“On the business side, blogs are designed to help promote creative wares or services, and if done well, they can be an invaluable business tool.  Those who blog for business live creatively; their businesses, their personal lives, and friendships are all approached through their creative spirit and it shows in their blogs.  Whether they promote products and services through their sidebar links or talk about business in every post, their blogs are beautiful and inspiring.”

-Tara Frey, Blogging for Bliss

I just finished reading Blogging for Bliss: Crafting Your Own Online Journal:  A Guide for Crafters, Artists and Creatives by Tara Frey, and highly recommend it.  Frey covers everything from what to write about, how to choose a blogging platforms, how to customize your blog’s look, ways to increase traffic, and the basics of blogvertising.

In addition to all kinds of fantastic practical information, she also has profiles of over 50 bloggers, many whose blogs help them promote their creative businesses like:

• a stitch in dye
• Curious Sofa Diaries
• Naughty Secretary Club
• Sommer Designs
• Teresa Sheeley
• Twisted Sister

Whether you are a new, or experienced blogger, I think you’ll find something practical and/or inspiring in Blogging for Bliss to help you take your creative business blog to the next level.

You can learn more about Blogging for Bliss and Tara Frey on her blog, tara frey {typing out loud}.

Last week I wrote about the Right Brain Business Plan as a resource for cultural entrepreneurs who want a fun, creative alternative to the traditional business planning process.  Today we’re going to explore another fun resource, The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real by Lisa Sonora Beam.

The Creative Entrepreneur is designed to meet, “the challenges creative people have with the business side of work. ” It is full of wonderful images and visuals.  You won’t get bored working through this book!

The first chapter focuses on setting up a visual journal to record the exercises offered throughout the book.

The second chapter leads you through creating a Creative Entrepreneur Mandala that helps you find, the “sweet spot” where your Heart and Meaning, Gift and Flow, Value and Profitability, and Tools and Skills intersect.

The third chapter addresses the emotional and psychological blocks creative entrepreneurs can face with exercises like creating a left-brain/right-brain map.

The fourth chapter delves into creating a visual strategic plan which includes making a SWOT chart, and determining what your objectives are, and the strategies and tactics you’re going to use to achieve them.

The final, and fifth chapter discusses promotion, marketing and branding.

You can learn more about The Creative Entrepreneur, and Lisa Sonora Beam on her website thecreativeentrepreneur.biz, her blog Less Stress, More Joy: Adventures in Creative Entrepreneurship, and her Twitter feed, @LisaSonoraBeam

Also, check out:

• The book review, Business planning meets mixed media on The Artful Manager.
• Interview with Beam in the Arts and Healing Network Spring 2009 newsletter.
• Turning a Craft Into a Business . . ., about the book, on ABCNews.go.com,
• Podcast interview with Beam on Tranquility du Jour.

Britt Bravo also blogs for Have Fun * Do Good, BlogHer, and WE Volunteer.  She is a Big Vision Consultant.