Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in creative writing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lis McDermott, an author based in Swindon, Wiltshire, UK.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am an author and writing mentor. So I help people through their writing journey, from whatever point they are at. Some come to me knowing they want to write but are not sure how to start. Others have made a start and don't know how to continue. Some people just want help to ensure their writing makes sense and is interesting to read, and others need help in organising their writing - each person I work with has different needs. My customers are from all walks of life and also from different parts of the world too. Alongside mentoring other writers, I publish my own books and also work freelance writing blogs for the clients of another business.

Tell us about yourself

At school, I was good at Music, Art, and English, and all I ever wanted to do was work with children and music. Not surprisingly, that led to my training to be a teacher. After working in music education for 34 years, I resigned because I was fed up with where the arts were going, or in fact, weren't going, as there was less and less focus on them. I set up a professional photography business, which I ran for 12 years - mostly focusing on people photography. During my time in music education, I co-authored a music scheme for primary schools, and then when I had my photography business, I wrote a book about the importance of having a business headshot.

During the lockdown, at the age of 68, I had spent enough time lugging my photographic equipment around and had started mentoring a friend to write her book. So, I decided to focus on my writing. Between 2014 and 2021, I have personally published seven books of different genres. During that time, I happened to meet up with someone I'd met previously through networking who owned a publishing company, and she asked me if I'd be willing to mentor people who had sent in manuscripts that weren't quite ready to be published. This started my journey of mentoring. Since 2019, I've mentored 11 people, some of whom I'm still working with. Two of them have published their books, and three others are being published this year.

It is a great privilege to be trusted with other people's work, and it's fascinating reading about other different lives or the stories they have created. I also find it incredibly satisfying to be able to encourage people (who often start with the idea that they are never going to be able to write a book) to actually finish and publish. I love writing both poetry and prose. Being able to use my creativity to build characters and design places where my characters reside. When writing poetry, I love playing with words and love experimenting with writing different poetic forms, where they have specific formulae. Having worked in many different situations with different people, I have a wide range of experiences to draw on for my stories. Now being 70, I could be retired, but I love doing what I do too much to stop.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Being able to work in a career that I'm passionate about. I have been extremely lucky working in the creative industry for my whole life. Publishing my debut novel last year was a proud moment for me, as it wasn't something I thought I would ever do. I'm now working on my second. Also, seeing the faces of my mentees when they see their books in print for the first time.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

I'm a people person, and my energy comes from interacting with others, so sometimes it can be lonely working on your own. However, I have a great network of business buddies around me, so I regularly attend networking events, and I often have zoom calls with other authors and my mentees, which helps keep my energy levels topped up.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Never be too proud to ask for advice. It's very easy to think we should know what we're doing and perhaps feel stupid when we don't understand something. But we are always learning throughout our lives, so ask others.
  2. Try not to compare yourself with others in your profession. Remember, people come to you because they like what you do, and they like you - the old adage. People buy from people. There will always be people better than you, and there will always be people worse than you. So strive to be the best you can.
  3. You are never too old to start a business! If you have the energy and passion and the support of those around you - go for it!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.lismcdermottauthor.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisMcDermottAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lismcdermott/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisMcDAuthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lismcdermott/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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