ADVANCED MAGIC BAKERY… Chapter Four

Chapter Four… Starting a Business

Granted, there are a lot of writers, or for this metaphor, bakers, who just make pies and stack them up in their kitchen. Every writer is different. No judgements by me.

But for me, and most other writers, we like to try to get our work out into the public to enjoy. And that is where you take off your baking apron and put on a business suit and step into the business part of your bakery. Granted, not as much fun as baking for most of us, but if you are going to get people to enjoy your work, to come into your bakery, it is needed.

You must learn how to build and tend to your bakery.

Now Robert Heinlein, in a very different time (the Pulp Era), came up with what he called his five business rules. I personally follow those rules the best I can. Extending Bob’s rules into this bakery metaphor, they would go like this:

Dean’s Magic Bakery Business Rules

• 1… You must bake.
• 2… You must finish what you start to bake.
• 3… You must never try to rebake and rebake the same pie.
• 4… You must put the pie out on the market.
• 5… You must leave it on the market to be licensed over and over.

I love how #3 in this metaphor makes it very clear how really stupid the rewriting myth is. (grin)

Those are business rules. And when followed are amazingly successful for most of us.

The problem, of course, is between #3 and #4. How do you get your work on the market?

Yeah, a big problem to learn to do right. At least at first. Seems overwhelming.

I am writing this in 2025 and in this indie world there are a bunch of steps to really get your work available to an international audience.

And remember, your bakery is magic. Anyone from any part of the planet can come though the front door and license a slice of one of your pies, all without traveling or leaving the comfort of their own home. Just one of the wonderful magic parts of your magic bakery.

So how is this transition between #3 and #4 made?

First, the baker must want to do it. They must want to take their pies from their kitchens and display them in their magic bakery. Seems simple, right? Just take the pie through the swinging door from your kitchen into your business with all the empty shelves and put it on display.

And bam, people from all over the world will rush through your front door to sample your one magic pie.

Uh, no, but every new writer thinks it works that way. They have baked heaven’s gift to all pies, the best ever done, so why shouldn’t people flock to their work?

Well, honestly, about a thousand reasons.

Just as with any business set up in a corner shop in any town in the world, it takes time and planning and inventory and an understanding of how to attract customers.

It is not hard, but it does take time and understanding. And a willingness to learn some basic business of indie publishing.

The magic bakery is magic, but sadly it does not attract customers on its own. It has to be built and stocked and your pies have to be put on shelves in a way that they exist at the same time in thousands and thousands of other stores.

That is another of the magic parts of your bakery. If done right, your pie can sit fresh on your shelf in your magic bakery while at the same time being available in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands other stores and locations around the world.

Now that really is magic.

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Side note: I offered four or so months ago to coach writers on how to get their work out into the huge world, how to do it, what to do first, second, third, and so on. The writers who took me up on this I did a plan for each one and from what I can tell they are making progress. It is slow as expected and I check in with them every month and they ask me questions at times. But it seems to have worked. They have started the process and are refining it.

I took any level of business, to starting out to helping with more advanced business techniques.

So right now I have room and the time to set out a coaching plan for a few more writers. The idea is to get you from where you are at now to getting readers finding your work and into your store from around the world. The cost is a one-time fee of $500 and there is no time limit and you can start when you want.

I can only take a few more.

I have been enjoying the heck out of helping writers with this business part and I know Kris has been really enjoying helping writers with the craft side of things. So if interested, write me directly, not through the comments.