Saturday 16 May 2015

Guest post by womagwriter Carol Bevitt

Today's guest is Carol Bevitt. She tells me she's taken some time to discover her writing skills, but is now happily working on a couple of novellas for publication, before moving on to a full length novel. Carol is a firm supporter of writers' receiving fair payment for their work and knows joining ALCS helps towards that.

The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society is a not-for-profit membership organisation, run by writers, for writers.’

Membership of The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is a pain-free method of boosting your writing income, by benefitting from payment of ‘secondary royalties’.

You’ll find a step by step process to follow on the website to join, and while you need to send the application by post, that’s it. A membership pack arrives through your letterbox and from then on you can manage everything online by logging into the members section. You can currently add details of your work published in the UK going back to January 2012. (There are a few exceptions of course, but you’ll find details of what doesn’t qualify on the website.)

There is a cost, a one-off £36 fee - which will be taken out of your first payment. But if you are a member of any of their listed writers’ organisations then the joining fee doesn’t apply, so make sure you mention it on your application.

You’ll receive the monthly e-newsletter ALCS News that has helpful and interesting articles, and news of important issues to all writers from the ALCS’s lobbying and support of writers’ interests.
The ACLS website has plenty of links for further information, and if you’re uncertain of anything you can ring them, they are very helpful.

My tip for making the process as easy as it can be: don’t rush completing your application form, and if at all possible do it on a week day, so you can ring for clarification if you have a query.

ALCS membership is worth the time.





10 comments:

Kath McGurl said...

I fully agree - and would add that it is worth joining ALCS as soon as you sell your first story or article.

Carolb said...

Agree completely, Kath.

Even poems and/or short fiction in anthologies and collections, in print form, with a UK publisher can qualify.

Anonymous said...

When I first read about ALCS I thought it wouldn't be for a small-time writer like me but it is. Last years payment equalled the value of a good few story sales, so yes, Carol, I certainly agree. Thanks carol and patsy for hosting. Good wishes KH

Carolb said...

Thanks for confirming that, KH.

I hope that by highlighting how straight-forward the process is, some of those writers, who only have a few pieces, might check and then sign up.

Rosemary Gemmell said...

ALCS has been a great little annual bonus ever since I was getting short stories and articles published. I didn't know about it at first, however, until I joined the Society of Authors many years ago - membership of ALCS is then free.

Carolb said...

Yes it is a lovely annual bonus, Rosemary.

I noticed recently that the number of organisations which will enable the free membership of the ALCS, if you are a member of them, has increased since I signed up.

Patsy said...

Thanks, Carol. I think it was you who put me onto ALCS (via Talkabck) At the time I signed up I did it for the future sales I hoped to get rather than because I thought it would be immediately worthwhile - but I was wrong. The first payment was as much as an extra sale to the highest paying market!

Carolb said...

So pleased it was useful, Patsy.

Writers deserve every penny they can get from their work- especially now when so many contracts are asking for more rights but not paying extra.

Word of mouth recommendation to sign up is important.

Maxi said...

I've just filled out the form and it's now in the envelope waiting to be dropped in the box. Not sure if it'll apply to me for the stuff I've already written as I think the majority of articles I did was prior to 2012, but hopefully it will benefit me in the future if I get anything else published. Thanks, Carol!

Carolb said...

Well done on getting your application done, Maxi. Don't forget to check the dates on your articles in case a few are still within date.