As the end of the financial year is looming I’ve been wondering whether or not I need to declare my very nice cheque from the People’s Play Award as taxable income. Asking my writing friends and searching the internet has not made it any clearer. Some say awards or competition prizes are exempt for tax purposes. Some say only ‘occasional’ awards are exempt – whatever that means!
The Writer’s Handbook tells me that ‘most prizes and awards are not taxable, though it depends on the conditions in each case’. But it doesn’t specify what these ‘conditions’ are.
I then found a helpful thread on the British Comedy Guide which says that the tax man differentiates between ad hoc wins and prize money earned by people who pursue writing as a ‘trade’. So I’m beginning to get a bit worried.
I then decided to bite the bullet and call the HMRC. They directed me to their website which gives me a very clear answer. The key it seems is whether or not the award is ‘solicited’. If I didn’t enter my work into the comp and they just decided to give me the award (such as the Booker Prize; Best Young Playwright of the Year award – not that I’d qualify for that anymore!) then it would not be taxable. So damn, I’ll have to declare it. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.
If you would like to find out more about managing your writing earnings, please see my post on finance and tax for writers. Please note this article was originally written for freelance magazine writers, but the same rules apply to people submitting fiction or any other form of written work for remuneration.
It’s great to be working on a new project. Illustrator Amy Barnes and I are working on a series of children’s picture books about the life of the biblical King David when he was a boy – the Young David books. So far I’ve written three out of six titles. Check out Amy’s stunning illustrations to get a taste of the project so far. 
If you would like to learn more about how to write picture books, check out my series of articles on writing for children, and specifically the article on writing picture books.
I have been running this writing advice website for nearly five years now. And in that time I’ve resisted writing what I’m going to write now, telling myself that it won’t help to air my views in public. Well it might not help in the long run but it will make me feel better now, so here goes: Continue reading ‘Can you look at my writing for free?’
Myro the Microlight, a series of children’s picture books on which I’ve worked as a writer for the last five years, has been launched. From sheep rescues and bush fires to supersonic plane crashes and meetings with a broken-down Tiger Moth, not even the sky’s the limit for this high flying hero.
I’ve been proud to work with a team of very talented people headed up by series creator Nick Rose and am thrilled that the first six books are now on the shelves.
The stories are about the adventures of Myro, a little microlight who moves to Australia from Britain. They’re aimed at boys and girls from 3 – 7 and are both educational and entertaining.
Apart from the books, there is a cd of singalong Myro songs and we’ve just started work on the pilot of a DVD series (I’m working as the screenwriter). Children can also have fun with the interactive website and join the Myro Club.
Writing for Children
If you would like to learn more about this topic, check out my series of articles on writing for children, and specifically the article on writing picture books.
My first devotional series for Inspiring Women Every Day (CWR) is now available to order. In this daily reading booklet, Wendy Bray will take you through Psalm 22 in January and I will be helping you face your fears in February. For the rest of the year a host of women writers will encourage and inspire you. Booklets may be ordered through the CWR website.
A Christian Writing Course
If you would like to try your hand at Christian writing then I have put together a short online course based on a series I presented at my church called Writing as Worship and Witness.
After a nervous wait the cast, crew and I are thrilled to read a raft of fabulous reviews! Here are the latest ones:
From the Newcastle Journal (in the print version we’re reviewed on the same page as Alan Bennett!)
From Spike Mike is Breaking a Leg (online theatre reviewer)
From Jesmond Local (an innovative online hyperlocal newspaper staffed largely by students from Newcastle University media department)
Strange that Pig Stew is being performed at the People’s Theatre. Turns out some (fairly distant) relatives of mine founded the theatre a hundred years ago! Ya see, it’s all in the blood 🙂
Read all about it and the run up to Pig Stew in the Newcastle Journal
Great opening night last night. Here’s to the cast and crew breaking some trotters for the rest of the run.
Pig Stew opens tonight at the People’s Theatre in Newcastle. The cast includes:
Amy Nicol as Juliet
Jo Kelly as Louise
Mel Dagg as Denise
Stuart Laidler as Matthew
Director: Sarah McLane
Here’s a clip from Pig Stew and an interview with me and Jo Kelly on KYEO TV
http://www.kyeo.tv/2010/11/16/pig/
If you haven’t booked yet there are still tickets available. Follow the link on the KYEO TV page.
Break a trotter everyone!
The box office is now open for Pig Stew at the People’s Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne. http://ptag.org.uk/the-peoples-play-2010-pig-stew.html Tickets are only £10 for adults (it’s not suitable for children) with concession tickets priced at £8. The show runs from Tuesday 16 November to Saturday 20th. There will be a matinee on the Saturday. I would love to see as many of you there as possible and really appreciate your support. And if that’s not a good enough reason to come, consider this: it’s a great show! Directed by Sarah McClane. Written by Fiona Veitch Smith.
Salt Publishing, one of the UK’s most respected independent publishers, faces closure. The Bookseller reports that Salt has relaunched its “Just One Book” campaign after a tough first half of the year has left them with “less than one week’s cash left”, despite its grant from Arts Council England.
The company needs to sell roughly £45,000 worth of books to keep afloat for the rest of the year. Publishing director Chris Hamilton-Emery said the company had not wanted to repeat the initiative “because we thought it was unrepeatable, but we have just reached crunch time this week”. He added: “We realised if we didn’t get some sales, we would probably go bust very shortly.”
Hamilton-Emery said a number of factors had contributed to Salt’s financial woes, including the recession, the World Cup and the demise of Borders UK late last year. “They were a good customer of ours, so that was a real blow,” he said.
The Crafty Writer’s guest poetry tutor, Andrew Philip, is published by Salt. He says: “It’s harder and harder these days for authors – début authors and mid-listers in particular – to find publishers. The big houses are taking on fewer writers and concentrating their marketing power on certain titles in their lists. So writers need publishers such as Salt more than ever. Publishers who don’t simply bend to the howling winds of celebrity memoirs. Publishers who will take a risk on writing they simply believe in. Publishers who believe in you and give readers the chance to let your voice enter their hearts and minds. If Salt goes, we all lose.”
Writers and book lovers are being asked to buy just one book to help save Salt, Andy recommends:
