Week in Review June 28

Welcome to the week that was.

In last week's in review Colin Smith commented on Jeff Somers' book CHUM (the book I signed Jeff for, but took nine years to sell)

And I thought you signed Jeff Somers for the sheer cheek of querying you a novel called CHUM! It's actually a good book too? I'll have to check that one out... ;)

It's a GREAT book, and a fabulous title, but that title is all mine.  When Jeff sent me the book it had some other title, and he'll be the first to tell you it was probably horrible. Jeff is singularly lacking in title skills. We laugh about it to this day in fact. Usually right after he sends me something call "Dreary Prose by a Pantsless Writer"

Christina Seine updated us on the status of the forest fires:

I just can't say enough how much it meant to me that you guys kept Alaska in your thoughts and prayers during our scare with the wildfire. I am very happy to report that it is now almost half contained and those awesome hotshots are just whooping its behind. Thanks be to God.

Yes indeed.

Turns out LynnRodz is a party animal and man oh man, do I want to hit  Paris this time next year:

Yesterday was la Fête de la Musique, we danced in the streets of Paris until 1 a.m.

On Monday, we learned the results of the Texts From Mittens contest:

CarolynnWith2Ns is packing her bags for Carkoon after this suggestion:

Hey sharky-one, how about a flash fiction memoir. Might be interesting and then again maybe folks would be throwing rocks at-cha.

And then Craig pointed out that the contest winner had missed one of the prompt words:

It was already a long day when I got here but I seem to have lost a mitten. Where did Hank hide it?

Colin Smith posited:

Craig: I think Janet's teaching us an important lesson about agents and publishing. You can break the rules and still succeed, because a great, well-written story will always win out. That doesn't give us license to break the rules, but it does explain why rebels are sometimes rewarded.

Which is very kind but totally wrong.

Truth is I missed it. Just didn't proof read the contest results like I've done in the past and missed it completely. 

By the time I learned of the error I'd already sent the prize off to Hank (damn me for being efficient that day! And Hank for winning an earlier contest so I already had his address!)

Well, lesson learned: Always highlight the prompt words in the finalists. 

On Tuesday we discussed the problem of using song lyrics in novels, and thus needing permissions.

JEN Garrett asked:

I gave a pre-published author one of my poems to use in her book. No compensation, no strings attached. The poem has never been published and I don't plan on using it anywhere else. The way I see it, it was a gift of intellectual property, and I don't expect anything in return. The author says she will acknowledge me as the poet, but even if she doesn't I'm not going to press the issue - it was a gift, pure and simple.

But my question is, do I need to put this in writing for the author of the book?

YES. The two of you know the circumstances of the gift but at some point, if the author gets a book deal, the publisher will expect to see written permission. Better to give it to her now: a. while you're alive; b. while you remember the terms; and/or c. before you change your mind.  All three of those things could change and leave her with some problems.

frenchsojourn asked:

You mentioned the 1920 limit for music...does the same apply for literary work.

Yes. Anything in novels published before 1920 no longer requires permissions. BE CAREFUL however if you're quoting from anything translated. If the translation occurred after 1922 (or so)  it's still protected by copyright. You could quote from the original novel in the original language without a problem but if the translation to English is what you need, make sure that is before1920 as well.

And Scott Sloan also reminded us that the edition year is also important:

Several people talked of quoting sources originating before 1922.
But the original work could be public domain, yet the actual copy of the work still be protected.
A 1980 edition of "Right Said" Freddy Buttonweezer's (Felix's not-so-great-great-great-meh? grandfather) Revolutionary War song cycle, entitled "Me and My Banjo and My Trick Knee in Alabama" would be protected, because it was that edition you borrowed from.
If you've actually got a first edition of the original material… well… sell that sucker, and retire.
In my experience, publishers have been known to change things around enough to secure a further period of protection, if the money is good.
So, Kipling's Jungle Books are public domain.
The latest Norton Anthology of that public material is protected.

Adele asked an interesting question:

I have been told that sometimes even pre-1923 works are still under copyright. There are a few famous writers who gave their works to institutions, and the institutions (usually universities) now hold the copyright. Since institutions rarely die and the law restricts the end of copyright until 50 years after the death of the copyright holder, that copyright will never end.

My problem is that I can never quite remember who these authors are. I think J.M. Barrie is one, maybe Lewis Carroll? Who else? How would you find out?

A copyright lawyer is going to be helpful here. I know that J.M. Barrie gave the rights to the performance of Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

That is ONLY for performance rights though (if you want to put on the stage play) If you want to reference Captain Hook and the Lost Boys, you're ok because Peter Pan was published in 1911.

brianrschwarz expanded the question:

Can I say "Felix Buttonweezer sipped his Miller Lite in the dim haze of the bar..."

And S.D. King asked:

In my WIP I use brand names like Sharpie, Milky Way bars, and reference "The Price is Right."

Am I on shaky ground?

Brand names are a different kettle of fish. It's not copyright that applies here, it's trademark law. And that makes copyright law look like a walk in the park. Generally you're ok referencing brand names as long as you're not disparaging them in a way that damages the brand.

What a lot of people don't know about trademark protection is that trademark holders must defend their mark or lose it. This is what leads to those stories about "Big Giant Evil Corporation" going after "small gentle mom and pop unicorn store" for trademark infringement. If BGEC doesn't stop other people from using their mark/name/protected property, then the trademark can be voided. Thus you can not open a restaurant in Portland Oregon called Rip City Diner without drawing the ire of the Portland Trailblazers.

Matt Adams asked:

I have another section where a lot of his [Jimmy Buffet]  song titles are used (two of my MCs are drunkenly talking about creating a religion based on his music), but I stayed away from using any specific lyrics. I've always read that titles can't be copyrighted -- so I know I'm safe if I have a character having smoke get in their eyes -- but I wonder if it's okay to list a series of song titles, even if you're giving full attribution to the songwriter. I guess it's a bridge I'll cross when (if) I get there.

You're right. Titles are not covered by copyright. You can use them and list them without a problem. 

LynnRodz asked:

I like that idea of changing words around just enough to still know which song they're referring to, but will that still bring about a lawsuit?

Some of this is hard to know until it happens. And a lot depends on what the publisher's legal department says.  My guess is that if you saw this in a Carl Hiaasen novel, it's ok. Carl Hiaasen is a well known author who sells a lot of books. In other words, the rights holder to the songs is more likely to notice his misquoted lyrics and object if they wanted to. If he was a lesser known author, published by a smaller press, with a small print run, chances are nobody would notice.

Susan Bonifant had a very interesting comment on using lyrics at all in a novel:

I wanted so badly to use lyrics from the Rolling Stones "Waiting for a Friend." But when I put them on the page in context with the scene, it just looked like I was directing the reader: Okay, see these lyrics? THAT'S how my character feels RIGHT NOW.

Amanda Capper responded with:

I used two lines from a Gordon Lightfoot song in the first draft of my book because it mentioned con men but took them out when I realized I wrote the scene around the lyrics instead of the lyrics adding to the story. But there is nothing like a song to bring back memories, and put a reader smack dab in the moment.

Adib Khorram added:

One of my rough drafts uses song titles for each chapter heading—the main character is obsessed with Pink Floyd, so each chapter is named after one of their songs.

I imagine that kind of use will end up being cut sooner or later (kill your babies/darlings!) but it helped me with the writing and I certainly won't shy away from mentioning the titles of whatever Pink Floyd songs the narrator listens to in the course of the story

On Wednesday we turned to the topic of waiting time

Amanda Capper made me snort coffee out my gills with her parenthetical comment here:

Agent snagging (as opposed to agent shagging which is a whole other, not to be discussed, topic), seems to be all about patience and perseverance. Keep moving is good shark advice.

And french sojourn didn't help matters at all with this:

My great-great Grandfather, Elloidal T. Buttonweezer, wrote in his first Novel. "Marooned on Carkoon"

Tony Clavelli said:

Janet always says the best stuff is in the comments and I thought that was some kind of humility, but this stuff is really helpful. Dejection is a choice, but it's awful hard to recognize that when you're in your own dread-loop. Anyway, thanks for sharing those stories.

Humility? ME? (oh boy there went the coffee out the gills again)

and then this from Julie M. Weathers, and I just gave up on the coffee that day:

Why am I a writer?

I have auburn hair, freckles, and a writer's brain. It's just the way I was put together.

*hangs head in shame and picks up the glass jar with the brain in it*

"Yes, I hear you. I will return Mr. Poe's brain."

You guyz really crack me up.

Lizzie summed things up nicely:

The cognitive dissonance this business requires is baffling, a singular belief in your work yet an acceptance that your belief is also insignificant. We might as well be creating ephemeral sand mandalas here. Hats off to everyone who has mastered the contradictory tightrope.

And if this comment by brianrschartz doesn't grab you, well, you might already be a zombie:

I think the hardest part about being a writer isn't the writing, or the waiting, or the revising. It's the forgiving. Strangely, I think we need to forgive ourselves for more things than words we write.

We need to forgive ourselves for... let's see...

our bad attitudes.
missing our wordcounts.
getting into a rut.
hitting a wall.
envying another position.
wishing too much and writing too little.
not maintaining good habits.
losing focus.
chasing the meat wagon.
not staying true to our story.
getting caught up in research.
forgetting to live life.
putting writing above all else.
putting writing below all else.
getting stranded on Carkoon.
reading too many blogs.

On Thursday the topic was dropping g's to indicate southern accents.

I didn't think much of the idea.

Tony Clavell had a great example of diction rather than spelling to indicate regionalism:

There's a sort of obscure West Virginian writer with an amazing surname--Ann Pancake--whose dialogue is stunning. Moreso than the dropping of letters, the sound can come from word choice and grammar--creating a voice instead of forcibly reminding the reader with every verb that the best you've got is a ton of apostrophes. I just googled her for a sample sentence:

"They burned regular, about once a month, the glows of the closer fires quavering Dell and Carol's window, choking them awake on their trash smoke stink."

and mhleader reminded me of one of my favorite store names:

And if you think that's what designates a Southern speaker, well, you ain't been visiting down to the Piggly Wiggly lately, hon.

Jenny Chou had very good news on the Piggly Wiggly front:

I would like to mention that we STILL have Piggly Wiggly's here in Wisconsin. There's one 10 minutes from my house and I shop there all the time because it's right down the block from the library.

I really liked what Patricia Harvey said:

If I'm not mistaken, this subject relates to that most nebulous of concepts known as "voice." Particularly the difference between an author's voice and character's voice. The topic of voice is one I've heard agents and editors discuss at conferences without actually saying what they're looking for, except that want "fresh" ones. For writers, finding that voice can be like trying to pin down pixie dust. Along the way I've learned that getting to know one's characters more intimately can help define their voices. But author's voice, I'm less clear on.

As soon as I have an answer on author's voice I'll let you know. Right now it's like pornography: I can't define it but I know it when I see it.


Dena Pawling pointed out:

Is anyone else also distracted by the fact Janet has two bright red numbers (1) and (2) in this post but doesn't include specifically-numerated answers?

Dangnabbit!  That's one of those things that I should have caught. I revise blog posts a couple times before posting and the comments related to (1) and (2) got deleted. I forgot to go back and delete the numbers. This is what happens when I don't let the posts sit for more than a day.  Argh.

and Joseph Snoe caught another mistake:

Spiraling off topic here: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café actually takes place in Irondale, Alabama, not Georgia.

I went back and read (using the Look Inside feature on Amazon) and sure enough: Whistle Stop is ten miles from Birmingham. That will teach me not to fact check stuff! (I did that post from memory---oops)

This, combined with the miss on mitten in the contest means I probably need a vacation. Or something.

But what Julie M. Weathers clearly needs is a smack upside the head:

Amanda,

"TBR pile; add Julie Weather's autobiography."

That will never happen. A collection of stupid Julie stories doesn't make a good memoir, I'm afraid, but thank you.

Julie

"stupid"?? STUPID??? I don't think so. In fact, that's pretty much the LAST word I'd use to describe Julie stories. Right after boring, pointless and lewd.

They are in fact hilarious, wonderful, and welcome. So, knock off the self-disparagement or I'm gonna come out there and butter your biscuits and call you lunch.

and I'm not alone in this:

from bjmuntain:

Have you ever read George Burns' biography of his wife called Gracie: A love story? It's a beautiful story of love and regret - and it's told in Burns' voice, with Burns' stories from the days of vaudeville up to the early days of television. I can see Julie's autobiography told in the same way.

    First, though, we need to get Julie famous. Then the world can read the gloriousness of her autobiography.

CarolynWith2Ns:

BUT it might make an entertaining as hell book. You may call them stupid stories, I call them a window into a life I'd like reading about.
You're funny babe, your stories are hysterical and have heart. I'd say that, and your writer's voice, are a good mix.

Colin Smith:

Janet: Is there precedent for an agent (e.g., you) offering representation to a writer for a book they're in denial that they need to write (e.g., Julie)? :)

And honestly this Julie Weathers comment just cracked me up so completely when I was writing this week in review that I worried my next door neighbors would hear me cackling at the crack of dawn as a I wrote it:

You know how some blogs are so focused and direct in their comments?

Yeah, we're sort of the Golden Retrievers of comment land. Poor Janet.

On Friday the topic was waiting time, this time on waiting for an editorial letter

I loved Tony Clavell's phrase here:

I know I can always shelve the book, wait 'til next book (Chicago Cubs-style publishing),

Amanda Capper said:

I have no idea what an editorial letter is.

An editorial letter can be from either an agent or an editor. It's the letter an author gets suggesting revisions to the book. They can run from one paragraph to 18 pages (or more.)  Generally if you're under contract with a publisher, the editor has read the book before offering to buy, and then writes an editorial letter suggesting revisions after the contract is signed. 

MeganV asked

Does the QOTKU have any tips(or any adjustments for point 3) for authors whose nearest booksellers are, for all intents and purposes, on Carkoon?

I'm so glad to hear Carkoon has a bookstore. If you're not going to have the advantage of local bookstores stocking your book, time to cast your net farther afield. Regional booksellers perhaps? I know the Pacific Northwest has a pretty loose definition of local.  In Portland it might be a Portland or an Oregon/SW Washington author.  In Burns Oregon, it can be someone from Idaho or Montana too.  Each region has an association of regional booksellers and they let people join. That's how you get the membership directory and reach out to the members to introduce yourself. Spam them, and you'll find your membership card revoked. Spam them and find yourself making introductions to the bookstore on Carkoon.

Stephen Kozeniewski thought he was joking when he said:

My takeaway from this post is that I should e-mail Janet personally when my next book comes out.

Anyone who regularly comments on this blog, or who reads it and has gotten value from it would be an IDIOT not to email me personally to share their good news about a published book.

The trick is that personal email. Spam me with "hey folks, sorry about this group email" and I'll never buy your book. Send me an email that says you read the blog, have gotten value from it, or you just like the community, and you bet I'll hike on over and buy it.  Why would you think otherwise? You think I don't like finding good books? Yours IS a good book, right?

Miz "b" supported my idea with her own experience:

You are totally right about the individual emails to people. When I was running my (very successful) kickstarter campaign, i got much better results sending individual emails to people. Yeah, you want to have a basic message that you can copy and paste, but each person was addressed by name and emails were sent one at a time. Definitely worth the effort.

Donnaeve asked:

I only have a question for the Shark..., is this very succinct to do list something you believe all writers should do pending publication - i.e. those with a bigger publisher?

Yes.

On Saturday the discussion was about maps and illustrations in novels.

I was glad to see how many of you, like me, love maps!

Adele however made a good point about maps in books:

The St. Mary Mead map is a pretty drawing and I enjoy it for itself, but if the map is necessary to understanding the plot I think the author's in trouble. And yes, I have seen that, in mid-20th-century mysteries, where you had to keep flipping back and forth to find places on the map just to understand what's going on, and that is really tedious.

bj muntain concurred:

I like maps, but I rarely use ones found in a novel. Unless the novel gets confusing, and I have to keep going back to see where things are. I'd rather the novel be clear enough to tell what's going on without the map.

And I/we learned a new phrase thanks to DeadSpiderEye: heavily foxed

Craig mentioned:

One of my current favorite maps in the Nullschool map. It is a current animated and interactive map of the winds around the world. It is really cool.

Speaking of  animated maps, here's one that I just love: Empires

And Amy Schaefer's link to what your favorite map projection says about you is hilarious

And kdjames shared some great news about Sam Hawke:

Sam Hawke has announced via twitter that he has signed with an agent!

and yay! Amy Schaefer is back:

Completely off-topic insertion, here. I'm back from my boat delivery, and just wanted to give a friendly wave around the place. I have unshuttered FPLM Paradise, swept the stray coconuts in 2N's direction, and am ready to start writing again.

Our sail across the Coral Sea was full of excitement - strong winds, three meter waves, a mysterious leak in the aft bilge and the joy of two broken toilets. Magic all around. But the boat is safely stored on Oz now, and I'm back on my teeny tiny island where I belong.

I had to pull out my trusty world map to find out where the Coral Sea was:

Congrats to Sam! Welcome back Amy! And thanks to all of you who make this blog so fun to read.  We really are an anomaly in the blogging world: the comments are the best part!

Just to amuse myself I made a chart of the ratio of views to comments in the course of the week:





Here's the raw data:
Comments is column 1, View is column 2.

-->

28	310
50	837
88	1533
58	459
110	571
52	468
46	281

I divided views by comments to get the ratio.

Sunday is Day One, the next Saturday (yesterday) is Day 7.


I'm not sure what any of this means, but I just like to do this kind of stuff.

My blog subheader choices this week were:

(1) "Everyone should have a zombie plan." Julie M. Weathers

(2) "Yeah, we're sort of the Golden Retrievers of comment land." Julie M. Weathers

(3) Every writer needs three plans:

1. A plan to finish your book and polish it to the best of your ability.
2. A solid marketing plan.
3. A good zombie plan. --Julie M. Weathers

(4) "You have to be your own hero" Amy Schaefer

I can't believe that it's almost the end of June, and we're half way through 2015.

See you next week. There are some really good questions coming up!