This great post originally appeared on The Etsy Blog. You can follow their business success series for creatives via RSS or email, too.

Do you have a business plan? If it's like mine, it's a collection of brilliant and amazing ideas — in your head. It’s easy to put off writing a business plan and instead have vague ideas of a creative business direction. So why write a business plan now? Because it’s a new year and it's time to get specific about goals and directions by clarifying your thoughts through the act of writing. First, think about how your business plan will be used. If your plan is just for your use, the form and content can be creative. However, if you think you may want to get a loan or venture capital for your business, you might choose a more traditional business plan than we are creating here. The Small Business Administration has resources for writing a traditional business plan.  Let's lay the ground work. The first step is to download the free Wonder Thinking Business Plan-o-Rama workbook and get to work. A good business plan is like a map — it shows where you’ve been and where you’re going. A glance at the map will tell you if a new ambition is an out-of-the-way detour or a route to your destination. Are you planning to increase your retail venues in the coming year? Or will you focus on wholesale? Both? Stay on course by thinking about and writing down the direction you want to take. If you need more guidance writing your plan, head on over to my blog where I'll be covering The Wonder Thinking Business Plan-o-Rama, which will include topics like business vision, products and services, market analysis, competition, marketing plans and future plans. -Tricia McKellar Tricia McKellar loves talking about the possibilities found in art, business, and marketing. She is the founder of Wonder Thinking and is currently far along on the path of creating her indie business. An artist & an IT geek, she sells prints of her dreamy photography in her Etsy Shop, eyeful.