About.com?

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Kari D.

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I'm thinking a year ahead here, but ...

Any suggestions about sources that would tell me what sorts of things I can deduct as a publishing food writer for About.com? Photography equipment? Specialty cooking equipment that I wouldn't buy otherwise?

I'm really just wondering if I should be keeping receipts for some of the specialty equipment and even ingredients that I'll need to style, photograph, and publish content. I just don't know what would qualify as a "business" expense.

Since I know nothing about how taxes work for freelance writers (always having worked for a company as a writer), I'd love any advice you guys can provide!

Kari
 

MoreThanMommy

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Congrats, Blackrose!

Kari, keep receipts for everything, since a lot of it will be tax deductible. You may want talk to a tax attorney (they may be willing to give you a free consult, but even if it's not free, it's tax deductible, too).

Christy
 

blackrose602

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Thanks everyone! I really expected to sweat it out for awhile, but oddly enough I didn't have to. My final review was yesterday, and my Prep mentor emailed me today to let me know I got it. She said my official welcome letter will come in a few days.

Kari, as mentioned above, keep all your receipts. You can also deduct a portion of your rent/mortgage and utilities, if you have a separate home office. It's pretty complicated, but you'd be surprised what's tax deductible. Seeing a tax attorney was a great suggestion.

To everyone currently going through application/Prep/the waiting game... it does get better, I promise ;)

To all the current Guides, I look forward to working with you!!
 

Kari D.

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Lol. I do have a "home office"--one entire room filled with two desks, two computers, file cabinets, and bookshelves where I do all of my current compensated writing and will do all of the guide site writing as well. However, since I share this room with my husband and the kids (whom he lets come up and play games on his computer now), I don't know if the room qualifies any longer as an official home office (he also plays computer games in here long after I've collapsed into bed). I also pay bills here, surf the 'Net, play computer games, work on digital photographs ... so again, it's hard to draw the line between what is "work" and what is "play."

Kari

P.S. NEVER let your husband into your office ... children follow. :) ('Course, I persuaded him to buy the house saying that this could be "his" office and then appropriated it and almost every other room for my projects ...).
 

jonquil38

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To Kari D. congrats and maybe we can talk because I just got hired to do German food 2 months ago. We northerners should stick together. Keep working and ask questions if you want. I'm a low-tech solution seeker and am concentrating on one area at a time. Right now, I plan on doing related recipes and when I get enough of them, recipe hubs. So if you have questions. . . I know after graduation, I worked in a void for a month without a lot of help. You don't need to.
Jennifer McGavin
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Kari D.

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Thanks, Jennifer! I enjoyed reading your site for encouragement when I was in prep. Ich liebe bier und spaetzle! :) Maybe we can somehow partner together and cross-link for special events that the Scandinavians and Germans share in common (like the huge emphasis upon Christmas baking!).

It is a little overwhelming to wonder how I'm going to get enough content up to go live. But I haven't even received formal instructions or a contract yet, so I figure there will be time enough to build the site. This weekend is a write-off, though (no pun intended!). The kinder shared their colds (flu?) with me, and I'm feeling about as lively as a tree sloth. I figure it's my chance to breathe and regroup before the fun starts!

Kari
 

blueobsidian

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Kim,
Glad you introduced yourself. Keep us updated when you do apply for a topic. This thread really helped me get through my prep time.

Keath

Thanks Keath! I printed out a few posts of tips for prep so I have them at hand when I get to that point (got to keep thinking positive thoughts).

I applied for the cooking equipment position this morning. Now comes the beginning of the waiting game! Everyone's excitement has been so contagious. I'll just have to focus it into another project for the time being.
-Kim
 

MoreThanMommy

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Kari, I think the key thing about going live is to pace yourself. Yeah, you don't want your site to launch until you feel like you've covered the basics of your topic, but if you could do that in a month, you'd be bored pretty quickly. =} They'll give you a list of things you HAVE to do, but I just created a (Very, very long) list of articles I wanted to write and started plugging away. That was almost 5 months ago and I'm still working on it (and added a couple of hundred more things).

Kim, good luck!

=},
Christy
 

Kari D.

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Sorry, guys--I'm trying to figure out how to get up to 50 posts so that I can get an avatar. I seem to be stuck at 46. Please bear with me!
 

Kari D.

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And, 50! Amazing what one does for fun when doped up on cold remedies ... :)
 

NCRomanceWriter

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I applied for the cooking equipment position this morning. Now comes the beginning of the waiting game! Everyone's excitement has been so contagious. I'll just have to focus it into another project for the time being.
-Kim

I applied for the Low Calorie Cooking position late last night. This waiting is going to be tough - I don't guess they work weekends, hmmm? :)
 

Ali B

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Woot! I got accepted to low cal prep! Sweet! I've been trying soooo long to make it to a prep with About.com.
I think they've already selected for this prep, Connie. I guess if we all suck really bad they do another round of prep? I'm still trying to read through all 90-something pages of this thread, so I'm a little vague on the details, lol.
I figure since I've had a cookbook published and have been writing about low cal for more than ten years that I should do pretty well. Cross your fingers AWers!
 

klow

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Kim,
Glad you took the plunge! Here's hoping you get that acceptance letter soon...though don't let it worry you if you have to wait a little.

Connie,
I am from NC, too! Chapel Hill to be exact. Are you nearby? Maybe you'll get added to the prep round Alina is in...by the way congrats to you, Alina! :)

Keath
 

klow

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Kari,
I forgot to mention...can't wait to see your avatar!!
I hope your cold is better soon.
 

NCRomanceWriter

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:::waving to Keath::: I am in Smithfield.

Sigh, a day late and a dollar short :)

Alina - congratulations! It sounds like you are very qualified! Low calorie cooking is something I enjoy very much. I need to look up your book. The best of luck in prep - let us know how you are doing.
 

Kari D.

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Congrats, Alina! I applied for the low cal site as well as bread baking and Scandinavian Food ... but knew it was the one I was least qualified for. Thank goodness I can still have cake! But I'm crossing my fingers for you--I make up for the cake by sticking fairly closely to the Sonoma Diet, most days!

Can you apply for another site, Connie? I'm hoping along with Keath that you still get added to this prep. Lots of North Carolinians around here--I grew up in East Tennessee, but my entire family now lives in Asheville. Beautiful place!

Kari
 

NCRomanceWriter

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Thanks, Kari! I am thinking positive and there will be other opportunities for me :) I used to live west of Asheville - beautiful coutry out there.
 

Ali B

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Thanks guys!
Connie- The pub my cookbook was published with went out of business years ago. :( It was a small press thing. I hope to one day get a contract with a big shiny publisher! Maybe About.com will be a stepping stone!
 

Kari D.

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Oh my ... I got my official "welcome" and instructions about how to prepare my site to go live. Tomorrow I'll be jived; today I'm wondering how on earth I'm going to do this in the middle of cold / flu season (I'm not a hypochondriac, honest--it's just that March is traditionally a time when we all get sick, and both my husband and I have caught a really, really nasty bug from the kiddos. Figures.).

Yet--it's still cool! My mentor is awesome, the steps to going live are certainly "doable" (although in 10 days? Yipes). I'm going to have to get to Kinkos, since faxes are becoming retro enough that we no longer have the technology on our home computers.

The PTA needs cakes for a cakewalk on Friday, so I figure I'll create some content just by cooking up a few Scandinavian treats for them!

Life is good. Aaaaaa ... aaaaahhhh.... CHOO! (someone translate "Gesundheit" into Swedish for me, will you?) :D

Kari
 
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NCRomanceWriter

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Thanks guys!
Connie- The pub my cookbook was published with went out of business years ago. :( It was a small press thing. I hope to one day get a contract with a big shiny publisher! Maybe About.com will be a stepping stone!

Now that's thinking positive! :)

Kari - be sure and post a link to your site when it's up and running.
 

Lyrael

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Hello, all!
I just wanted to let all of you know that I've officially graduated from Prep for the leukemia topic! I got my official welcome e-mails today, and I'm with Kari; I've got a lot to do, and almost my whole time in Prep I've been dealing with debilitating morning sickness - I can't even drive.

I have so much to do, but I am ready to dive in!

Thanks for all of the great help and advice I've gotten from all of you; I couldn't have done it without you!

Myrrh
 
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