In my university writing classes my students frequently ask me what they can expect to earn. Well this varies depending on the kind of writing they intend to do. Below, I have outlined the main areas of work for a writer. Note these are British rates. For American writers please consult the Writers’ Guild of America. For other writers, consult the relevant writing body in your country. Note too that I am not covering copywriting or business writing in this discussion (ask your favourite search engine instead). Continue reading ‘What do writers earn?’
Archive for the 'Freelance writing' Category
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.
If you want to write for men’s magazines you need to appreciate how they are understood and consumed by their target readership. I asked Gareth Longstaff, media lecturer at Newcastle University, to give us the low-down on men’s mags. Gareth is currently completing his PhD in the representation of male sexuality in the media and visual culture. He is a feature writer and columnist for several commercial magazines including The Crack, Gay Times, OUT and iD. Continue reading ‘Understanding men’s magazines’
In-flight magazines are a vast market for the travel writer. And now that those planes are finally getting back in the air it may be time to try pitching something to them. Worldwide Freelance Writer have put together a downloadable pdf of 150 in-flight magazines from around the world. Note, this is not a free resource, but might just be worth the $9 they’re asking.
One of the most time-consuming task of any freelance writer is looking for and following up leads on new markets. I’ve just come across a website that helps you find paying outlets in fiction, poetry and non-fiction writing. You can also sign up (free) for a weekly newsletter that provides you with a round-up of market opportunities. Visit Worldwide Freelance Writer for more information. There is also a dedicated European sub-division called EU Writer.
Last week freelance writer and guest blogger Suzanne Elvidge gave us some tips on how to find work in the potentially lucrative field of report writing. This week she shows us how to go about producing the copy.
Continue reading ‘Report writing – the nuts and bolts’
Writing for the business market or copywriting can be a lucrative string to a freelance’s bow. In this two-part series, guest blogger and freelance writer Suzanne Elvidge gives you some tips on how to find the work and then tackle the reports.
There are a lot of different types of report a freelance writer might be called on to write, for a wide range of different audiences. They include
- annual reports for a company or charity;
- reports from meetings and conferences, including those looking at research areas or products;
- reviews of products or topics; and
- business intelligence and market research reports.
Like all freelance work, there is no simple one stop shop for finding all the work you need (but if you know of one, please let me know…). There are as many places to find work writing reports as there are types of reports.
Continue reading ‘Report writing – finding work’
Who knows what’s in the mind of an editor? I decided to ask one of them for his top tips on pitching freelance work. Ian Wylie is editor of the Guardian newspaper’s weekly Work and Graduate sections. He also writes on business issues for a wide range of titles in the UK, Europe and US. In the last 12 months his features have been published in the Financial Times, LA Times, Monocle, Management Today, easyJet Inflight and Velocity. So over to Ian …
Occasionally poachers turn into gamekeepers, but few hold down both jobs at the same time. I’ve been a freelance journalist for 15 years, selling ideas to a variety of newspapers and magazines both in the UK and abroad. But for the last 10 years, I’ve combined my freelancing with a part-time job as a commissioning editor at a national newspaper.
Continue reading ‘What editors want – the right pitch’
Do you want to write an article for a magazine, but aren’t sure how to package it? Here’s help: brief definitions of eleven article formats, from round-ups to research shorts. Fellow freelance Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen has posted this very helpful outline on her site The Adventurous Writer. Anyone who gives a list of 11 things, rather than 10, has got to have something extra to say!
I found this article on a blog carnival I participated in over on The Incurable Disease of Writing. Check it out for a great round-up of the best on the web.
And don’t forget that our free non-fiction writing course also offers you some ideas on what and how to write for magazines.
It was the droll WC Fields who said: ‘Work is the curse of the drinking classes’. Well, the same can be said of the writing classes – at least full-time work that takes you out of the house and away from the thing you love the most. But before you give up the day job, read this sound advice from fellow freelance AmyM over at Three Questions and Answers.
For a British-based reality check, you should also check out my post on Can You Earn Money as a Writer?
Welcome to The Crafty Writer, published by Fiona Veitch Smith, a freelance journalist, editor, author, playwright, screenwriter and writing teacher. This site is full of information and resources to help you to become a better writer. 
