Ask the Tax Czarina: Hobby or Business?
In previous posts, SFWA’s own “Tax Czarina” discussed some basic tax issues writers face, bartering, and the 1099 Misc. form. This week’s post focuses on how the IRS differentiates hobbies from businesses.
Archive for the ‘Tips for Beginners’ Category
Story Cake
by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
The popular advice for writers is to write your first draft for just one person and then to revise for the world. Your voice, they say, should be personal and true and deep but the story itself must have mass-market appeal. This is a rainbow I chased for a long time. Lately, though, I’m starting to question the simple assumption that success is measured by the number of readers.
Ask the Tax Czarina: 1099-MISC
So far, SFWA’s own “Tax Czarina” has discussed basic tax issues writers face and questions about bartering. This week, she focuses on questions regarding Form 1099 MISC. Q: Did I miss the deadline for Form 1099-MISC? What should I do? A: The deadline for delivering Form 1099-MISC was February 1. So you may have missed that deadline. The deadline for filing […]
We Are All Allies
by Dan Koboldt
In some ways, publishing is a zero-sum game. There are only so many slots in the schedule of traditional publishers. Only ten books can occupy the top ten list, and only one can win the Hugo. Yet the most dangerous and pervasive threat to the aspiring author is not another author, nor is it a big bad publisher. Nor is it a certain online store. No, the biggest threat is the ever-shrinking reading time the average person has in our modern world.
10 Ways SFWA Can Help Promote Your New Book
What are the ways SFWA can help a member promote their book?
Tackling the Dreaded Bio
by Luna Lindsey
A lot of authors hate writing “bios.” We can crank out a 100,000 word novel no problem, but a 100 word bio for the back cover? Terrifying.
Guest Post: Inspiration + Aspiration
by Leo Babauta
I deal every day with questions about how to stay motivated, how to stay on track, how to be excited about what I’m doing, how to stay grounded and balanced. Do you face these same issues?
When to Trunk a Story or Novel?
by Tobias S. Buckell
Today, while waiting for my new office chair to be delivered, I asked followers at Twitter to send me some questions. In response, someone tweeted: “When to trunk and when to keep rewriting?”
Panlexicon vs. Visual Thesaurus – Who Will Win?
by Luna Lindsey
Panlexicon vs. Visual Thesaurus: No, it’s not an epic city-smashing battle of giant robots versus dinosaurs. It’s a contest between online thesauri. When you need that perfect word, where should you turn?
What to Expect When You Start an Internet Kerfluffle
by Nancy Fulda
Your post strikes a nerve. It gets tweeted, and retweeted, and blogged about, and linked to. Comments start pouring in, both for and against your position. Your inbox is overflowing. You put other projects on hold.
