Writing Tips
@just4him (309433)
Green Bay, Wisconsin
March 5, 2022 12:38pm CST
A couple of years ago I wrote a month's worth of writing tips. It seems there is one I missed. Though I'm certain there are many more, I need to learn.
I'm currently reading a book with so many problems I'm having trouble reading it.
A person doesn't write a book without learning the rules. It's more than simple grammar and punctuation. You need to be aware of Copywrite and Trademark laws. Unless you have permission to use brand names for vehicles and clothes, you need to use generic terms. To do otherwise would put you in line for a lawsuit from the company whose Trademark or Copywrite, you used without permission.
I have even seen authors who needed permission to quote from their own books. You will always find a Used by Permission statement from the company or publishing house in the work you're reading or watching. I've seen many such statements in the movies and once in a while a television series. I always see it in books when an author uses copyright material that isn't under Public Domain. You always need to mention if something is in Public Domain unless it's common knowledge the material used is Public Domain.
The book I'm currently reading has no such permissions.
Thank you for reading. I hope this helped you understand a little of the writing world you are all part of.
Image courtesy of Pixabay.
16 people like this
15 responses
@just4him (309433)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Mar 22
There's a statement in the book's front, put there by the publishing company that no one can quote directly from the book without permission from the publishing company. That includes the author who wrote the book if they want to use such passages in another book. The publisher owns the rights to the book, not the author. It is only those authors who self-publish and retain all rights to their books who are free to use quotes from their previous books.
3 people like this
@lovebuglena (43218)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Mar 22
@just4him I did not know this either. That is crazy to include the author of the book in this law.
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
5 Mar 22
I catch things like that all the time in manuscripts I'm editing. Some people just don't understand why I've edited things out of their manuscript and I have to... somewhat patiently... explain why I removed it. It's really annoying!
When I start a book that obviously hasn't been passed an editor, I just stop reading it and report the book... There's no reason for stuff like that.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137142)
• United States
5 Mar 22
@just4him I hate it when the author argues with me, though. They hired me because they don't know what's legal/correct but then argue about the changes I've suggested. It makes no sense.
2 people like this
@just4him (309433)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Mar 22
@DaddyEvil It never makes sense. We had a person in our writer's group a few years ago who didn't want to listen to constructive criticism to help his writing. He quit the group.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (95695)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
5 Mar 22
Thank you for sharing the tips for writers to follow since I have always wondered in a fan fiction if I use the name of a real life person like a musician, actor and sports star as characters in the fan fiction on Archive of Our Own and Deviantart, would I get in trouble with them?
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (95695)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
6 Mar 22
@just4him I do not want to get in trouble with them at all. I will have to change the name to avoid a lawsuit since they would claim that I am invading their privacy.
@kobesbuddy (75327)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Mar 22
After I summit a writing and it's paid for, I've given up that article. I can't say that I wrote it.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (43218)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Mar 22
@kobesbuddy So how do you create a portfolio of your work then?
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (75327)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Mar 22
@just4him That's right and I can't use my own writings to compile a Portfolio.
@ptrikha_2 (45684)
• India
6 Mar 22
"permission to quote from their own books" - well that is news for me.
I always thought that one is always free to use own works.
May be because I have not been associated with any Book publishing house.
Trademarks, Copyright and related things are always very vital.
As for Grammar and sentence formation, I have seen that more and more reading and some practice always helps.
Thanks for sharing this.
@RasmaSandra (74367)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
7 Mar 22
The two things I always make sure I have are Copyscape and Grammarly. With so much information on the Internet it is difficult to write about something and make it your own, I try to take what I want to write and put it in my own words as best as I can and always make sure I do not step on anyone's toes,
@JudyEv (327428)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Mar 22
This is good advice. The publishing world can be a minefield, I'm sure.
@Courtlynn (66918)
• United States
6 Mar 22
Strange and stupid that you'd have to get permission to quote from your own book.. i can understand doing it from others though.
@kobesbuddy (75327)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Mar 22
The books I've been reading are full of typing errors and simple words spelled wrong. An example yu, instead of you. I don't know how these books got published. They're printed under M.C. Beaton, but even the story-line isn't her style. She passed away about two years ago. I can tell that it's not her material.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (75327)
• East Tawas, Michigan
5 Mar 22
@just4him After she passed away, I believe those rights were possibly sold. Under M.C. Beaton, books are still being published. I can tell it's not her style of writing. She never wrote about bed scenes, ever.
@Hanyouyomi (2187)
• Dallas, Texas
9 Mar 22
Yeah, I'm painfully aware of this tidbit. Been so since 2008 or so. I've created characters that were references to metal bands and singers I listen to like Disturbed, Slipknot, and Rob Zombie to name few.
And I've gotta find an agent first to negotiate with their managers. And using anything that's public domain? That has its difficulties too. Well if like me you want to create an interpretation of Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, or the wolf man that differs from the Universal Studio versions, or any other version that exist on other media.
@lovebuglena (43218)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Mar 22
So if writer wants to say in their book that a character was driving a BMW, for example, they can't do that?
