In today’s Journal
* Yesterday
* Topic: Learn Copyright
* Today
* Of Interest
* The Numbers
Yesterday. Just wow. This is basically an update of Monday’s Journal entry.
Literally within minutes of posting that entry, I turned to the writing computer and realized I was actually finished with The Othgygnrks 2, which is mostly the alien viewpoint that was missing back in March. (If you’re curious, it’s pronounced Oth-gig-nurks.) The total word count for that one is on yesterday’s post (20697 words).
From here on out, you’ll see only the numbers for the compiled novel, For the Good of the Galaxy, the genesis novel for what I suspect can easily become a series.
You’ll see that I brought the word count forward. The compilation includes the novel I wrote in March and what I’ve written so far this month. I was compiling as I went.
The new words beginning with Day 1 below are additions to For the Good of the Galaxy. Those will be the result of both cycling and writing new chapters where necessary. I didn’t get quite as many new words as I wanted to (see Day 1 below), but not bad given all the other stuff I did.
I have to say, it will be nothing short of wonderful to no longer have to switch back and forth among three Word documents. (grin)
So the process—Yesterday, first, I went through my reverse outline (another compilation) and brought it up to date to help set the timeline in my subconscious. After that, I planned to turn to the beginning of For the Good of the Galaxy and read, allowing myself (my characters) to touch it as I went.
But as I was updating the reverse outline, a character and a partial scene popped into my head, so I wrote the first “new” thousand words or so, then took a break. And so I suspect it will go for the rest of today. I’ll start the cycle-through from the beginning tomorrow.
I’m giving myself until April 30 to finish this one, but I will be astounded if it takes that long.
Sorry to rattle on, but I’m sure you can understand my excitement at finally being able to tell the whole story of For the Good of the Galaxy. (grin)
Topic: Learn Copyright
Finger-wagging time. This is one of the most important things I can ever tell you: learn copyright.
That being said, you can never learn it all. But you can spend $35 or so and get the paperback editions of The Copyright Handbook: What Every Writer Needs to Know by Steven Fishman from NOLO Press, 13th Edition. I think it’s $31 at Amazon right now.
In the meantime, here are some bare-bones basics in no particular order:
* TITLES are not protected under copyright. No titles—fiction of any length, blogs or blog posts, websites, songs, essays, etc.—no titles are protected under copyright. Period. (Note that some very famous titles, e.g. Star Wars, are protected by trademark.)
* IDEAS are not protected under copyright. Neither are the names of characters, places, etc. What is protected is the “fixed form” (the story, novel, poem, etc.) as a whole work.
* You do not have to register your work with the copyright office in order for it to be protected by copyright.
* Your work does not have to be registered, ever, with the Library of Congress.
* ISBNs, LCCNs, and any other numbers have nothing to do with copyright.
* Your work is ©YEAR Your Name the instant it’s in “fixed form,” meaning when your poem or short story or essay or blog post is finished. Even before it’s published.
* You do not have to display the copyright symbol © on your work to show that it’s copyrighted. In fact, doing so readily identifies you as a beginner. The copyright notice goes on the copyright page. (For reference, see any novels or stories you’ve read and enjoyed.)
* In the US, copyright protection extends from the moment a work is set in “fixed form” (story, poem, novel, etc.) until 70 years after your death.
* When you create a work of fiction, poetry, blog post, etc. you have created Intellectual PROPERTY. Just as when you build a house, you have created Real Property (“Real” meaning “Physical”).
* The only difference between physical property and intellectual property is that your intellectual property is probably worth a great deal more money than your physical property. (Yes, you read that right.)
* And THAT, my friends, is why you should learn and understand copyright. Because it protects your ownership of the intellectual PROPERTY that belongs to you until 70 years after your death.
As a final note, consider, would you allow anyone, at their whim, to take over your home or your vehicle or your clothing or your other real property?
Learn copyright. Learn to value what you own.
Today, not much to add, really. I’ll begin cycling through the novel and I’ll write.
Talk with you again soon.
Of Interest
See “Why Do You Write What You Write?” at https://prowriterswriting.com/why-do-you-write-what-you-write.
See “The Coronavirus Could Put an End to Handshakes” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/the-coronavirus-could-put-an-end-to-handshakes/. Possible story ideas.
See “25 Poetry Markets Seeking Submissions” at https://www.authorspublish.com/25-poetry-markets-seeking-submissions-april-2020/. And not just poetry.
See “Developing a Writing Practice, Part 3: Important” at https://www.janefriedman.com/developing-a-writing-practice-important/. FWIW.
See “Writing Under Duress” at https://mystorydoctor.com/writing-under-duress-2/.
See “Controlling the Weather” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/controlling-the-weather/. Not about writing but interesting.
The Numbers
Fiction words yesterday…………………… 2437
Nonfiction words today…………… 890 (Journal)
Writing of For the Good of the Galaxy (novel)
Words brought forward…………………………………………………… 72304
Day 1…… 2437 words. Total words to date…… 74741
Day 2…… XXXX words. Total words to date…… XXXXX
Total fiction words for the month……… 23134
Total fiction words for the year………… 231116
Total nonfiction words for the month… 11550
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 92700
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 323816
Calendar Year 2020 Novels to Date…………………… 3
Calendar Year 2020 Novellas to Date……………… X
Calendar Year 2020 Short Stories to Date… 12
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 48
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 208
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31