I have been taking a break from being active in fan fiction circles for the past few months, but something happened last week that dragged me right back. I write for a rather volatile fandom (which actually isn’t the problem for a change) and edit for a ususally calm one.
Recently, that second fandom has made any fights in the first fandom look like the preschool sandbox. Essentially, one writer posts their new story, and another writer likes an element of it and builds their own story based around the element. Often, the second writer will admit they were inspired by the first writer, but sometimes that acknowledgment isn’t present. It doesn’t actually matter, though, becasue invariably the first writer will go to their off-site blog and scream, “Plagiarism!”
By the actual definition of plagiarism, that’s not what’s happened at all. Nothing has been technically plagiarised. A story element has appeared in another story that generally goes an entirely different direction. What’s even funnier is the writers who lift complete sentences and paragraphs from another’s story (these are the actual plagiarists); more often than not, they’re the ones who become enraged when they find a story element lifted from their story.
I guess what I find the most funny about the whole mess is that these same (usually) teenagers who whine when someone riffs on their work is that they even write fan fiction at all. By their own definition, the existence of fan fiction is plagiarism (It’s not, although there are several American authors who will persecute anyone who publicly writes fan fiction set in their worlds.) When we write fan fiction, we’re taking something about the world and putting it in a context it hasn’t been. We may be writing a “This is how that should have gone” piece, or a “What you didn’t see off camera” piece. I happen to have a great deal of fun using the last scene of every Yu-Gi-Oh GX episode as a writing prompt. I like to write the scene that would have come after the last one you see. It’s a great exercise. Some people like to take unusual groupings of characters, set them in a new situation, and write out how the scene would resolve. Others like to explore what would happen if a character was different.
For those of us in America wrestling with copyright fights and defining and defending intellectual property, there is at least the Creative Commons license (which I like to apply to as much of my writing as I can). Those of us willing to let others build off what we’ve done, to allow for artistic collaboration in a way, can give certain rights to our fellow creators. I guess we align ourselves with the writers and other creators in other countries who not only don’t pursue any sort of copyright infringement suit, but encourage people to create derivative works. They find it flattering that someone liked their work enough to create something based on their work. (This would be why things like doujinshi exist…)
As for me, if someone wants to riff on my work, I’d be flattered. They just need to make sure they observe my Creative Commons licenses and share their work with me! (Hey, if someone is going to go to the effort of writing their take on my work, I’d at least like to see it and appreciate it!)
Posted by Rebecca as Uncategorized at 8:52 AM EST
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I’ve put a number of books on creative nonfiction on hold with my local library branch. At first, I thought perhaps I was just a bit crazy. Then I was looking over one of my reading to-do lists, and discovered I’d been meaning to read one of them for a while anyway.
The first one to arrive at my library was Tell it Slant: Writing and Shaping Creative Nonfiction. Written by a pair of writing teachers from western Washington, the book was engaging. In fact, I think I read the parts I was interested in over the course of just a few hours. The book covers creative nonfiction techniques for the memoir or essay writer, but there was plenty for someone who, like me, simply wants to write educational books.
I’m not sure how much of it will be directly applicable to Dead Bunny books, but some of it I found worth noting for writers in general. For example, I learned what a “scene” is. A scene, by the authors’ definition, is a set of actions unfolding before us. It is generally written with the purpose of emotionally involving the reader, something frowned upon in general in nonfiction. It doesn’t have to be, though. You the writer are the lens through which the reader sees the scene, so you can drop in little words and phrases to help involve the senses more fully in your memory or information.
They include a number of writing exercises at the end of each chapter that are relevant to the accompanying chapter. I made a note of a couple of ones that i think will help with my educational articles and books. Some of the recommended techniques include changing the point of view, another fiction technique pulled into the nonfiction world to help strengthen the connection between the reader and your words.
There are also a couple of recommended editing methods for the intrepid self-editor (something I’m absolutely no good at). There are the three quick fixes: search and destroy all pointless uses of the verb “to be”, replace all useless adjectives and adverbs with strong nouns and verbs, and read your essay out loud to locate weak sentence, paragraph, and essay endings. There are also suggestions for editing like an agent or a workshop when you don’t have access to either.
All in all, I felt it was a good and useful read. I would recommend it to other writers looking to strengthen their own skills in the nonfiction arena.
Posted by Rebecca as Resources at 8:28 AM EST
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John Scalzi admits these tips are useful, even for those who do write.
I found his list great, and am probably going to be sending it to a few people I know who could use a little something to get through their school writing projects this week. I may even share it with some work colleagues.
My favorite part of the list is the quick bit on punctuation. I’ve been trying to beat into my students’ heads that you use a comma somewhere you want to let the reader take a breath. I’ll often make them read a sentence out loud as it’s punctuated. They can’t do it, and then I have them go back, read the sentence, note where they pause, and add a comma. Amazingly, the paper become far more readable.
I also like the section on punctuation because it reflects part of why we punctuate. Originally, if one is to believe Lynne Truss, punctuation existed solely as marks that told actors when and how to breathe as they were performing lines. You can imagine how those ancient Greek tragedies might have gone without these breathing marks if the Greeks were as prone to writing long-winded sentences as today’s high schoolers.
Found via WWdN: In Exile
Posted by Ceara as Resources at 8:35 AM EST
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I’ve been told I’m a natural storyteller. After the past couple of years, I’m not sure if I agree with that.
I’m feeling pretty lost in general, and I think my writing has definitely suffered because of it. Now that I’m focused on writing a process book for work and a math book to help kids struggling with math, I figure this is the perfect time to engage in some research, do some reading, and try to reconnect with my inner storyteller.
To start, I’m devouring books on building narrative into your nonfiction. So far, it’s been mostly about personal essays and memoirs. That’s all well and good, but I think they’re missing other ways that narrative can be used practically in a nonfiction setting. I think a well-crafted narrative can help draw in someone who might not want to be reading the material at all, or they can make the experience unexpectedly enjoyable to someone who wanted to read the material anyway.
I hope that as I search out more reading material, I’ll find what I’m looking for. I have no idea what I’m looking for, but something tells me it’ll seep into my brain when I’m not looking!
Stay tuned!
Posted by Rebecca as Uncategorized at 8:12 AM EST
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I have decided that 2007 is going to be an editing year for me. After wrapping up a number of projects in 2006, I’m ready to start sitting down and polishing everything up. It’s going to be a nice change of pace form constantly writing.
I’m hoping it also puts a halt to a disturbing trend I’ve started to notice in my writing. I’m starting to make the kind of mistakes that you make when you start out. I’m throwing synonyms for “said” all over the place. My beats are weaker than weak. I’m either explaining everything, or hiding behind my dialogue. It’s become embarrassing.
While I’m focusing on my editing, I’m going to be looking for those little things that have started tripping me up. I figure if I look for a trend, I may be able to turn things around and feel better about my writing again.
I’m also going to be looking at different writing techniques. After long considering the Snowflake Method, I may actually put it to the test alongside driving plot through character development to see what kind of story I can craft.
It’s going to be a lot of fun!
Posted by Rebecca as Uncategorized at 8:12 AM EST
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This is one of those questions I’ve spent the better part of a year wrestling with.
It really doesn’t help when people I respect and have been blogging with or for all say, “You are a published author,” and then I sit down to read the blogs of agents, editors, and published writers I respect, and they all say that those who have only the writing credits i have are only writers.
Personally, I don’t see myself as a published author. I mean, I’ve written several successful teacher guides, exhibit guides, and training documents. I’ve maintained a handful of blogs for nearly four years now. I even have a sidebar in a book on blog marketing.
My freelance friends say those count (and companies that I interview with seem to think I stand out because i have those experiences). But does that actually make me published?
Will it make me a published author when I release my math or writing books later this year?
Does the fact that I have a few random articles published on a couple of websites make me published?
Is there actually any sort of definitive answer to this question in the changing Web 2.0, Rip-Mix-Burn world?
Posted by Rebecca as Uncategorized at 8:23 AM EST
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One of the questions I get asked frequently is if self-publishing is a scam or just a bad idea in general.
Is it a scam? Only if you work with a scamming company. If the company wants you to pay them to publish your work, do your homework. They may just be a vanity press, or they could be a scammer. Just be sure you know what you’re getting into.
Is it a bad idea in general? As far as I can tell, the answer really depends on your goals. If you are publishing something that would best benefit a small, specific audience and you are willing to handle the editing and marketing on your own (or can afford to shell out for those services), then you should be fine going the self-publishing route.
If you have poured your soul into a manuscript, but can’t find an agent or publisher for it on your own, you might also want to consider going the self-publishing route. It might be a fine manuscript that didn’t fit the current needs of the agents or publishers.
Like so many things, self-publishing is really what you make of it, and that is based strongly on what you’re willing to put into it. Just be sure to do your homework and make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Posted by Ceara as Uncategorized at 7:58 AM EST
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