Authors Electric

If you've been following my monthly ramblings on here (I've been around since the start of Authors Electric, so I'm part of the furniture - probably that creaky old wardrobe in the corner of the attic with the door that doesn't shut properly ...), you'll know that I write the occasional mostly-tongue-in-cheek advice column. It may be written with an irreverent approach, but much of the advice therein is worth looking at, if only to discard or laugh at! So now I want to talk about how advice can do more than get you off to a bad start - it can land you with huge bills and/or get you into serious trouble with the authorities! The trouble is, advice is one of those things that is often asked for but never actually wanted once you've got it. And everybody has an opinion. On everything . I should know - I'm one of those annoying people who happily delivers unasked-for opinions in clothes shop changing-rooms. But telling somebody they look lovely in a dress i...

It’s that time of year again. The time when all business accounts have to be made up to date to satisfy the tax men. Now, this would not be a problem if my bookkeeping was done on a daily or weekly basis, and every year I swear to do this to avoid stress at the end of the financial year. But, like all good resolutions this usually falls to the wayside after the space of a month or two, with the result there is a big blank hole in my accounts instead of lovely numbers which balance out immaculately. I have always used software to balance my current and credit card accounts because, although money and I have a love/hate relationship, I do like playing with software, which is perhaps why I use two different money programs. Money to me is just something I get paid and something I can spend, it has no more importance than that. Oh yes! I agree, it’s quite nice to have money in your pocket and quite stressful if it’s not there. Like most of us, I’ve had moments in my life...

Apologies for taking a UK perspective, although the EU VAT rules apply to everyone who sells electronic downloads to the EU, irrespective of where the seller lives, and I’m not too sure that sellers in the US, Australia, or anywhere else in the world have woken up to these changes yet. Let’s get one thing clear from the start. I’m a writer, I’m not an accountant, and I’m not a tax expert, plus it takes a major effort to supply accounts to my accountant when that time of year rolls round again. As for doing a self-assessment tax form, that is beyond me. But my accountant is a lovely man and he does all that for me, after I’ve supplied the accounts, that is. So, why on earth would I want to do a post on the new EU VAT rules on electronic downloads? Well, I think I’m reasonably aware of what is happening in the writerly world of writing, publishing, and selling ebooks and paperbacks. So, when the first rumbles of this new VAT system reared its head as recently as Novem...

2014 was a defining year for independent publishing. If we can’t see this yet, I’m sure we will be saying it a few years down the line – those people that are still involved that is. I predict that 2015 will be the year that the scales stop tipping, that more indies will try to move back to more traditional methods, or simply give up altogether. Why do I say that? My ear is always to the ground. There are links I find on facebook and elsewhere. I often retweet these (@debjbennett), if I think they will interest others. Amazon Kindle Unlimited Kindle Unlimited is surely the biggest game-changer since KDP Select. Pay a monthly subscription and you can read/borrow as many books as you like. This follows the rest of the media industry; KU is to books what Spotify is to music and Netflix is to film. BUT – and it’s a big but – KU doesn’t treat independent publishers the same way as it treats traditional publishers. For the trads (and a few selected special indies), it’s an...

This information applies to those of us who DON'T live in the US - or as we are prosaically known by Amazon etc ALIENS.   So if you are an alien, read on.  I've put it up just in case there is anyone out there who still does not know that if you aren’t on the ball then selling either books (Createspace) or ebooks (KDP) on Amazon in America will result in them taking 30% of your royalties… I thought I’d just run through this little lesson in confusion. It's not simplez. You do have to keep your wits about you, but then it's saving you money so... Step One.  In order NOT to pay tax to the IRS (that’s the US Tax service) you first have to register with the IRS.  Yes, I know… what can I say? It is the most ridiculous thing in the world but then if you don’t, you’ll be giving 30% of everything you earn to the US Tax system. And since you are already giving at least (probably) some 30% to Amazon (and therefore corporate America) you may want to think twice before g...