Writers and taxes

I've tossed my glasses aside because my eyes are crossing after studying the numbers for 2006. Income vs. expenses. Yep. It's that time of year again when I have the opportunity to give the Internal Revenue Service my fair share of taxes to support this great country. All I can say is that it's a good thing they're not depending on me to keep the lights on in America.

There are lean years and fat years in a writer's career. Last year was, well, anorexic. Most people have no clue as to how a writer struggles to turn a profit each year. I wish I had made so much money that I'd be griping about having to shell out a chunk of it to Uncle Sam. That would be fabulous; some years are like that.

As I fill out my Schedule C, I'm reminded of what the French writer Jules Renard said: “Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money.”

So the IRS may not consider me ridiculous, but I bet they have a big belly laugh at the cubicle where my tax return is studied. I can imagine they wonder why I spend so much time and effort on my writing. Perhaps I should attach a note quoting Leo Rosten: "The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can’t help it."

Sling Words looking forward to a fat year. A very, very fat year that will make Uncle Sam ecstatic. And my husband too.