Plan For Writing Success: Get Organized
by Dawn Copeman
As a writer you need to be organised; especially if you ' re fitting writing into an already busy life. You need to find time to write, to sort out a suitable workspace, arrange a method of getting paid, sort out a bank account and ensure you are complying with tax laws. You might also find you need a website to promote your work. If all that seems a bit overwhelming; here 's a quick guide to get you organised so you can write. Finding Time to Write
I know we all live hectic lives these days. And one of the most frequent excuses I hear from people who tell me that they ' d like to be writers is that they haven ' t got the time to write. But they do find the time to go to the gym, watch TV, go shopping etc. If you really want to write; you will find the time for it. You do not need to devote eight hours a day to writing; you can write in short bursts in fact, its often more beneficial to write in short bursts it stops your creativity going stale. Here are some tips on how to fit writing in to your day:
Try switching off the TV and writing for half an hour or an hour instead.
Try getting up half-an-hour earlier and writing then.
Write for fifteen minutes in your lunch hour.
Write for fifteen minutes before you cook your dinner.
Write before you go on a shopping trip.
If you commute to work, use that time to write.
Make notes on article ideas whilst waiting we all have waiting to do; waiting at the hairdresser's, the dentist's etc.
Don't wait until your writing time to think about your articles or queries; think about them whilst doing the dishes, ironing or doing the laundry.
Like most things in life, if you want to do it, you will find the time.
Workspace
You do not need a huge study to be a writer. Many successful authors still prefer to write at a kitchen table as they did when they were starting out.
All you really need is a table, a chair and ideally these days a PC with an internet connection and a printer. Without an internet connection you will be missing out on all those magazines who want email queries and submissions, as well as lots of useful e-zines on writing.
Ideally you should have somewhere quiet to write, somewhere where you are not going to be disturbed every five minutes. If you have a partner, flatmate or children at home; make sure they know not to disturb you during your writing time. If possible, write in a room away from them.
In addition to these basics, you will also need somewhere to store the magazines you are studying, research material or clippings for articles you are working on, a file to store your query letters and published clips and a method of recording your income and expenses. Initially I would suggest a cheap expanding file for storage and a simple cash book for your expenses.
Getting Paid
If you intend to work for international magazines; and I personally recommend writing for American magazines as they pay on acceptance, rather than on publication; then you need a Paypal account. It costs nothing to set up a basic Paypal account and means you can work for magazines anywhere in the world. To set up a Paypal account you will need an email address. Try to avoid using complicated and free email addresses, such as DCopeman8769@wichwywoo.mail.isp.net; as these do not look professional. Try and set up a professional sounding email address even with free email providers. Ideally, however, you would have an email address from your own website. If you have your own writing website, you can use it to showcase your writing talents: you can put up sample articles so that editors can get a feel for your style. As you build up more clips; you can put links to your published work on your website. This makes it easier for editors to review your work.
You can register web names for a very modest fee these days and some internet service providers offer free hosting and free web design tools; which makes it inexpensive and easy to design your own website. I use one of these providers for my websites, and they look very professional. Tax Issues The best thing to do regarding taxes is to contact your local tax office as soon as you set up in business as a writer. Your tax office can then advise you as to what records to keep, to ensure you don ' t fall foul of tax law. Every country treats writers differently, but here ' s how it works in the UK : you must let Her Majesty ' s Revenue and Customs know that you have set up in business as a writer within three months of doing so. Even if you are employed in another job where you are taxed at source, or you have yet to make any money as a writer, you must still let them know. Failure to do this can result in you receiving a fine of one hundred pounds.
To register as self employed you need to ring the helpline for the newly self-employed on: 08459 15 45 15. They will guide you through the system, answer your questions and ensure you are complying with tax law. Alternatively you can visit the website at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/startingupBusiness Bank Account
It is also useful from a tax point of view to set up a separate, business bank account, for your writing business; it will certainly help in keeping your writing income and expenses separate from your other sources of income. Many high street banks now offer free business banking to new businesses, so talk to your bank and others to get the best deal.
So go on, now you know what to do; get organised and then get writing!