Possible Clues:

• Unable to pay debts, first write your half off
• Poor writer on novel losing head
• Extremely poor
• Short of brass, alternatively use up iron
• Retired character once among religiously dutiful poor
• Poor writer, the game being up with admissions of debt
• Needy
• Goody-goody holding old character back – that's mean
• Very poor writer omitted chapter heading from novel
• Bust out of prison facing questioning, not caught