You Asked Series

You Asked: How to Start an Online Writers Group?

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 25 Comments

Welcome to another, belated, You Asked, the Experts Answer, segment. This week’s question: How do you start an online writer’s group?

I’ve been a member of the South Carolina’s Writer’s Group, which met monthly at our local library, but haven’t participated in an online group before and I’ve certainly never thought about starting one – until now. So, what does it take to start a group?

Where to Begin:

  1. Establish your goals -What do you want to offer or accomplish with your members? Is the group a support network, forum for learning, an opportunity to share, or provide critiques of each other’s work?
  2. Determine membership -Is the membership voluntary or fee based? Is it open to experienced, emerging, or writers at all levels? Will membership be limited or open to all?
  3. Member participation –  How will you recruit or encourage member participation? Offer live or Twitter chats, tutorials, or run contest? Do you want to require weekly or monthly check-ins and forum discussions or leave it up to the member?
  4.  Identify the Roles of the Host(s)– Is this your brainchild or a joint venture. If a joint venture, designate responsibilities up front- maintaining membership rosters and participation, as well as, administrative duties and who will address technical issues that might arise.
  5. Create a venue – A private blog through WordPress or Blogger is an easy way for members to ask questions or hold discussions. Private forums on Google Groups and Yahoo Groups is another option. These are particularly useful when sharing files.
  6. Dedicate the Time – This is a biggy. It takes a lot of time to build members and relationships. A good place to start is to have each member introduce themselves, including their level of experience as a writer, and what they hope to gain from the group.

Understand an online group requires commitment and continuous engagement. Setting weekly goals or making a to-do list will help you keep on task. Establishing a regular schedule and dedicating time specifically for the group will create the right environment for a successful online group. Interested in more information?

Check Out These Resources:

What about you? Do you belong to an online writer’s group? Have you found it helpful? Interesting is starting a group?  I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram.

You Asked: How Important is Genre?

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 7 Comments

Pixabay.com

Welcome to another, You Asked, the Experts Answer, segment. This week   our question is: How important is genre?

The simple answer is – very. According to C. S. Lakin, from Live, Write, Thrive, there’s a  direct correlation between book sales and genre. And, from where I’m sitting that’s an important piece of information for authors to know.

In her article,  If You Don’t Learn This Truth, You May Be Missing Out on Big Book Sales. Ms.Lakin discusses how to specifically target a  genre and what that means in terms of successful sales.

So, if you’re unsure or wondering why your book sales are staying stagnant, check out her post on Live, Write, Thrive.

What do you think? Did you generalize or get specific in identifying your genre and did it translate into sales?

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

You Asked: How To Stop Overusing Pronouns

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 5 Comments

despicablememminions.org

Welcome to another, You Asked, the Experts Answer, segment. This week ‘s question is: How can I stop overusing pronouns?

Pronouns: a word that can functions by itself as a noun/phrase and refers either to participants (e.g., I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse.”  

Words such as I, he, she, you, it, we, or they are examples of pronouns used instead of a noun or noun phrase.

We overuse pronouns because we get attached to a character or the name is often easier. I can relate to this problem. However, easy doesn’t always translate to better writing.

“Norma crept by the sofa where Adam had passed out after Adam’s little welcome home. The kitchen looked like one of those Norma had seen on TV after a tornado. Norma opened the cabinet, pulled out a trash bag, and began picking up the scattered groceries.”

I tend to write like I talk and as a result, overuse pronouns especially in the draft stage. But, there is a method to the madness and used correctly, pronouns will enhance your writing. The paragraph above reads like someone in love with the name Norma or had an aversion to pronouns.

Tweet: “Pronouns are those clever little inventions that allow us to replace nouns and avoid clunky repetition.” K.M. Weiland

“Norma crept by the sofa where Adam had passed out after his little welcome home. The kitchen looked like one of those she had seen on TV after a tornado. She opened the cabinet, pulled out a trash bag, and began picking up the scattered groceries.”

Repeating the characters names, once introduced isn’t necessary. We understand Norma is the “she” picking up groceries and “his” refers to Adam.

Used Incorrectly Pronouns:

  • Creates choppy and boring sentences.
  • Pulls the focus away from the action in the scene.
  • Confuses the reader as to the who or what.
  • Pulls the reader from the story.
  • Tells rather than shows who and what is taking place.

Used correctly Pronouns:

  • Prevents repetition.
  • Creates a realistic flow of the narrative.
  • Keeps the focus on what’s happening in a scene.
  • Provides a sense of intimacy between characters.
  • Provides invisibility – like the tag “said,” readers process but don’t notice them.

When to Use Pronouns:

  • When only one character is present.
  • When two characters of opposite gender are present.
  • The pronoun’s reference is clear to the reader.

Tweet: “Ensure your pronouns have an unambiguous antecedent that is both before and near each pronoun.” Grammar Girl

Use Names:

  • To introduce your character, item, or event
  • To ensure clarity between characters when there are more than two characters in a scene.
  • To emphasize a character or his name.

No matter what your grammar sin may be, get your story down first. The revision stage and a good editor will help you make the necessary corrections. Below you’ll find a wealth of knowledge from the experts.

Resources:

  1.  Janice Hardy from Fiction University will help you Clarify Ambiguous Pronouns.
  2. Grammar Girl’s Quick & Dirty Tricks explains how to avoid the three most common errors in Pronoun and Antecedents.
  3. Writing World’s offer us, Crafting Fabulous Fiction: Pondering Personal Pronouns by Victoria Grossack

What about you? I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.

 

You Asked: Are Song Titles Copyright Protected?

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 8 Comments

sealWelcome to another, You Asked, the Experts Answer, segment. This week ‘s question: Can I use the title of a popular song and the artist name in a fictional story?

This week’s question is of particular interest to me. I’ve written a short story in which a song plays an integral role in the story. But, is it legal? So, what do the experts say?

Songwriters and the songs they create are protected by copyright law, the same way other creative works are protected. Yet, we’ve all read books that incorporate songs, lyrics, or the artist’s name in the storyline. So, it’s possible, but is it advisable? The answer depends on whether the song is under public domain or still copyright protected.

Most of us are familiar with the general definitions related to copyright law, but let’s look at the legal definition.

Definitions:

Public domain (as it pertains to copyright): the right of anyone to use literature, music, or other previously copyrighted materials, after the copyright period has expired. A rule of thumb would be that the last possible date for copyright protection would be 50 years after the death of the author. (See: Copyright)

Copyright: A copyright is a legal device that gives the creator of a literary, artistic, musical, or other creative work the sole right to publish and sell that work. Copyright owners have the right to control the reproduction of their work, including the right to receive payment for that reproduction. An author may grant or sell those rights to others, including publishers or recording companies. Violation of a copyright is called infringement.

Fair Use Doctrine: Fair use is a judicial doctrine that refers to a use of copyrighted material that does not infringe or violate the exclusive rights of the copyright holder.

What the Law Says:

  1. Creative works listed in the public domain are not protected by copyright. However, determining which are and which are not, can be time-consuming and expensive.
  2. Generally speaking, songs written and published before 1922 are public domain.
  3. Songs after 1977 do not fall under public domain and are protected by copyright.
  4. Songs that fall between the years, 1923-1977  will require research to determine their protection status.
  5. It’s possible to use creative works under the Fair Use Doctrine. However,    in order to claim Fair Use, very specific criteria must be met.
  6. Artists names and titles are considered public domain and are not protected by copyright. But, if you want to make the artist a character, watch out. There are very specific guidelines for doing so and not following or seeking advice can be extremely costly.

What are the Options?

  1. Ask Permission – You’ve heard the adage, “It’s easier to ask  forgiveness than permission,” but in this case, asking permission is the best policy.
  2. Seek legal counsel You might want to start with Hal Leonard, one of the biggest names in the music publishing industry.
  3. Decide to go another route – Instead of using the song or lyrics, depict the emotions the song evokes.

Copyright law is complicated, but it’s something in which, as writers and artists, we all need to be well versed. I have the answer for my story, but what about you? Still unsure? Before you take the chance, check out all the excellent resources below.

Resources:

  1. Public Information Project – a compiled list based on USA Copyright Law and is available to help you research public domain music.
  2. Copyright Term and Public Domain – Research the copyright history.
  3. How to Use Lyrics Without Paying a Fortune or a Lawyer and a Sample Permission Letter – From The Book Designer –Helen Sedwick.
  4. How to Use Celebrities and Other Real People in Your Story– Better Novel Project, Guest post by Kathryn Goldman, Attorney for writers, artists, and businesses to protect their intellectual property.
  5. Is It Fair Use? 7 Questions to Ask Before Using Copyrighted Material – Jane Friedman – Guest post by Bradlee Frazer, Attorney.
  6. When Do You Need to Secure Permission? – Jane Friedman
  7. Copyright Office – Frequently Ask Questions
  8. Copyright Litigation Blog
  9. A Writer’s Guide to Fair Use

I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilagood, and Contently.