A Step in the Write Direction
January 5, 2015
Update: I’ve been working on my
Rhyme-Time
Bible Stories coming out in February 2016.
Originally it was 15 stories of 10-12 verses, 4 lines each. Publisher now wants
them cut down to 6 verses of 4 lines each. It’s been more
difficult than I thought to get the entire story across in only 6 verses, and in
words preschoolers can understand. Have rewritten them twice and will take them
to my faithful and honest critique group tomorrow…. Husband fell again last week
in grocery store parking lot. Hurt his right hand, knee, and back, but don’t
think anything is broken….Our pastor preached a good sermon yesterday on New
Year’s resolutions. He asked if our resolutions were in tune with God’s
Word.
“Everything that pops into your head isn’t
from God,” he said. “They may be from a TV show, a magazine, a medication you’re
on, or something you ate.” Interesting thought!
Thought for
Today: “Your life can’t revolve around
managing your stuff.…Given a choice, when Jesus returns, do I want Him to
acknowledge me for a spotless house or a clean heart?” (Lisa Elliott, Come Ye
Apart, 2/14/06).
Song for
Today:
Riches
I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
“Be Thou My Vision,” Dallan
Forgaill
Laugh for
Today:
A captain
told a sergeant to notify Private Smith that his grandmother had
died.
"Hey, Smith, your grandma died!" the sergeant
yelled into the barracks.
"You need
to learn tact," the captain said, so they sent him to Tact and Diplomacy
School.
Later, the captain told him to inform Private
Lopez that his grandmother had died, and he
watched to see how the sergeant would handle it.
The
sergeant entered the barracks, paused at the doorway and called his men to
attention.
When they were lined up, he stepped before
them and ordered, "All those with living grandmothers step forward. Not so fast, Lopez!"
Writer’s
Tips:
Tax Tips for Writers
(continued)
Deductions
Below
is the beginning of a list of deductions allowed on the Schedule C, with a few
hints on each one.
Line
8, Advertising.
This includes such things as business cards, and ads placed in newspapers or
magazines offering your services as a writer, to buy or sell business equipment,
or to publicize a workshop. Also include on this line books given away for
advertising purposes.
Line
9, Car and truck expenses.
There are two ways you can deduct your car expenses, either by deducting your
mileage or using actual expenses. If the former, keep track of mileage to the
post office, the office supply store, to your writers’ club or workshop,
attending a business luncheon or dinner, or other business-related activities.
Keep a list of places you frequent often so you don’t have to keep track each
time. (MapQuest is a great help on this.) Multiply the total miles by the
per-mile amount allowed by IRS, and add to this any cash amounts you paid
someone to drive you to a business event. (Note: The amount IRS allows changes
every year, so you need to determine the current amount for your tax
year.)
If
you take actual expenses, first determine the percentage you used your car for
business, and multiply this percentage by what you spent on gas, oil, repairs,
tags, insurance, loan interest and so on. If you choose this method (and most
people don’t unless they use their auto more than 50 percent for business), you
must keep all
receipts.
Line
10, Commissions and fees.
The only time you might use this is if you pay a percentage of your royalties to
an agent for helping you sell your book, or if you pay someone a commission for
helping you with a conference.
Line
11, Contract labor.
Did you pay someone to type your manuscript, to do research, to transcribe
tapes? The amount goes on this line. Be careful, however. If this person works
on your property, uses your equipment, and has assigned hours, he or she is
considered an employee, subject to withholding, not an independent
contractor.
To
obtain a list of tax deductions for writers, send me an e-mail.
Have a good week spreading
the
gospel
through the printed page.
Donna
Clark Goodrich
"A Step in
the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers" (now on
sale for half price-- $12.50, plus $3 s&h). This book has a whole chapter on
income taxes for writers.
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