simple spreadsheet with money in, money out, and a category for each line will do. Set a 30-minute date with it on the first of every month. The goal is simple: at any moment, you can answer "am I making money?" with a number instead of a feeling. You can't grow what you can't see.

3. Set aside taxes as you go.

If you're making money, you have to pay taxes. Every time income lands, move a percentage (many self-employed folks use 25 to 30 percent of profit as a starting point) into a separate savings account you don't touch. Then talk to a tax professional about quarterly estimated payments. Taxes stop being scary the moment the money is already sitting there waiting.

4. Pay yourself on purpose.

Most creative business owners pay everyone else first (the editor, the designer, the ads) and keep whatever is left, which is often nothing. Flip it. Even if it's a small, fixed amount each month, take your pay first and run the business on the rest. That's the heart of the Profit First method, and it changes how the whole business feels. You started this to build something for YOU. Act like it from day one.

5. Know what you're signing.

Every contract you sign is you trading rights for money, so read every word, even when you're excited (especially when you're excited). Never sign same-day. Ask what happens to your rights if the other party disappears, and what it takes to get them back. And if a deal involves anything you didn't create (song lyrics, images, long quotes), get the licensing question answered in writing before you publish.

That's the starter kit. Notice what's not on this list: an MBA, an accountant on retainer, or a single complicated tool. Just five habits that turn "I hope this is all okay" into "I know exactly where I stand."

Your words built something real. It deserves a foundation under it.

Save this email, pick one item, and do it this week. Then hit reply and tell me which one you picked. I read every response.

Cheering you on,

Alexa

Alexa Bigwarfe

Write Publish Sell

P.S.:

P.S. If you want to learn more about these topics (plus contracts, retirement planning, and growth strategy) with experts in the room while you do it, that's exactly what the WIP Business Bootcamp is for. August 21 and 22, $97: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/business-bootcamp-26/​

Alexa Bigwarfe

Publishing Consultant & Book Marketing Expert

Write|Publish|Sell