Have you filed a claim with the ALCS? If you've ever had anything published, they may be holding money for you. Click here to find out more.
ALL WRITERS SHOULD CHECK - HAS ALCS COLLECTED MONEY FOR YOU?
As the Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society (ALCS) approaches the second of its bi-annual distributions this September, it continues to hold money for writers whom it is unable to trace, in spite of continued and concerted efforts by the ALCS membership research team.
"Although we're paying out in excess of £6 million in September, we're aware that there are writers, from all disciplines, whose work is being copied and who have yet to join ALCS. We continue to trace as many authors as possible", says CEO, Owen Atkinson. "and once a writer becomes a member we can then pay any fees due to them. We ask all writers who are not yet members to use the 'search for royalties' function on our new website to see if royalties have been collected on their behalf and encourage all these writers to join ALCS."
WHAT ALCS DOES FOR WRITERS
As with all collecting societies, ALCS' primary role is to collect fees that are difficult, time-consuming or legally impossible for writers and their representatives to claim on an individual basis. Fees collected are distributed bi-annually to the full spectrum of writers including:
· novelists;
· film & tv script writers;
· professional & academic writers (inc. nurses, lawyers, teachers, scientists & academics);
· literary prize winners;
· poets & playwrights;
· freelance journalists; and
· translators & adaptors.
Membership of ALCS and Public Lending Right (PLR) is essential to make sure writers are paid for the secondary uses of their work, eg photocopying, rebroadcasting as well as for the lending of their books in libraries (via PLR).
AT ALCS ALL TYPES OF WRITER ARE ELIGIBLE
Many people do not consider themselves to be a 'writer' in the traditional sense as they only write part-time or occasionally. Many ALCS members who write have a primary professional occupation such as lawyer, doctor, scientist, academic or teacher, however they are still eligible to receive funds if their writing is copied and re-used. Writers can find out more by contact the ALCS membership department on 020 7264 5700 or checking on the website www.alcs.co.uk
Joining an organisation like the Society of Authors or the Writers' Guild of Great Britain will also give writers the advice they need regarding their contracts which is so important in both a recession and with the plethora of changes taking place in the digital world.
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR WORKS
The other issue for writers at a time of economic pressure, is to ensure they take good care of their rights. Reverting rights back to the author is an important step; it will be tied in to the rate of sale. When that rate of sale has not been reached, the book will be regarded as being 'out of print' and it is then that notice can be given to the publisher. Rights are becoming ever more important in this digital era.
