Psst, a word of advice...
Sharing handy tips and expertise is what Guild membership is all about, according to our Professional Development
Officer Andrew McCloy, so why not take a look at the newly-revised Advice Notes written by members, for members?
Invoices not being paid on time? Stuck for a choice
of camera? Bewildered by contract small print? Tax
and Self-assessment blues? It’s no easy task earning
a living from the outdoors, especially when so many
of us work independently and there’s so many angles
to cover - from chasing the next commission to
promoting what we do, let alone organising our time
efficiently and managing our financial affairs.
Although many of us are in the same game and
to an extent in competition, a key benefit of Guild
membership is to share experiences and offer mutual
support, which will hopefully improve professional
skills across the board. And however old in the tooth
you may be, there’s always something to learn!
The Guild’s Advice Notes have been developed
over the years to help with this knowledge transfer,
sometimes simply passing on tips or lessons from
hard-won experiences. They don’t pretend to be the
last word, or the definitive answer, but as Ronald
Turnbull observes in the introduction to his note
on Publishing Contracts, when you’ve negotiated
26 of them over many years and with a variety of
publishers, you do tend to learn a thing or two.
Advice, guidance, tips and assistance
There are currently 18 separate Advice Notes,
most of them newly-revised or in some cases
completely re-written. They cover all the steps,
from Getting Published in the first place through
to landing Publishing Deals and giving Book Talks.
There’s expert advice from some of the Guild’s top
photographers, including an impartial look at current
camera choices in Tools of the Trade and protecting
yourself from Image Theft; as well as tips on chasing
late payers and Unpaid Invoices and filing your Tax
and Self-assessment.
However, we’re keen that the Advice Notes
remain current and grow in number. If you have any
additions (or perhaps corrections) to existing ones do
let us know; and in particular please suggest some
new notes. We have a growing number of members
involved in new media, and experience of marketing
and social media, so could you put together advice
on aspects of these areas? It doesn’t have to be long
or complex, but simply share some of your expertise
and offer a few tips for fellow Guild members looking
to widen their own knowledge. Contact us via the
website or email [email protected] or
[email protected].
The Advice Notes are all available as free
downloads from the Member Area of the Guild
website www.owpg.org.uk. However, please be
aware that they are compiled on behalf of the OWPG
for the benefit of its members only; so please don’t
transmit or reproduce them in any form without
written consent.
16 Outdoor focus | summer 2019
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WRITING, PUBLISHING AND CONTRACTS
Getting Published A brief guide to presenting your book project
to a publisher, by Jonathan Williams of Cicerone Press
Pitching to Magazines How to pitch your idea for an article to a
magazine, by John Manning, editor of Lakeland Walker and The
Cumbrian
Publishing Contracts Advice on the ins and outs of contracts by
Ronald Turnbull
Publishing Deals A summary of the publishing deals offered to
authors, including the pitfalls of Ebooks and Print on Demand
(POD) contracts. Compiled by the Society of Authors and kindly
shared by them
Negligent Mis-statement A short guide to liability, indemnity
and protecting yourself by Nicola Solomon and kindly made
available by the Society of Authors
PHOTOGRAPHY
Image Theft How to make image theft harder and retrieve
income lost through piracy, by Chris Howes
7 Digital Workflow A guide to organising and tracking the way you
process, store, identify and deliver your images, by Jon Sparks
8 Tools of the Trade An up to date look at the latest choices in
cameras, by Jon Sparks, with assistance from Chiz Dakin
9 Stock Agencies A look at the rewards (or otherwise) of picture
libraries like Alamy, by Ronald Turnbull, Jon Sparks, Simon
Whaley, Chris Howes and Chiz Dakin
10 Re-sizing Images General advice on techniques by Ronald
Turnbull
11 Photography for Writers 1: Histograms How an understanding
of histograms will improve your photography, by Ronald Turnbull
12 Photography for Writers 2: Auto White Balance Achieving
white balance in your photos by Ronald Turnbull
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FINANCIAL
13 Secondary Rights A round-up of the potential income from
public lending and photocopying of authors’ work, including
PLR, ALCS and DACS, by Ronald Turnbull
14 Tax and Self-Assessment A summary for self employed outdoor
writers and photographers, including information on expenses
and allowances, by Ronald Turnbull
15 Unpaid Invoices A short, 6-step guide to extracting money from
late- or non-payers and the various options available, by Ronald
Turnbull
MISCELLANEOUS
16 Book Talks The collected thoughts of Vivienne Crow, Paddy
Dillon, Jon Sparks and Ronald Turnbull on the how, why and
whether-you-should of book talks
17 Press Trips How to organise your own, who to contact and
points to bear in mind, by Terry Marsh
18 Rights of Way Law A short guide to rights of way law and
legislation in different parts of the UK, including where you go
and on what, by Jon Sparks