Tuesday, March 14, 2006

The mystery of the ALCS

As a dues-paying member of the Society of Authors, I automatically became a member of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society Limited. From what I can deduce, it's a bit like the Public Lending Right. That estimates how many copies of an author's books have been borrowed from British libraries in the past year and gives you a few pence for each one, in compensation for the potential sales you lost as a result of having your books borrowed from a library. The ALCS is similar, but mostly seems to relate to people photocopying your books in other countries - at least, that's where I make most of the money I get from the ALCS.

This year I've been sent a whisker under fifty quid for me doing, well, nothing really. This was broken down into photocopying in Sweden, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Spain, (unspecififed) Overseas and non-title specific, whatever the hell that is. Obviously, my statement probably comes with a long explanatory letter. But being a man, the idea of reading any set of instructions, directions or explanations is anathema to me. So, err, thanks to the ALCS for my 49 pounds and nine pence. I've put 12 pounds and change of that aside for the taxman, so that leave about 36 quid.

Must try not to spend it all at once.

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