The Craft Artist's Legal Guide: Protect Your Work, Save On Taxes, Maximize Profits

of particular interest are the intellectual property references. the presentation is comprehensive, understandable, and resource rich through all aspects addressed.

Everything I need to know.

Still reading but very good information

This book has so much helpful information that anyone who sells their own handcrafted items, art work or even a specialized service would benefit from having it. The book is written from a realistic point of view, understanding that selling crafts is usually a small, one- or two-person kind of business, often operated from a person's home. That makes it difficult for those of us who engage in micro businesses to be on top of all the legal and tax implications of trying to make money off our handiwork - or not make money. Among other things, the book helps you understand how the IRS regards micro businesses that might be selling product but not showing a profit. How can you keep the IRS from classifying your "business" as a "hobby" (and thus not qualifying for many deductions)? This book has the best discussion of this I've read anywhere.How can you protect yourself when you either create designs or hire someone else to create all or part of what you hope to sell? This book helps you clarify who owns what rights when you create original designs, whether you are working as an employee, on contract for someone who has commissioned a design or item, or when an outside company wants to use your design or artwork. Or, what if you hire someone to work on a design? You need to clarify who will end up with what rights. The book also provides useful information on licensing your work to companies that want to use your creation in their own products. What about using part of your design and making it into a different work? What should you do if you see that someone has stolen your design? You need the information in this book to help you with all these possibilities. If you are approached by a company wanting to license your design you could end up a winner, like the person who designed the Cabbage Patch Kid dolls and made a lot of money licensing the design to big companies who in turn sold loads of them. You need to make the right licensing deal.The sections on copyrights, design patents and trademarks are especially helpful because these are confusing areas. The book not only explains them all, but provides helpful tips on when to use which of these and why. There are plenty of illustrations and examples of each of these methods of protecting your work.The tax information would be helpful to anyone who has a micro business, and especially the explanation about inventory and how this figures into your taxes. I have had a number of small businesses in my life (I'm retired now, and have a retirement micro business) and I thought I was pretty savvy, but I still learned some things from reading this material.Besides tons of helpful information, the book comes with a CD full of forms you can use. You can modify them to fit your own situation, but they certainly give you a good head start over trying to create these documents on your own. The information, advice, and sample legal documents make this book a valuable resource for anyone who has a small business creating crafts or art.

In the 1990's I started a handmade jewelry business, selling primarily at craft shows although my pieces were also for sale in a dress boutique. When I realized I simply couldn't make enough money to survive and didn't have the time required to do the numerous jobs necessary to run the business, I closed production. There simply weren't enough hours in the day to design, order supplies, create, package, market the jewelry, keep up with the extensive bookkeeping requirements for the supplies and finished inventory, spend time at multiple shows, keep an eye on competitors, handle the phone and website, etc.My profit margin was slim so it wasn't possible to hire out any tasks. I told myself that eventually, once the business was established I'd be able to focus on what I loved -- creating the jewelry -- but that goal was never reached. Obviously I was under financed which like most start-ups, is the reason I failed. The business limped along for a couple of years before I moved on to something else.With money so tight I certainly didn't have any for legal advice, but if I'd had this guide before I started the business, things might have turned out differently. The book is written in English, rather than legal-eze so it is very readable. The book contains a boatload of good legal and basic accounting advice. The breadth of the material is extensive and covers subjects like how to hire temporary help to business liability and why insurance is a necessity. Venues to sell crafts are explored along with the pitfalls that may arise by selling through some of the outlets -- don't put all your eggs in one basket. The importance and how to obtain patents and copyrights to protect designs is explained. Need a lawyer? The book details how to find one.Particularly valuable sections of the book detail how to calculate a selling price and break-even point for merchandise - one of the trickiest, but for survival, one of the most important jobs of the craft artist. Various payment methods are explained, and how to collect on unpaid accounts. I noted a small error in the book - the author stated Paypal was developed by and is owned by eBay. Actually, Paypal was developed elsewhere and after years of being one of eBay's accepted auction payment methods eBay bought the company.The included CD-ROM is packed with forms, such as Consignment, Commission, Non-Disclosure and Merchandise License agreements. Chapter 10 is devoted to taxes and details which expenses are deductible, how to avoid an IRS audit and much more.As someone who ran a small craft business and failed, in retrospect, I know the value of this book. The material is relevant and extensive and will save time and money -- and assist anyone starting or running a craft business.

I really like NOLO Guides; they are very non-attorney person friendly. This NOLO guide is really a good reference for a Crafter who wants to start their own business. Part of the reason I just made Crafting a hobby was because I did not want to deal with all the legal, financial red tape that goes with making it a business. This guide is wonderfully set up to guide you step by step on how you start your business even to what different approaches you can use to start your business based on what you need. The CD is wonderful that it includes samples of business forms that you can use in managing your business. I've attended one class and have several books on starting a craft business but the information regarding taxes, patents, etc, was not covered and most of the focus was on Marketing. This guide has a lot of what you really need to run a business since marketing is just one facet. As an overall guide this is concise, easy to understand and encouraging. This is why I really like this guide some of the other books were written with too much crammed chaotic information that reading them made opening a business intimidating.