Hi, SEers. It’s the culmination of another work week, and once again we’re taking a few moments to share web content we found over the last seven days that might be of interest to you. Also, if you missed them, don’t forget to check out Monday’s post, What is Scrivener by P. H. Solomon and Wednesday’s Branding by C. S. Boyack.
This Week’s List of Valuable Content
- The Opening as Part of the Closing … of the Deal (attention-grabbing beginnings)
- 11 Things to know about Dating a Writer (a fun infographic to elicit chuckles)
- The MacGuffin (what it is, when to use it, how to avoid it)
- Writing Prompts (free download of prompts for novels, short stories, poems, etc.)
- Following up on Monday’s What is Scrivener post, S. K. Nicholls shared a link to Scrivener classes by Gwen Hernandez – author of Scrivener for Dummies which Staci Troilo also mentioned as a good resource.
- Why offering unique blog content is important (We need to stand out in the vast number of blogs on the internet)
- Raising the Stakes (the consequences of characters failing and the impact to tension, conflict, and pacing)
- Query Letter Tips From Literary Agents (Links and tips on writing query letters to agents)
- How to use BookBub Follow and Bookmark buttons on your website
- Seamless Details in Fiction (using dialogue and narration to work exposition in organically)
- To Swear or Not to Swear (whether to use profanity in your writing)
- How to Seek Permission to Use Song Lyrics (and why you should)
- Using Bookmark to Track Sales and Other Data (applet for computer)
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I always appreciate a visit to your site – useful information mixed with levity is a perfect combination. Keep up the great work!
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Thank you for visiting, Gwen. We’re glad you find our site useful.
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Thanks, Gwen. I’m glad you’re enjoying the site and content. I love being part of the SE gang 🙂
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So glad you’re enjoying the site, Jan.
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Wow…you all are amazing for sharing these fantastic resources! It’s greatly appreciated, indeed! 🙂
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Thank you, Natalie.
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It’s going to be a regular Friday feature, Natalie, so there will be plenty more. I still have to check a few of these out myself!
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Well done, Mae. Thanks.
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Thanks, John. The whole group contributed links, and I think they came up with some great ones!
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I do too. Thanks.
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Great list of sites, Mae. I haven’t used any lyrics in my books, but I always wondered how to go about getting permission if I did. Probably easier to do what others have done and just mention the song and reference something about the lyrics. What a great distraction (procrastination??) for a Friday 😀
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Julie that’s what I’ve done in the past and plan to do in my WIP. Reference the song, but not use the lyrics. Much easier than obtaining rights.
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I’ve never used song lyrics either, but I think I would do as the others, too. What a headache of legal hoops to jump through otherwise!
I’ve used a portion of poetry in one of my earlier books, but I made sure it was in public domain first. That’s probably the only way I would use lyrics too. They’d have to be very old and in PD.
Glad you found the links useful, Julie. It’s a collaborative effort among the SE authors each week. There are a number here I still need to check out! 🙂
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You guys are right; a lot of great content this week. James Scott Bell is always gold, and his opening post resonated with me. So did the exposition post. But these were all great links. (And the infographic about being in a relationship with a writer is not only funny, but kind of true!)
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I know I’ve dragged my husband on two research trips, LOL
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Staci, I almost always find JSB’s posts informative. Sharing a brain again! 🙂
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Me again. The one about song lyrics is very good and provides the appropriate contacts. I know from experience that Googling the contacts takes days. I used lyrics in Will O’ the Wisp. I was only able to get North American rights and that’s why I published two different versions of the book. It was a valuable exercise, but I probably wouldn’t do it again.
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I love music and would often like to use lyrics in my books. But somehow I don’t think it would be easy to obtain rights for someone like The Beatles or in the case of my current WIP, the Eagles. One of my main characters is a musician and using songs fits. But I can make it work by mentioning the song title and not using lyrics. That way I don’t have to obtain rights.
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That’s what I’m going to do when I write The Hat.
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When I worked for a publisher, we had a client who basically had lyrics throughout her entire book. It was a nightmare. Domestic rights, international rights, and some denied rights. It was impossible to keep straight. I knew I’d never write a novel with lyrics unless I write the song(s) myself.
In Type and Cross, I refer to a Journey song and the MEANING of the lyrics, but I don’t use the specific lyrics themselves. In Mind Control, I mention Donnie Iris’s “Ah, Leah” but never even hint at the lyrics. Using music in this manner is the closest I’ll ever get to lyrics in novels. It’s just too much of a headache.
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It was a great learning experience. I don’t think it was worth it in the long run. Maybe one day they’ll set it up like iTunes, and you can get a license for a $5 PayPal entry.
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I agree with you, Staci. Too much of a headache. In a scene I wrote yesterday, a character turned on the radio to hear the Chris Isaak song, Wicked Ways. I wrote something like this. “Why did he think of Rachel when listening to this song. She wasn’t wicked. Maybe it was the part about falling in love.”
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Lots of good stuff this week. Loved the one about dating a writer. My husband and I discussed the topic of surviving a relationship with a writer this very week. He actually accused me of “zoning out” when I’m writing. Imagine that! 😉
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I loved that one too. Chris (the Story Reading Ape) posts a lot of great stuff on his blog.
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Great collection this week. I liked the Maguffin post, but didn’t like the negative association with the word. I like the word, and tend to make mine important to the stakes of the story.
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Craig, I get the feeling you’re a bit of a rebel like me. 🙂
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I can be.
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