Fees

Live and Let Die is finally consigned to the bookshelf reading it was both an exhilarating and excruciating experience. I've decided to move into safer fiction for my next book with a rereading of Bruce Chatwin's Utz, less barracuda wrestling but also less terrifying racial stereotypes.

I have discovered an excellent venue finder. www.roomsformeetings.net This has allowed me to find venues of substantial size across the country. I have inquired after a number of quotes which should get me a little further with my form. The actual planning seems to be going rather smoothly although I am aware it will be a rather large organisational task to get all the events running smoothly and simultaneously. Because of this I am considering the hiring of a sidekick or two but I am not sure how much I should pay them nor who they should be. The choice of a sidekick could be vital to a successful grant application, if I go along the same lines as your average Bond villain I should be able to tick a few diversity boxes as well.

On another matter, I am in a quandary as to my own fee. Clearly as "lead artist" I should be due a significant sum but as is usual with these applications I am finding it hard to decide what that should be. In the past, when filling out these forms, I have been encouraged to put forward a realistic fee for my time and effort but whenever I have done this I have always been asked to cut the figure down. Usually (like telling the doctor how much one drinks) I halve the figure I first thought of and spread it out over a much longer period.

This may all be irrelevant soon. I have heard whispers that the Arts Council may soon be scrapped. Both Waldemar JANUSZCZAK (excuse the capitals I had to copy and paste the spelling from my Twitter feed) and Brian Sewell are calling for its abolition, this is bloody typical.