Writers are invariably self-employed. You will therefore negotiate and pay fees, rather than wages or salary. You will not be required to deduct National Insurance contributions or PAYE tax.

The industry agreement which should meet your needs is the one negotiated between the ITV Companies and The Writersâ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB).

The agreement is in three sections: for dramatisations and adaptations; for original teleplays; and for series and serials.

It sets out minimum fee rates for all these categories, and specifies the stages at which each instalment of the fee must be paid. It

allows for a lower level of fee where a writer is commissioned to write for a series or serial with the storyline already established, rather than required to provide both storyline and script.

It also allows for smaller fees for programmes transmitted in one or more ITV regions, but not on the whole network.

It sets out residual payments (percentages of the original fee) to be made for repeat transmissions.

It allows the company engaging the writer to take an exclusive option to sell the programme worldwide on payment of a further 25% of the original fee, or to sell it in defined territories for