It’s official. I mean, I’ve suspected it for some time, but the truth is now inescapable. I’m a terrible Blogger. It must extend from my “alleged” commitment issues, because for some strange reason I cannot make myself sit down at the computer and type a blog post. I enjoy it once I’m in front of the keyboard, typing down every nonsensical thing that comes into my mind, but dragging my nose out of a book, or putting the pen down on my new manuscript is impossibly difficult. But alas, accept my sincerest apologies and I shall attempt to do better in the future. So onto the topic of today’s blogpost:
Adventures in Taxland and Free Promotions.
My mother would be the first to tell you that I am a serious procrastinator when it comes to tasks I think will be mentally arduous. The term Procrastiknight has been thrown around as an official title. One such arduous task was getting an ITTN from the IRS. I think everyone would agree that talking to the IRS is an arduous task; I can’t possibly be alone on that one. For anyone who is reading this and isn’t from the U.S and ITTN is a tax number so I don’t have to pay a whopping 30% tax. So last week, I finally bit the bullet and called up. I’d read all the advice online about getting an ITTN, and how it was better to get an EIN instead, so you could get it immediately and there was no messy forms to fill in and lodge with embassies etc. I got most of my info, including the numbers for the IRS from Australia (international calling codes etc.) from this wonderful lady right here.
I’m not sure I mentioned this, but I am Australian, so to call the international line in Pittsburgh, I had to call at 11pm. To say it was simple would be an understatement. The woman on the other end of the phone was nice in a “I-deal-with-tax-issues-all-day-and-its-6am” kind of way. And at the end of a very quick phone call I had the all important magic number of riches and glory in my hot little hand. Not nearly as arduous as I thought after all. Damn you for being right, Mum!
The second major thing I have done in regards to my writing was set a date for my free promotion. The inaugural free date for my promotion is.. wait for it… The 22nd of December to the 26th of December. I weighed up the pro’s and con’s of these dates quite seriously.
Pro’s: People are on holidays, so they can relax, get a book and lay on the couch and read. Also, if I can get my sales high enough that my book is on the top 100 free list, I might even be able to get the new customers who just got a new Kindle for Christmas.
Con’s: It’s Christmas time, everyone is running around hectically getting last minute presents and resenting their mother-in-laws for going on a gluten-free diet. Who has time to download books and read?
There is only a few weeks left on my KDP Select run, so it was really now or never. Nothing like a deadline to make decisions for you.
So, I’ll check in here when my Promotion starts and let you know how its going. Maybe someone can learn from my mistakes or (fingers crossed) successes.
Until next time,
Madeline x
Madeline Young Writes 