Copyright Basics

As World Intellectual Property Day approaches, Simon Whaley explores how copyright helps our writing business. Celebrating its 21st anniversary on 26th April 2021, World Intellectual Property Day recognises the impact …

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The Cultural Clun Valley

My Clun Valley feature is the front cover feature of the latest issue of The People’s Friend. Although a quiet corner of Shropshire, there’s a lot going on there, and …

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How To Succeed With A Series

Why write one novel, when publishers love a series? Simon Whaley chats to two successful series authors. Thirty-six years ago, Arthur Fowler, Ali Osman and Den Watts broke into Reg …

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Legal Deposit

When it comes to the business of writing, it doesn’t get much better than seeing your book in print. And if you’ve chosen the self-publishing route, then chances are you’ve …

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BoW – Covid Catch-Up

Writing Magazine – January 2021

There’s no doubt history will record 2020 as an exceptional year. You could say, the use of the word unprecedented by the media has, in itself, been unprecedented. While the future is still uncertain for many of us, there are still some certainties in life. Like taxes. 

With the January tax deadline looming, now’s a good time to review your financial documentation for your writing business. The various government support schemes for this financial year may mean you need to retain additional information for this financial year.

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The Magic of Mistletoe

At the beginning of December last year, I had a fabulous day out in Tenbury Wells at its Mistletoe festival. This year’s event was supposed to take place on Saturday 5th December but, sadly, because of the pandemic, this year’s event has been cancelled. But there are plans for a festival again in 2021!

The Magic of Mistletoe – The People’s Friend Special – Issue 200

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Unwrapping ISBNs

Why pay for an ISBN for your next self-published book, when some platforms will freely gift one to you? All businesses want lower costs to maximise profits, and that goes …

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Bring In The Harvest

Writing Magazine – November 2020

The freelancer’s world can be one of feast or famine. Simon Whaley investigates how to spread the harvest more evenly.

Traditionally, this is the time of year when farmers across the country bring in the harvest. Suddenly, there’s an abundance of food which, if carefully managed, will last through the winter.

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Make Poetry Pay

The latest article in my Business of Writing series in Writing Magazine. The poet Robert Graves once claimed, “There’s no money in poetry, but then there’s no poetry in money.” …

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