Estate Planning For Authors With Michael La Ronn

How can you make sure your heirs and successors are able to manage your books and copyright licensing after your death? What aspects do you need to think about in terms of your author estate? Michael La Ronn explains this important topic in clear terms.

In the intro, more quotes from the DOJ vs PRH hearing [The Hotsheet]; Direct by Kathryn Judge; Chokepoint Capitalism Kickstarter by Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin; Soldiers of God, an ARKANE Short Story [Available now from CreativePennBooks.com; or preorder on the other stores for 29 Aug.]

Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, where you can get free ebook formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Get your free Author Marketing Guide at draft2digital.com/penn

Michael La Ronn is the author of over 80 books across science fiction, fantasy, and self-help books for authors, including The Author Estate Handbook: How to Organize Your Affairs and Leave a Legacy, and The Author Heir Handbook: How to Manage an Author Estate.

You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. 

Show Notes

* Coming to terms with our mortality* How planning your estate is an act of love* The importance of a living will as well as a last will* Figuring out how much time and effort an heir wants to put into the writing business* Managing passwords for your successor* Should authors think of selling their IP before they die?

You can find Michael La Ronn at AuthorLevelUp.com and on Twitter @MichaelLaRonn

Transcript of Interview with Michael La Ronn

Joanna: Michael La Ronn is the author of over 80 books across science fiction, fantasy, and self-help books for authors, including The Author Estate Handbook: How to Organize Your Affairs and Leave a Legacy, and The Author Heir Handbook: How to Manage an Author Estate, which we're talking about today. Welcome back to the show, Michael.

Michael: Hi, Joanna. Great to be back.

Joanna: This is such an interesting topic. You've been on the show several times before, so we're going to just jump straight into it today.

Why did you want to write about this topic of estates and heirs — basically death — and how does your professional and personal background play into that?

Michael: Yes, I have this morbid fascination with death…