
In the POMA panel session (Tack Robinson, Jay Cassell, Jill Browne), one of the points I wanted to stress as a foundation to making a good business plan is, "Know Yourself". There are lots of books out there giving general advice for writers, and also for people writing business plans. But... one size does not fit all! It's important to play to your strengths, and not let your weaknesses take you by surprise.
The 2X2 Matrix as a Tool for Self-Discovery
The simple 2X2 matrix is a useful tool for sorting out complex information, and for organizing your thoughts. It's going to give back according to what you put in. As with many tools and fundamental concepts, its simplicity can be deceiving. A sincere self-analysis using a 2X2 matrix can show you a map of your strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
The SWOT Analysis Applied to You Personally
As a writer and as a business person, you have strengths and weaknesses, and your business environment provides you with opportunities and threats. Those are the four boxes of the 2X2 matrix we talked about in the POMA panel presentation. Here's what the box looks like:

Begin by assessing your strengths as a professional writer. Here are a few strengths you may have. I hope this list will prompt you to come up with more strengths, especially those things that make you stand out.
Ideas for strengths as a professional writer:
- always ahead of deadline
- editors tell me I am easy to work with
- wide network of well-placed contacts
- take own photographs
- inventory of research to draw upon
- well-informed and experienced in the things I write about (e.g. a fishing writer who has 30 years of fly fishing behind her)
- I write quickly
- I do features very well
- I do fillers and service pieces very well
- I have won awards
- I am a recent graduate with knowledge of current electronic publishing tools
- I am experienced in computer-assisted research.
After this, we'll look at weaknesses, and then at opportunities and threats.
If you missed the earlier posts, my first tip for anyone in business is #1. Get The Money.
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