The first writer to formally arrange for royalties his writing?

While it's difficult to pinpoint the *absolute first* writer to formally arrange for royalties, William Shakespeare is often cited as one of the earliest authors to receive payment based on the performance of his plays.

However, it's important to note that:

* Royalties as we know them today didn't exist in Shakespeare's time. He was paid a lump sum for the initial writing of his plays, and then received further payments based on how many performances took place.

* There's evidence of other writers receiving payments tied to performance before Shakespeare. For example, records exist of playwrights in Elizabethan England receiving "benefit nights" where they profited from the proceeds of a particular performance.

Therefore, while Shakespeare is a significant example, it's inaccurate to claim he was the absolute first writer to receive royalties in a formal sense. The concept of royalties evolved over time, and Shakespeare's system was a precursor to the modern system we see today.