Authors and Wills

Your writing may live forever, but you won't. Have you included instructions about your writing in your will? Or have you filled out an addenda to your will containing details about your writing?

Some things you may want to consider are

What do you want to happen to your books and "name" after you die. Do you want others to write books using your name? Do you want someone to finish whatever books you didn't finish?

Do you want books you wrote years ago to be pulled out and sold?

Do you want your notes and drafts sold or given to a university or a collector?

Do you want someone to maintain your promotions (website, etc.) while your books are in print?

Do you want a special executor just for your writing. Most established authors name their literary agent or literary lawyer as special executor to their writing estate because writing is so specialized that people not in the business haven't a clue.

Here's a really excellent blog on the subject by Neil Gaiman which includes a PDF form that writers can use to explain their wishes on their works.

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2006/10/important-and-pass-it-on.html



REMINDER: Marilynn's online course in August is “The Big Question: How to Create a Powerful Novel from a Few Ideas and One Big Question." To learn more, go here
http://marilynnbyerly.com/marilynnbyerly/thebigquestionwr.html