Fellow writers, do not blink an eye. If you ever have to skip a Monday night, you miss a lot. The Write Ingredients Workshop is forging ahead to great literary (and commercial) heights. As you know, we've all been busy, busy: writing, reading, critiquing, and partying (That last one is the same as 'networking,' right? We could even call it 'marketing.') In addition to Kristl's enlightening lessons, ever spurring us onward to success, we have been blessed with wonderful guest speakers for the past three months.

Ken Sidelinger, intellectual properties attorney, spoke to us on September 25. In his talk, entitled "Copyright for Fun and Profit," Ken clarified what exactly can be copyrighted--the expression of an idea, not the idea itself. Once you create a work, using your idea, you may copyright that work. He taught us that there are formal copyrights and common-law copyrights, how to obtain your copyright, and what to expect for your protective efforts. A correct copyright looks like this: copyright ©John Smith. The symbol is made by alt+0169. Claim ownership of your work by labeling it as such, send it to yourself as proof of its physical existence, and then register for copyright as protection against infringement. Even if someone attempts to steal from you before the copyright is registered, you have rights as the creator of your intellectual property. Just remember though--a creation from an idea--not an idea itself. A good website for further straight-out copyright talk is: www.whatiscopyright.org.

Our October speaker was Debra Lawson CPA, of Lawson & Associates. Debra's talk will help us all to earn more pennies this year, by paying attention to financial matters, both large and small. Such left-brained concerns don't always mesh seamlessly with some of our creative minds, but Ms. Lawson did a great job of sorting it all out. She explained the pro's and con's of tax entity choices, like the S-Corporation, for instance--a good thing; and Sole Proprietorship--not the best choice for a writer. She covered the nuts and bolts of deductions, from auto expenses to retirement plans, and how keeping track of mileage for business purposes can save you 44.5 cents per mile. I'm for that! She patiently answered many questions and added a fair amount of brevity to her theme with cute cartoons on her well-ordered outline handout. A couple of tips that I just have to pass on: 1. Don't worry about paying for a CPA until you make a profit. 2. Check out the 'Hobby Rule,' on the internet. You can show a loss for two out of five years. 3. A "reasonable income," means what fair market value allows for similar services. That is the point at which you should incorporate for tax purposes.

On November 13, Vanessa Del Fabbro, author of The Road to Home, and Sandpiper Drift, shared the day-to-day work routine of her life as an award-winning writer and gave us a glimpse into the marketing aspect of authorship as well. We should now be mentally prepared for what lies ahead--hawking our wares in all sorts of meeting places and stores, even the local grocery. But no one who knows ever said this was an easy career. The days of that fantasy are over. She stressed staying the course and never giving up, and led us to believe that everything we do toward successful authorship will truly be worth it one day, as long as we believe and are willing to pay the price. Ms. Del Fabbro is currently at work on her third novel and is contracted for the fourth in her South African based series. She looks forward to penning a novel set in the United States. She was a delightful lady and even gave away a prize; our talented William won a copy of Sandpiper Drift.

Obviously we are a group hungry for knowledge and growth as writers. The more we seek, and extend our reach, the quicker we will absorb everything that the writing life entails. Keep coming to meetings, take notes, enter page-turners, and encourage your fellow writer, as Ms. Del Fabbro did all of us. No matter what your particular writing pursuit or favorite genre, if you continue to spend time with people of like mind, and work at your craft, you can be assured of forward momentum and a prosperous new year. More good things are store... stay tuned!

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