Finance & Legal

Navigate the financial and legal aspects of running a writing business as a freelancer or author. Read about contracts, taxes, copyright, and protecting your work.

Avoid Accidental Plagiarism

Probably the greatest sin a professional writer can commit is plagiarism, the passing off of somebody else's work as one's own. Yet there are some situations...

Create a Stage Play and Sell it

To many people, writing for the theatre is the ultimate literary achievement. But theatre these days doesn't enjoy the success it once did, and there are few...

Maintain Copyright Control

Understanding copyright law can be difficult even for experts, so when, as a new writer, you find yourself suddenly having to deal with it, it can be quite i...

Negotiate Royalties, Stipends and Advances

Learning how to negotiate fees, royalties, stipends and advances is one of the most difficult aspects of setting up in business as a writer, but it's essenti...

Recording Your Income and Paying Tax

Because many people begin their writing careers by writing as a hobby, it can be a bit disconcerting to realise that, when you start earning, you're suddenly...

Set a Rate or Fee for Your Work

Probably the single most common question asked by new writers is "How do I set my rates?" How can you get the best rate for your work without risking missing...