Behind the Scenes: Juggling Life, Writing, and Running a Business
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about being an author is that all we do is write.
And while writing is certainly the fun part, the truth is that being an indie author means wearing a lot of hats.
Some days I’m writing spicy romances and making fictional men growl.
Other days I’m answering emails, reviewing covers, updating websites, ordering inventory, balancing expenses, scheduling newsletters, coordinating audiobooks, checking ads, organizing convention supplies, and wondering where I put that one notebook I absolutely need right this second.
In other words, I’m not just writing books.
I’m running a business.
And honestly? That’s the part nobody really prepares you for.
The Freedom—and Responsibility—of Working for Yourself
People often say, “It must be nice to work for yourself.”
And they’re right.
It is.
But working for yourself also means you’re the boss, the employee, the marketing department, customer service, shipping manager, accountant, social media coordinator, and occasionally the person crawling under the desk looking for the charger everyone swore was “right there.”
No one is standing over me with a schedule.
No one is assigning tasks.
No one is reminding me what has to be done.
That’s both the beauty and the challenge of being self-employed.
Because when you run your own business, time management becomes one of the most important skills you’ll ever develop.
Not because you’ll suddenly become perfectly organized.
But because you’ll quickly learn that everything can’t happen at once.
Compartmentalizing Saves My Sanity
Over the years, I’ve discovered that trying to do everything simultaneously is the fastest route to burnout.
If I’m writing, I try to write.
If I’m handling business tasks, I try to focus on business.
If I’m spending time with my family, I try to be present with them.
Do I always succeed?
Absolutely not.
Sometimes I’m answering emails while mentally plotting Chapter Twelve.
Sometimes I’m making dinner while thinking about Facebook ads.
Sometimes I’m supposed to be writing and instead find myself reorganizing labels, hunting for files, or convincing myself that cleaning my desk counts as productivity.
(For the record, sometimes it does.)
The point isn’t perfection.
The point is learning how to switch gears and prioritize what needs your attention most.
Do I Always Get It Right?
No.
And neither will you.
There are days when I feel incredibly productive and days when I wonder what I even accomplished.
There are projects I’ve launched successfully.
There are ideas I’ve abandoned.
There are things I’ve done brilliantly.
And there are plenty of things I’ve done poorly.
That’s life.
That’s business.
That’s creativity.
Nobody masters this overnight.
Failure Isn’t Really Failure
One thing I’ve learned after years of publishing is that failure isn’t really a thing.
At least not in the way we tend to think about it.
Most “failures” are simply lessons wearing ugly disguises.
A promotion that didn’t work teaches you what not to do next time.
A release that underperformed gives you information you didn’t have before.
A bad decision becomes experience.
A mistake becomes knowledge.
The only people who never fail are the people who never try.
And I’d rather try something and discover it didn’t work than spend years wondering what might have happened if I’d been brave enough to attempt it.
Progress Over Perfection
I think we put far too much pressure on ourselves to have everything figured out.
But the truth is, most of us are building the airplane while flying it.
We’re learning.
Adjusting.
Trying again.
Growing.
That’s true whether you’re writing books, running a business, raising a family, or simply trying to navigate life.
None of us have all the answers.
We’re just doing the best we can with the information we have today.
And tomorrow?
We’ll know a little more.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, behind, or convinced everyone else has somehow figured it all out, let me assure you:
They haven’t.
Most of us are simply learning as we go.
And that’s okay.
Because perfection was never the goal.
Showing up is.
Trying is.
Learning is.
And sometimes that’s more than enough.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have approximately twenty-seven open note tabs, a giant coffee, and one judgmental emotional-support lobster reminding me I probably have deadlines somewhere.
Happy writing, everyone!
del mare alla stella,
C.D. Gorri
