Think like a CEO.
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Think Like a CEO—Shift from Creative Chaos to Confidence

By Reading Time: 4 minutes

“You can’t do a good job if your job is all you do.” — Katie Thurmes

From Writer to Author Business Leader

You’re more than a writer. You’re the CEO of your author career. But when you’re juggling writing, publishing, marketing, and maybe a day job, it’s easy to get buried in creative chaos.

To think like a CEO doesn’t mean losing your artistic soul. It means leading with purpose, making strategic decisions, and building a business that supports your creative freedom. This mindset shift to think like a CEO is what turns a hobbyist into a professional.

(Note: This is for educational and informational purposes. It’s not intended as a substitute for a legal or financial professional advisor. Always seek the advice of a licensed professional.)

What It Means to Think Like a CEO (Even If You’re Solo)

Being a CEO is less about how many people you manage and more about how you manage your time, decisions, and direction. You don’t need a staff. You need a shift in perspective from reactive to intentional. That is, you need to think like a CEO.

A CEO:

  • Makes choices based on data, not just emotion
  • Delegates (or automates) low-value tasks
  • Plans ahead with measurable goals
  • Knows when to pivot and when to stay the course
  • Aligns every action with long-term vision

Signs You’re Stuck in Creative Chaos

If you’re stuck in creative chaos, the fix isn’t more hustle. It’s smarter leadership. If you recognize these signs, it may be time to level up and think like a CEO.

  • You’re always working but not gaining momentum
  • You’re saying yes to every idea without a clear filter
  • You launch books without a long-term strategy
  • You dread “business stuff” and avoid tracking metrics
  • You have no idea what’s actually moving the needle

5 Ways to Step into Your CEO Role

1. Set a Weekly CEO Session

Block 1 hour per week to review goals, sales, priorities, and planning. Ask: What’s working? What needs to change?

2. Define Your North Star

Clarify your mission, income goals, and 3-year vision. Without direction, you’ll stay stuck in reaction mode.

3. Track Key Metrics

You don’t need dozens of spreadsheets, just a few meaningful data points, such as the following:

  • Book sales by format
  • Email growth
  • ROI on ads or promos
  • Time spent vs. outcomes

4. Protect CEO-Level Thinking Time

Batch admin or creative tasks, and block off deep work windows to strategize, reflect, or innovate.

 5. Learn to Lead Yourself

Leadership starts with clarity and self-discipline. Create systems. Use checklists. Think like a CEO and say no to distractions that don’t serve your goals.

Creative Freedom Through Business Clarity

Paradoxically, the more structure you bring to your author business, the more freedom you gain. You’ll write with more confidence, market with more purpose, and rest without guilt because your author business is moving forward, even when you take a break. This control over your career is the true essence of what it means to think like a CEO.

Wrap-Up: Step Up

Stepping into the CEO role doesn’t mean losing your creativity. It means protecting it. When you lead with strategy, clarity, and purpose, you build a business that supports your artistic freedom instead of draining it. This shift to think like a CEO is what separates scattered side hustlers from thriving author-entrepreneurs.

For more guidance, see other writer’s guides, such as Author Financials—6 Top Tips for New Indie Authors.

If you have a draft and want to explore how AI can help you self-publish it, read, Is Your Book Ready to Self-Publish? Lastly, for help writing a non-fiction book, read Write Your First Non-Fiction eBook: a 30-Day Workbook for Getting It Done.

Writing is an ongoing adventure that involves continuous learning and improvement. You don’t have to go through this alone. We are excited to accompany you every step of the way, providing you with support and motivation. Our goal is to give you the necessary knowledge and practical advice to navigate the world of writing with confidence.

We hope you found these writer’s guide strategies helpful and inspiring. They’re intended to provide you with the necessary tools and insights to succeed as an indie author.

Don’t wait. Start today! How can we help? To let us know, please fill out our Contact form. Happy writing!

Checklist: Shift from Creative Chaos to CEO Mindset

  • I’ve scheduled a weekly CEO check-in to review strategy and progress
  • I’ve defined clear author goals and a 3-year vision
  • I know which 3–5 metrics I track monthly
  • I’ve created a system for managing tasks and time
  • I batch creative vs. admin work to protect focus
  • I say “yes” only to ideas that align with my long-term goals
  • I view myself as a leader—even if I’m a team of one

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