Working for Harlequin by Danica Favorite

Danica Favorite

I’m always thrilled to visit Seriously Write, so when Angie asked me to stop by and tell you all a little about my job with Harlequin, I eagerly said yes. And then writer’s block struck. What do I say about the best job in the world?

For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been a host for the Harlequin.com Community since 2003. I was an infant when I started. J On the writing side, I help aspiring authors learn elements of craft from our authors and editors, and I help with our online pitches. Not everyone can attend a conference, so we love giving aspiring authors a chance to chat with editors to see if their book will work for one of our lines.

Which makes people wonder  –  did I have a special "in" for getting published? Believe it or not, no. I started writing in 2001 and didn’t get my first contract until 2013. I went through the same process everyone else did, except I was never eligible for online pitches and a lot of the cool opportunities we have through our site. That said, I do have a really good relationship with our editors, so when I sold, I had a whole team of people at Harlequin celebrating! They knew how long and hard I’ve been working for the chance to add author to my title.

Ultimately, what I do is about relationships. With readers, writers, and editors. Being a writer is often a lonely endeavor, being stuck at home behind a screen all day. When I found the community at Harlequin.com, I was a lonely SAHM facing the reality that being home alone with a baby all day isn’t always very fun. I longed for connection with other adults. To find a place where I could meet fellow readers was amazing. Then to realize that I could meet my favorite authors: bliss. To be encouraged to follow my dream of becoming a published author: heaven! Which is why, after all these years, I feel so blessed to be working on the community at Harlequin.com. If you’re looking for some good folks to love and support you on your journey – whatever it may be – we’d love to have you stop by and stay for a while. My community name is Dream – sort of an accident when I chose it, but now that I’ve lived with it for so long, I’m glad I have the constant reminder that your dreams can come true if you keep chasing them. Come visit us at http://community.harlequin.com/.

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To find a place where I could meet fellow readers was amazing. Click to Tweet
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Your dreams can come true if you keep chasing them.

About the Author

Rocky Mountain Dreams releases in November 2014 and can be preordered now!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-Dreams-Inspired-Historical/dp/0373282893/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1406736210&sr=8-1
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rocky-mountain-dreams-danica-favorite/1119565569?ean=9780373282890
Christianbook.com: http://www.christianbook.com/rocky-mountain-dreams-danica-favorite/9780373282890/pd/282890?product_redirect=1&Ntt=282890&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

About Rocky Mountain Dreams

HIS SURPRISE SISTER

Rocky Mountain Dreams
by Danica Favorite

The last thing Joseph Stone expects to discover upon arriving in Leadville, Colorado, is a newfound little sister. Hoping to find his late father's silver mine and hopefully keep his siblings back home out of an orphanage, Joseph needs an ally. The preacher's lovely daughter agrees to care for the little girl. She's just not as willing to trust the prospector…

Annabelle Lassiter has seen what men do in pursuit of riches. Yet for all the hardship he's known, Joseph still shows tenderness and warmth. Annabelle's plan has long been to leave Leadville far behind. But Joseph's quest for silver could cost them a more precious dream—one of family, love and new beginnings…

Danica Favorite
A dedicated professional in the publishing world, Danica Favorite works as an online moderator for a major publisher where she connects readers and writers with new fiction releases. With four active kids, a dog, some chickens, and a toilet fish, Danica is never short of inspiration. She and her family make their home in Denver, Colorado, where they enjoy the mountain lifestyle with the comforts of the city.

Connecting with Danica:
Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Blog: http://www.danicafavorite.com/journal/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/danicafavorite/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
IG: http://instagram.com/danicafavorite
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor

Which Tax Deductions Apply to You as a Writer? By Danica Favorite

I don't want to depress you on this first day of the new year, but if you're like me, you're already thinking about all those receipts and spending records from the past twelve months. Today, I'm rerunning a popular post from 2013 by Danica Favorite. Hopefully, the information helps you as you prepare for the upcoming tax time. -- Sandy

Danica - There are a lot of legitimate deductions a writer can take for his or her writing business. But there are also a few deductions writers take that aren't deductible. I'm going to share a few of the most common.

The first thing I want to address is what you CAN deduct. The IRS standard for what is deductible for your business is what is REASONABLE and NECESSARY for your business. So what's reasonable and necessary? That's something the IRS does not define, but as a business owner deducting that expense, you should be prepared to explain how it's necessary for your business as well as a standard business practice among writers.

Here are a few suggested items you might be able to deduct:

·         Ink, paper, mailing supplies, and other office expenses.

·         Research materials

·         Conferences and other writing related education

·         Professional memberships

·         Advertising

·         Transportation Expenses

·         Meals and Entertainment

·         Business gifts

·         Legal and Professional Service

·         Other writing tools

·         Utilities

·         Computers and other equipment. NOTE! These should be depreciated and only in the proportion of business use. Care should be taken to determine the amount, if any, personal use can be attributed to these items

One thing I'd like to point out as a commonly missed deduction are your transporation expenses. When you take trips to the post office to mail things related to your writing business, or you're going to meet another writer for critique, be sure to track your mileage!

As far as deductions that people think are legitimate but aren't, I'm going to give the most commonly abused deduction by writers (at least in my experience). Business clothes. Unfortunately, the IRS has very specifically stated that the business clothes you're buying to wear to conferences are not deductible. A lot of writers try to claim it, but it's not legitimate. I know some writers have said, “but I claim business clothes every year.” But there's a problem with that logic. If the IRS chooses to audit those returns, that deduction will be disallowed, and the writer will be responsible for paying penalties and interest on the additional tax levied based on that mistaken deduction. Remember- just because you've deducted something, doesn't mean that it's a legitimate deduction. Even if you've gotten away with it in the past, the IRS has the right to take a look at previous years' returns and change them.

Another deduction mistake is taking a deduction for the entire cost of an item that is used for both personal and business expenses. For example, many writers want to deduct the cost of their Internet service. This is a legitimate business expense. However, if you have the Internet service in your home, and the rest of your family uses it, then part of it is personal use. So you need to apportion the amount of business use and only deduct that amount on your tax return.

As you can see, there are a number of great deductions you can take for your writing business. Just remember that they need to be reasonable and necessary for your writing business. Keep in mind that you need to only deduct the business portion of your expenses, and be cautious about deducting anything that the IRS doesn't allow.

What business deductions do you take for your writing business? Are there any that you're thinking of adjusting?

~~~

Danica Favorite works as an online moderator for a major publisher where she connects readers and writers with new fiction releases. Having spent time in the corporate world teaching tax law and preparing taxes, she much prefers fiction to numbers. You can connect with her at www.danicafavorite.com.

Which Tax Deductions Apply to You as a Writer?

It's tax season again and, if you're like me, the procedure boggles the mind. To help you struggle through the task of giving the IRS their due, I asked Danica Favorite the following questions about deductions:

"For a writer doing their own taxes (as opposed to having an accountant), what are some legitimate writing deductions we might miss? Are there deductions we might think are legitimate but aren't?" - Sandy

I'm so glad Sandy asked this question, because I think it's a great question. And I think my answers might surprise some people. There are a lot of legitimate deductions a writer can take for his or her writing business. But there are also a few deductions writers take that aren't deductible. I'm going to share a few of the most common.

The first thing I want to address is what you CAN deduct. The IRS standard for what is deductible for your business is what is REASONABLE and NECESSARY for your business. So what's reasonable and necessary? That's something the IRS does not define, but as a business owner deducting that expense, you should be prepared to explain how it's necessary for your business as well as a standard business practice among writers.

Here are a few suggested items you might be able to deduct:

·         Ink, paper, mailing supplies, and other office expenses.

·         Research materials

·         Conferences and other writing related education

·         Professional memberships

·         Advertising

·         Transportation Expenses

·         Meals and Entertainment

·         Business gifts

·         Legal and Professional Service

·         Other writing tools

·         Utilities

·         Computers and other equipment. NOTE! These should be depreciated and only in the proportion of business use. Care should be taken to determine the amount, if any, personal use can be attributed to these items

One thing I'd like to point out as a commonly missed deduction are your transporation expenses. When you take trips to the post office to mail things related to your writing business, or you're going to meet another writer for critique, be sure to track your mileage!

As far as deductions that people think are legitimate but aren't, I'm going to give the most commonly abused deduction by writers (at least in my experience). Business clothes. Unfortunately, the IRS has very specifically stated that the business clothes you're buying to wear to conferences are not deductible. A lot of writers try to claim it, but it's not legitimate. I know some writers have said, “but I claim business clothes every year.” But there's a problem with that logic. If the IRS chooses to audit those returns, that deduction will be disallowed, and the writer will be responsible for paying penalties and interest on the additional tax levied based on that mistaken deduction. Remember- just because you've deducted something, doesn't mean that it's a legitimate deduction. Even if you've gotten away with it in the past, the IRS has the right to take a look at previous years' returns and change them.

Another deduction mistake is taking a deduction for the entire cost of an item that is used for both personal and business expenses. For example, many writers want to deduct the cost of their Internet service. This is a legitimate business expense. However, if you have the Internet service in your home, and the rest of your family uses it, then part of it is personal use. So you need to apportion the amount of business use and only deduct that amount on your tax return.

As you can see, there are a number of great deductions you can take for your writing business. Just remember that they need to be reasonable and necessary for your writing business. Keep in mind that you need to only deduct the business portion of your expenses, and be cautious about deducting anything that the IRS doesn't allow.

What business deductions do you take for your writing business? Are there any that you're thinking of adjusting?

 

~~~

Danica Favorite works as an online moderator for a major publisher where she connects readers and writers with new fiction releases. Having spent time in the corporate world teaching tax law and preparing taxes, she much prefers fiction to numbers. You can connect with her at www.danicafavorite.com.