Here’s why most writers are broke.

There's two very different ways of approaching writing. I like to think of it as art and business. Where a lot of writers go wrong, I think, is much earlier in their careers. You don't have the money part figured out. You haven't really gotten your footing, and you're like, I'm going to go pursue the art, which is great. But then at the same time, they want the immediate external result. And that's where things get hairy, because you're picking one thing, but your expectations are aligned with the other. So that's why my kind of whole thesis, especially in the world of writing, is I actually think it's better to focus on the business side first. Learn how to monetize writing. Learn how to use it as a vehicle to solve people's problems, answer people's questions, learn business models, learn audience building, learn all the things you need, build your foundation. Then think a lot more about the other side, which is the art of writing. Once you've gotten your footing and you're like, I now have the skills to be able to take care of myself forever.