Romance author Willow Winters started as a stay-at-home mum writing at night for coffee money. Today she's a USA Today and Wall Street Journal number-one bestseller with more than sixty books and a team running the business behind her. In this episode of The Write Podcast, she shares how she built a real self-publishing career, not by luck, but by decision.

We get into the business most authors never see. How she made the leap from hobby writer to CEO. Why she hired a team when most indie authors go it alone. How she built multiple income streams, from direct sales to collector's editions to free audiobooks. And what it actually took to stop feeling like an imposter and start owning the word author.

If you're a fiction writer who's serious about turning your writing into a career, this conversation is for you. Willow is proof that ambition and creativity can live in the same author business.

In this episode:

• How Willow went from writing at night to a multimillion-dollar self-publishing business

• The moment writing stopped being a hobby and became a company

• Building a team as an indie author, and the first job she handed off

• Multiple income streams for authors: direct sales, collector's editions, audiobooks

• Selling straight to readers versus relying on Amazon and the retailers

• Overcoming imposter syndrome as a self-published author

• Avoiding burnout while running a real author business

Ready to build the author business you choose instead of the one you fall into? Read the details and apply for Author CEO at serenadepublishing.com/the-author-ceo.

✍️ Writers: Want help building a real writing career?Join my free weekly email for tips on writing, publishing, and growing your readership.→ www.serenadepublishing.com— — — — — — — — — —👋 About This ChannelHi, I’m Sarah Williams. I help writers turn their books into sustainable careers.Here we talk about:• writing and finishing books• publishing and the book industry• author marketing• building a long-term writing careerWhether you're writing your first book or already publishing, you're welcome here.— — — — — — — — — —🚀 Ready to go deeper?✦ The Author CEO – for writers ready to treat their books like a real business ✦ Author Retreats – immersive strategy and writing retreatsLearn more:www.serenadepublishing.com— — — — — — — — — —📌 Connect With MeInstagram → https://www.instagram.com/serenadepublishingTikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@serenadepublishing