Dear Alex: I have been working hard on my book. It’s a compilation of about 80 of my columns from the last seven years. However, when I uploaded the completed manuscript to my preferred self-publishing software, it was flagged because the content “is freely available on the web” and they were “unable to verify your…
Dear Alex, I bought a weight-loss gadget and then ended up writing about my experience for my lifestyle column. Can I write off the cost of the gadget as a business expense even though it wasn’t purchased with that intent? Sincerely, Hoping for a Tax Break This Month, NSNC Vice President Chris Carosa…
Dear Alex, How can a writer rebrand themselves; what columnists have done so successfully? After writing a book and hundreds of blog posts, I’m officially uninspired writing for my particular niche market. Sincerely, Same old, Same old This Month, Dave Astor and Mike Morin offer advice: Dear Same old, Same old, Leonard Pitts Jr. is…
DEAR ALEX, My column runs in 24 newspapers across eight states; eleven are weekly and the others run periodically. Of those, only eight are paying. In my desire to grow my base, I offered my column to other papers at no cost. Without thinking, I did not put a time limit on that period of…
DEAR ALEX, My editor wants me to trim my weekly column word maximum from 650 down to 500. I also run a photo I have taken which sometimes doesn’t get used, except on their website. As a freelancer I have little input on decisions so should I just accept the new number? — MAN OF…
