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Take control of your writing legacy: Editor's Notes #210
May 15, 2016
Hello,

I don't think anyone should write their autobiography
until after they're dead.

--Samuel Goldwyn


In this issue:

1. Take control of your writing legacy
2. Tickled my funnybone
3. Interesting Web site
4. Writing prompt

1. Take control of your writing legacy
Caring for an elderly mom and getting on in years myself has gotten me thinking a lot about what happens here when I'm gone. Before I started writing, it was pretty simple. Write a will, and trust someone else to divvy up the goods accordingly. Now, it's a bit more complicated. Here's what all writers should consider when planning for the end.

First, we all need a will. If you don't have one yet, get started on that following the laws of whichever jurisdiction you are in.

Be sure that someone knows where that will is. It's good if one or two people have a copy.

Be sure you have recorded, either in your will, or in a letter to your executor, the details of your published work. If you have a publisher, who is it, and where is the contract? Who gets your royalties after you die and for how long? If you are self-publishing, what contracts might be outstanding for books sold on consignment? What should be done about ebooks that are listed under your name?

All your business records need to be easily accessible to whoever does your final income taxes.

I wrote my first will while I was in my twenties. It's never too early to get your affairs in order. And the sooner you write out the business end of your writing legacy, the easier it will be because you will just add the details as your list of publications grows.

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2.Tickled my funnybone
A cartoonist was found dead in his home. Details are sketchy.

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3. Interesting Web site
Sometimes writers need to know about graves. Here is a link to a resource on graves.

http://www.findagrave.com/

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4. Writing prompt
Begin a piece of writing with this sentence: He died.

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