Wid Bastian

Wid Bastian has always been a lover of books. In the 1990s, he began to write as a pastime after discovering his natural ability. Wid Bastian discovered that he was exceptionally gifted in the field and turned to writing as a profession immediately.
When Wid began reading at age ten, it became a lifelong interest for him. At some point during his high school years, he fell in love with writing. In 2012, he made the decision to become a writer full-time – and he’s been all over the map in terms of genre and style ever since.
Wid is also a ghostwriter and editor, in addition to being an author or publisher. He has written several commercially successful books for customers all around the United States and many foreign nations as a ghostwriter and editor. He also edits fiction manuscripts and nonfiction proposals for publication.
Wid will always be an advocate of the written word. He has a deep love for classic literature, and is also a proponent of e-books. He enjoys making up his own stories in addition to helping other writers realize theirs.
Though ghostwriting is where he is most comfortable, Wid is also an author, screenwriter, and publisher. He loves and is adept at all parts of the writing process.
He specializes in helping other authors self-publish short stories in a wide variety of genres on their desired platform.
Wid also ghostwrites fiction novels in nearly every genre and nonfiction works that require extensive research. He is very talented at taking multiple source materials and creating a cohesive story out of them.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

The idea for ghostwriting came from my love of reading and writing. As a kid, I began reading right away. It was something that stuck with me throughout the years; I never lost interest in it.
As far as writing is concerned – I think it’s part nature and part nurture. Nature because of my innate ability to write stories; and nurture because I was always encouraged to write, especially once my mother realized how easy it came to me.
Ghostwriting had a similar birth. While working on a college assignment during my sophomore year – an expository essay – it dawned on me that I could make a lot of money by helping other students with their homework and projects.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

My typical day starts early. I start out by checking my email and social media accounts to keep up with my client base.  I then set out for a walk to clear my head and reconnect with my surroundings.

After that, I come home and either work on a manuscript of my own or one for a client. When I finish with that – which is usually late in the day – I spend time checking over it and ensuring that it’s perfect before sending it off to my clients.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I bring my ideas to life by doing as much research as possible. I also put myself in the shoes of the protagonist and ask myself what he would do if he were in that situation.

What’s one trend that excites you?

The idea of e-books and self-publishing is certainly exciting to me. I know that I was able to make connections with my audience through social media and the internet. Before that, I probably would have never had a chance of being noticed by my audience.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

My self-discipline and love for what I do makes me more productive as an entrepreneur. The sheer determination I have coming from my background helps, though.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Younger me would probably benefit from some advice on time management. I’m still learning that lesson, but at least I’ve learned to be organized! I think that an entrepreneur needs to be organized, communicative, and passionate. Make connections with people in your field. Those connections will come in handy later on down the road! If you can learn those early on in life, you will do well.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

Not everyone agrees with me on this, but I feel like there is no better place to write than in a coffee shop surrounded by nice music and good company. There is something about the atmosphere there that inspires creativity and makes it easier for me to focus on what I’m writing.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I think it’s important to put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. Try to imagine what they will like and want. From there, work on fulfilling those needs.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

I do a lot of research to understand what my audience wants and then use my knowledge to create it for them. I also try to keep up with new trends in writing so that I can provide my customers with the work they want.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

I had a failure of overthinking things. I would sit around and think about what my next move should be rather than just doing it. That was an obstacle of mine for a long time, but I am getting better at overcoming it as I go along.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

I think that there is an opportunity to create a social network type of website for writers. What I mean by this is that people who are writers could come together on the site and discuss their craft, have specialized forums for different types of writing based around genre, etc. A lot of times, writers will get caught up in the industry without being able to connect with others in their area. This is a great way for them to be able to share ideas and ask questions, as well!

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I spend $100 on groceries every week because I don’t really like cooking. If I had more time or energy I would probably cook more, but for now that’s the last thing I want to do when I get home from work.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I use Evernote religiously. I keep my notes and ideas organized here, and it’s an easy way to share files with others. I also like the tagging system within the program because that is useful for organizing different types of projects and information involving those projects.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

That is a really tough question for someone in my profession! I don’t think there is any one particular book that I would want to recommend, but I think it’s always beneficial to read as much as you can. It helps with expanding your knowledge and vocabulary, and reading has been shown to reduce stress.

What is your favorite quote?

“Have patience and endure: A Day will come when the effort you put forth will be repaid tenfold” by Og Mandino, I love this because it encourages us to keep going and never give up.

Key Learnings:

Learn as much as you can about your field.
-Be communicative and open with those around you.
-Never stop growing and learning.