Montana Book Festival 2018

We’ve all heard of million-dollar advances, and if we’re honest, we’ve all imagined what we’d do with that kind of paycheck (first, call in rich to the day job). But what no one likes to talk about are the much more common four-figure deals—the kind that, when it’s all said and done, help you buy a new lawn mower instead of a new Land Rover.  

Writing is a business, and as the business owner, you need a realistic financial picture. Is this a side gig, a career, or something in between? Our panel, Danica Winters, best-selling author, Erin Steele, financial advisor, and Melissa Tenley and Clare Tallier, aspiring authors, is here to help you dive into the sexy, sexy world of financial management in the writing industry.  We’ll talk about a few of the biggest, burningest questions you probably have and a few you might not have considered, yet:
 · If you’re not one of the lucky few who gets a million-dollar advance, how much can you expect to make?
 · More importantly, how much can you expect to spend to get your career off the ground or maintain its momentum?
 · How do you budget for that?
 · When can you quit your day job?
 · Retirement, taxes, insurance…what? (Pinky swear, we’ll make it as exciting as possible.)
 · What do your industry partners need you to know about all this stuff?
 · How do you prepare yourself to grow your business?
 · Why do we keep calling you a business owner? Aren’t you just a writer? (Hint: NO—you’re so much more.)  

We’ll use actual industry numbers and case studies. Our financial expert has more than a decade of experience helping people achieve their financial dreams. Danica Winters has immersed herself in the business for the last decade. And Melissa Tenley and Clare Tallier are not afraid to ask (out loud) the uncomfortable questions.  Chances are, you’ve dedicated a sizeable portion of your time (and soul) to this writing “hobby.” You owe it to yourself to understand what that means from a financial perspective and how to protect your investment.