Before I get into the opportunities available to everyone that has considered writing a book, I will provide a few suggestions for the year 2016.
Are You Getting a Large Refund From The IRS?
If you are getting a large refund back from the IRS, why let them use your money all year so you can wait for it in early 2017? If you have this situation, possibly you should get a W-4 form if you are salaried and increase the number of exemptions. If you pay quarterly tax estimates possibly your quarterly tax estimates are too high. if you get a large refund on your 2015 Tax Return. A person in this situation has the option of applying the refund to their first or second quarter tax estimate in the new tax year , 2016 in this case.
If You Are Having to pay a Large amount when you file your 2015 tax return?
There is a good chance you are also going to have a penalty assessed plus interest for not paying quarterly estimates that match the period when you received the income. If you are paying estimates religiously, compute how much income is taxable in that quarter so you will not incur a penalty.
If you are having to pay a significant amount of additional income taxes, in addition to what was withheld by your employer based on your W-4 form, probably you need to decrease the number of exemptions you are using or enter a percentage you want withheld on the W-4 form.
The main requirement is to match your taxes paid to the IRS to the periods when the income was received.
Amazon Kindle What Can You Do?
I am sure most of you have heard of a Amazon Kindle. Recently Kindle offered a Kindle Fire for less than $40. The Kindle Fire can receive email if you have WIFI service and can access sites on the internet.
In addition just like the original Kindles that came out for the purpose of downloading and reading books sold by Amazon, the Kindle Fire allows you to download books and read them. The Kindle Fire has the screens in color just like a PC. Originally the Kindles only allowed a person to read books on black and white screens. I can assure you , that you are getting your money’s worth at $40 for the Kindle Fire Amazon is offering.
If you do not have a Kindle from Amazon, you have the option of going out on the internet and entering Kindle for PC as a search and it will direct you to software so you can purchase and read Kindle books on your PC just like a Kindle.
You Want To Write A Book?
Just about everyone has commented that they should write a book and later qualify that statement with the statement, “If I knew how?” First of all to write a book you need an idea and to act on that idea. Discipline yourself to write and expand on that idea every day until you have a complete manuscript. Then read and re-read the manuscript about ten times to get all the bugs out of it and improve what you have written. There are very reasonable services found on the internet that will proofread your manuscript , do a cover for it , and format it to match Kindle Direct Publishing’s requirements.
When you think your manuscript is ready to be published. Go to Kindle Direct Publishing on the internet and read the tutorial for getting a book published on for Kindle. There are several short books on Kindle that are guides on how to get your manuscript on to Kindle and how to market it. It is a tedious process to get the book ready but after you get it submitted and accepted by Kindle, you will have a great feeling of accomplishment.
Marketing Your Book on Kindle
Marketing the book is the most challenging part of the process. Kindle Direct Publishing offers you the opportunity to join an organization that will allow you to offer your book for free for several days two times during a three month period. The object of offering it free is to get a lot of copies in circulation and hopefully the people will write positive reviews about your book so it will sell copies after the free period ends.
I have a book called “Lottery Lingo ‘Sorry Not A Winner'” on Kindle and will be releasing another book on Kindle called “Single Male In Search of Single Female” very soon.
Writing is fun and can be rewarding. The marketing aspect is the most challenging.
Good Luck and I hope to read your book soon!