Furry Writers' Guild Forum

Dealer's Den Question

Cons and Events
#1

I posted this on Twitter as well, but I’ll see if anyone here may have an answer.

I’d possibly be looking to get a table at a Dealer’s Den in the future. Now, book editing is a non-taxable service and thus does not require a state tax ID. All of these cons require the dealer to get a temporary state tax license because, well, everyone else in the Dealer’s Den is selling things. My purpose there would be to get new editing clients and I wouldn’t be selling anything. Thus, I wouldn’t need any sort of tax documents for that purpose. I proposed this question to a convention a little while back and they seemed to be clueless.

Anyone have any insight on what I could do in this situation?

#2

Oh, and I’d like to add before I forget that I know editing is taxable in some US states. It’s not in the one I’d be looking to get a table at.

Though either way, I wouldn’t actually be taking any money. So…I don’t know.

#3

Being from Canada, I have no idea what you could do.

That said, knowing people, and from having known a few con staff over the years, I have a feeling you’re going to get “You have to get one anyway” response just to save themselves the trouble of looking up the legality of it. Some may even ask you to get it anyway even if you present them with evidence to the contrary, again just so they don’t have to double check it.

Just something that came to mind when I read your post.

#4

The problem lays that in some states, such as my home state of Connecticut, I can’t get one. They give you a checklist of taxable things and if you select no on all of them (which is correct for my business), they won’t even let you continue. It says I’m not required to pay state taxes and exits me out of the website.

So I have no idea if this will be the case for others or not.

#5

I wonder if there’d be some way to maybe help out at a publisher’s table (and so be technically representing them) and still have a sign up for your services and be able to hand out business cards or flyers or whatever, without having to have your own table or be registered yourself.

Or if you hang around writing panels before and after and hand out cards, etc. (or leave them around), you might get enough new clients without needing the storefront of a dealer’s table. Not as visible or as easy, though.

#6

That’s…a really good idea. I’m attempting to do that right now anyways, so that’d work. I can pay them for a small bit of one of their tables and sit at the space.

Thanks!

#7

Also consider running a panel on general purpose editing, providing useful tips, then announce at both the beginning and the end that you are accepting clients, you have business cards up at the table.

#8

Also something I may consider doing. I’ve honestly never been to a panel before (only been to two cons (spent the first caught in a cloud of drama and the second with the flu) so it’s evaded me. Will have to get to a bunch at RF and learn what they are like!