Readers’ forum: Was writing a novel really a business venture?

One of my clients is an author and chef who writes articles and newsletters about cooking. She has been very successful for many years and an acknowledged expert in her field and a respected writer. She trades through a limited company which is VAT registered.

As a personal challenge she decided to write a novel with a view to getting it published – however the publishers she approached all rejected the manuscript so she self-published instead on Amazon with both a paperback and kindle version of the novel being available for purchase by subscribers. Unfortunately the sales have been minimal and the total commission of £25 in the last 12 months earned by her company means that she has made a big trading loss because of costs incurred of £5 000 plus VAT mainly linked to the fees charged by expert reviewers and advertising suppliers....