The Author Business Blueprint

Build a publishing business that supports your writing

Publishing a book is an achievement. Building a sustainable publishing business requires a different set of skills. In The Author Business Blueprint, Steve Barker offers independent and self-published authors a practical guide to managing the commercial responsibilities behind their books—without losing sight of their creative ambitions.

Move beyond treating each release as an isolated project. Learn how to establish an appropriate business structure, organise financial administration, prepare budgets, assess profitability and manage cash flow. Understand the role of accurate records, taxation, royalties and rights management, and make better-informed decisions about contracts, suppliers and publishing investments.

This comprehensive guide also helps you view your catalogue as a collection of commercial assets. Explore how to plan releases, evaluate opportunities, recognise financial risks and consider the longer-term potential of your intellectual property. Practical examples, calculations, worksheets and planning templates help turn unfamiliar business tasks into a system you can understand and maintain.

Whether you have already published several books or are preparing to establish your own imprint, this blueprint will help you approach authorship with greater commercial clarity.