Writers in the Storm

By James R. Preston

Her name was Enheduanna and she was a writer. We’ll talk more about her later. 

Welcome to another installment of Writers in the Storm. This one’s going to be a little different. But with any luck, we’ll be On the Road Again. Come with me.

The most traveling I’ve done is to go downstairs to get a cup of coffee.

I’ve been home, and so have you. But we’ll get out of this, sooner or later, all of us with our lives touched in one way or another, and when that happens there will be opportunities. If you’re like me, you’re thinking about things you want to do when the masks are dropped.

Meanwhile, I’ve got an essay due.

So I thought... Technical article? Revisit adapting screenplay structure to the genre novel? Stretching the boundaries of first-person? How to keep track of all those electronic documents? Maybe it’s time for a break, for something different.

My face mask is hanging on it’s hook. We have canceled this year’s vacation. My cat is happy — I’m home. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m storing up things to do once COVID-19 has been defeated. What about visiting "writer" spots that will remind you of the thread that links you to those who have gone before? Moments you can remember when you’re sitting at the keyboard wondering where the story went.

And, of course, you’ll be thinking about writing as I am. Traveling – yes traveling. Traveling and writing. Those two can go together.

Her name was Enheduanna and she was a writer. She lived 2,300 years B.C.E., in Uruk, what is now Iraq.

Once upon a time I went to Great Britain. I’ve told that story here so I’ll just talk about the end. 

We visited Stratford-on-Avon and I stood outside Shakespeare’s birthplace. Very cool, but then I saw a framed poster advertising a performance of The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Charles Dickens was one of the volunteer actors, putting on the play to raise money for the restoration of the building. I still remember the chill I got. Shakespeare, Dickens, and me. In a very, very small way, me. I was part of that stream. 

When you travel as a writer it’s a bit different. You look at 221B Baker Street and think, yeah, Doyle told some good stories and maybe it pumps you up just a bit to know you’re following in his footsteps. 

So pack a bag, make sure the laptop’s battery is charged and away we go!

Vegas, baby!

Tim Powers, Last Call. 

On the way to Vegas on Highway 15 you’ll see The Mad Greek Cafe. As of this writing it’s closed due to COVID-19, but the owner says they are counting the days till they reopen.  Stop in, get a gyro, and think about Scott Crane and his friends in Tim Powers’ amazing Last Call. It’s a thriller, it’s a travelogue, it’s a story of Jungian archetypes battling for supremacy through Tarot cards. I’m not making this up. It’s a great read!

Hunter Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

"We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold." 

I have read that the merry-go-round bar in Circus Circus no longer serves alcohol, but still if you sit there can’t you just feel Thompson and his 300-lb Samoan attorney slugging down drinks? And the attorney loses it and is afraid to get off the merry-go-round? And the guests in their hotel are starting to look, uh, reptilian. Check out the merry-go-round bar and flash back to the 70’s. Skip the peyote.

San Francisco

Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon. There are — or were — walking tours so you can see some of the locales. The last time I looked there was actually one of the restaurants where Spade got his chops and baked potatoes. The tour can take up to four hours, so wear comfortable shoes. 

Los Angeles

Ross Macdonald, The Lew Archer books. Lew Archer looked down at the city lights and saw the seedy underside...

Forget that — let’s go out to eat! The Musso and Frank Grill, open since 1919, is still going strong. When they reopen, have a seat and order Archer’s steak with mushrooms and onion rings. (Take-out, anyone?) And if you’re doing Tinseltown, see about a Warner Brothers Studio tour.

Ross Macdonald weaves the movie business into many of the novels. As you walk the streets you can almost sense the comforting feel of your gat snug and ready in its worn shoulder holster.

Colorado

Stephen King's The Shining. This is a good one. 

Visit the Stanley Hotel at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Not only is the hotel the main setting, Room 217 is where Stephen King drafted The Shining. He renamed the hotel The Overlook and moved it to a somewhat more inaccessible location but this is the place. In 1997, it’s where King shot his own version of the novel.

As a bonus, check out the Country Boy Mine, setting for Michener’s Centennial. 

North Carolina

Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing. This one comes with a caveat: Famous novel, millions of copies sold, and the setting of marshes and swamps is a big part of the story. However, one source says those swamps and marshes are more like Georgia or South Carolina. My guess is, if you love the book and visit North Carolina, the differences won’t matter. You’ll just soak it up and understand what Owens was writing about. 

Louisiana

James Lee Burke, The Dave Robicheaux books. If you are heading to New Orleans or Louisiana, you can’t do better than to read some of these fine novels. You can taste the gumbo, feel the breeze off the gulf and you will understand the powerful influence the setting has on his work. You’ll want to sit in the Cafe DuMonde with a beignet and a coffee. 

Florida

John D. McDonald, the Travis McGee books. Slip F18 Bahia Mar. This would not be complete without mentioning the home of Travis McGee, that knight in rusty armor, that slayer of savage fish.

As far as great settings, McDonald nailed it. And yes, there really was a slip F18. But remodeling killed it, and the literary landmark plaque has been moved. Nevertheless, it can be found and standing there you can feel the client approaching, looking for a “salvage consultant.”

You stand in each of these settings and feel that connection. 

While We’re Waiting . . .

My mask is still on the hook. Despite all of these inspiring places to visit and to think about stories and their creators, as of now we’re still locked down. Never fear! Here are a couple of virtual tours with literary associations.

Dan Brown, The DaVinci Code. emember how the story opens in The Louvre? With the horrific murder? Brown is a great researcher and he got it right. You can take a look online at the Louvre virtual tour site and study the results — there are usually multiple things going on. 

Preston and Child, Relic. Very creepy story (and an underrated movie) set in a museum based on The American Museum of Natural History. Click that link for virtual tours and take your pick. There are also guided events. Yes, human contact through your keyboard! Postscript: The AMNH is reopening in September. Check their website for details. 

Her name was Enheduanna. She lived 2,300 B.C.E., and she was a writer. She wrote poetry and hymns and she was, in fact, the very first writer to sign her work. She said, “My King, something has been created that no one has created before.”

Final Thoughts

“Ars longa, vita brevis,” 

— Hippocrates.

Translation: Life is short, art eternal. 

I think that says it all. And the tradition that you and I are part of goes on. 

Now it’s your turn. While our pets are happy because we’re always around, we need as much contact with other members of our species as possible, even if it’s electronic. I hope you have started thinking about inspirational places that connect to your work, or to the work of writers you love.

I hope you are looking forward to once again getting on the road. Keep reading and keep writing.

Have you perhaps been to Maui to see how Jayne Ann Krentz nailed it, despite changing the names? Or Sue Grafton’s twin-by-another-name for Santa Barbara? Share those experiences with us!

About James

James R. Preston is the author of the multiple-award-winning Surf City Mysteries. He is currently at work on the sixth, called Remains To Be Seen. His most recent works are Crashpad and Buzzkill, two historical novellas set in the 1960’s at Cal State Long Beach. Kirkus Reviews called Buzzkill “A historical thriller enriched by characters who sparkle And refuse to be forgotten.”

His webpage is www.jamesrpreston.com. He can be reached at james@jamesrpreston.com.

Image Credits:

• Top Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
• 221 Baker Street Image by Hulki Okan Tabak from Pixabay

by John Peragine

Often when I am reviewing a book for a read-through or edit, I do a plagiarism check. People are often confused about what plagiarism is and are surprised to learn that there are several different types of plagiarism.

Plagiarism is taking someone else’s idea and passing it as your own. It can occur in fiction, nonfiction, and even songwriting. Sometimes it is intentional, but often it is not. The problem is that there can be severe consequences to plagiarism, no matter the intent. In the academic space, it can get someone failed out of a program, and in the commercial space it can lead to loss of reputation or even a lawsuit.

There is an allowance of using material from sources called ‘fair use’.

Copyright Law states:

“…for a limited and “transformative” purpose, such as to comment upon, criticize, or parody a copyrighted work. Such uses can be done without permission from the copyright owner.” (Copyright.gov)

Unless you are a copyright lawyer, which I’m not, this can be vague. My understanding is that unless you are doing a review of a book or song or a parody, you will need permission.

This question often comes up when people ask if they can use a song in their book. The answer is no unless you get permission to use it. You can reference a  song, but putting the lyrics, even a few lines, can get you into some trouble. If you are wondering what constitutes as parody - “Weird Al” Yankovic is the king of parody. It is the basis of his entire career. 

If you are writing an academic piece, you can use quotes, but you must clearly cite them. And, you cannot use long quotes- only short ones. You must get permission for anything longer than a few paragraphs. Also, if your book is mostly quoted from other people, that won’t fly either.

The six different types of plagiarism.

Complete or Global Plagiarism

This is the type of plagiarism we are most familiar with -- a word for word copy of someone else’s work. There are many different plagiarism programs available on the Internet that will pick up these copy-and-paste types of work.

Source-based Plagiarism

Think of Wikipedia for this type of plagiarism. If you quote something that you found there, it can be a secondary source or be misquoted. It is essential that you always cite the source or get the permission of the original author, not a secondary source. Dig deep and get it right.

If you are using a quote in your book, even if it is fiction, you still have to source it properly. Even if you find the quote in several different sites, it does not make it fair game. Authors often overlook website plagiarism but are more inclined to go after another author if it is in a book because that material is then being used for monetary gain. That is when a lawsuit can arise.

Self or Auto Plagiarism

This type of plagiarism is one that all authors need to be careful of, especially in the area of anthologies and short works. If you post a book in a contest or a magazine, and they have the rights to that work, even for a specified amount of time, you cannot publish the work elsewhere. This includes putting something up on a blog (a chapter or two of a book) and then publishing the book. If you do not own the blog, you can run into trouble. And, if a publisher sees part of a work published elsewhere, they may pass or even cancel a contract.

Always be sure of the rights you give away when you publish works online or in magazines.

If you write a book and then decide to use some of that material word for word in another book, it is still considered plagiarism. It matters less if you are self-publishing both books, but if you self-publish one and then take that same material and try to publish it with a traditional publisher, you can run into problems.

I often hear the question, “If I self-publish a book, and it does well, will I get noticed by a traditional publisher and be offered a contract?”

The answer is: rarely. And you would have to pull the title and transfer the rights to the publisher. This situation can get sticky, especially for sites like Amazon. They are sticklers about publishing multiple versions of the same material. This can even get you banned from KDP.

Paraphrasing Plagiarism

I see this type of plagiarism all the time, especially in the nonfiction, self-help, or business space. An author tries to paraphrase or change some of the words around or even resort to a thesaurus. Sorry, but this is still stealing. Plagiarism is about stealing people’s ideas, not just words.

You can state what another person’s idea is, but your book has to be your intellectual property, not the rewrite of someone else’s.

Mosaic Plagiarism

This type of plagiarism is the evil twin to paraphrasing plagiarism and is sometimes referred to as patchwork plagiarism. It is adding in original material to other people’s work. Changing a couple of scenes with sparkly vampires and adding a teenage witch named Yabrina will not pass the plagiarism test. 

Accidental Plagiarism

Whether you intend to use someone else’s material or not, it does not matter. Ignorance of the law will not give you a pass. If you are not sure whether your book will pass the plagiarism test, it is always best to send it for review to a copyright attorney. I often send passages of a book with questions, rather than the whole work.

Understanding the types of plagiarism not only protects you from making a mistake but also helps you spot others copying your work.

Have you ever caught someone plagiarizing your work? What did you do? Please tell us about it down in the comments!

About John

John Peragine has published 14 books and ghostwritten more than 100 others. He is a contributor for HuffPost, Reuters, and The Today Show. He covered the John Edwards trial exclusively for Bloomberg News and The New York Times. He has written for Wine Enthusiast, Grapevine Magazine, Realtor.com, WineMaker magazine, and Writer's Digest.

John began writing professionally in 2007, after working 13 years in social work and as the piccolo player for the Western Piedmont Symphony for over 25 years. Peragine is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors. His newest book, Max and the Spice Thieves, will be released Spring 2021. https://www.facebook.com/twilightdjinn/

by Kris Maze

The work of an author is rewarding, but time consuming; how do we accomplish the tasks while maintaining a sane life?

We revise our writing, review other writers’ work, build an author presence, and all while continuing to write new material. How can we do all this and keep it meaningful? When talking with others here at Writers in the Storm, I discovered that the struggle is universal. You can find comfort in knowing this is a problem for most of us!

It makes sense that writers would rather work on their manuscripts and not focus on the digital world. Social media can be a crippling distraction if not handled well, but it also is paramount to creating a vibrant fan base for your work. Building a presence online means taking the additional time we might not have to create content and to interact with our audience.

This can be overwhelming. But it makes a difference if you show up where your readers 'hang out' and build these relationships. The best strategy I can recommend is to get the most out of the writer tasks you are already doing.

Tips to create authentic content for social media platforms using your current work as a writer.

Author platforms are important, and social media is a proven way to connect with readers, but how do we find the time to write unique and engaging content?

The first step is to take inventory of the tasks you currently do.

As a part of this process I categorized my work into 4 areas that can also be a springboard for Social Media Content:

1. Planning, Dreaming
2. Research, Read in your genre
3. Writing, Revising
4. Writing Community - synergy of helping (giving back) and receiving (beta reading, critiquing, cross promoting)

Since writers do these things anyway, these are easy areas to pull from to create content that resonates with readers and keeps them invested in your work. All four of these areas can inspire your social media content.

1. Planning and Dreaming Stage

The Planning and Dreaming Stage is about sharing an intent with your Author Audience. What ways to already connect with your readers? How can you capitalize on what you already do? Consider these actions you can take on most Social Media Platforms:

Make a poll on what your next project should be. Do they want to hear about your character's backstory or an unlikely romance between your jilted protagonist and his ex? Find out what your fans want and share the results with them.

Ask about audience preferences: where should the story be set? Albuquerque or the Alamo? Maybe they won’t care, but you will be surprised at the opinions your readers have. Writing to your audience with an informed perspective gives you an opportunity to write what they most want to read.

Share a favorite quote that inspired your book. Or share from your own work and see the response. Ask for favorite quotes or resources from your readers.

Play a trivia game from research for your project. Find out what your audience already knows, or what is new to them. Use that research for more than one purpose!

Interacting with your audience keeps them engaged and interesting in what you do a s a writer. This can translate into more readers and more book sales.

2. Research and Reading

Research and Reading is the necessary body-building equivalent to beefing up our work in progress. Finding the right information and studying can bring new life and authenticity to a writer's work. Why not give your audience snipets of your research along the way to build interest?

Write a review. Are you reading a book on cooking because your MC is a start-up chef? Have your read many books on a historical figure? Share what you liked about it. Consider writing a review of it and adding the links to it on your social media.

Curate a list books you used for research on a particular topic. If a reader likes the resource you are using, chances are they are people with similar interests and will also want to read your book by association.

Share an opinion. Is there an issue you feel strongly about? Perhaps share a little with your audience and poll their thoughts. See how it resonates and write to the conflict. The caveat here is to be sensitive to highly politicized issues, since these can also alienate readers and damage your author platform.

Tell your most random discovery. Have you ever started searching the Internet for research only to find that you wasted an afternoon searching the top 20 cat memes of the 2000’s? (Guilty!) Give yourself credit for falling down the digital rabbit hole: sometime must have peaked your interest and perhaps it is interesting to your readers as well. Share the fun bits with your readers. Let them know what your find interesting and your readers will become curious about your work.

3. Writing and Revising

Writing and Revising is the time to buckle down and give your book baby some undivided attention. This may be where you shut down the Social media factory for a while and put your head down over your manuscript.

Put up your virtual “Do Not Disturb’ sign. Although it is important to keep your focus, it's a good idea to let your readers know what you're planning . Set up regular posts for fun using a scheduling feature of your Social Media. Try something funny or informative topics to remind your audience about you as an author. Give them a time frame and use your return as a time to build a fun interactive response. Consider using options for scheduling in advance such as Hootsuite or Buffer, or perhaps hire out the work with a service.

Don't Disappear. The idea is to free you up for a designated time, but don’t disappear entirely. It may be your personal preference to have a low profile, but you should be easy to find regardless. Stay on the readers' radar - your hard work will pay off and afford you time to take a break. Readers will understand, they just don’t want to be ghosted and completely ignored. See this article by Angela Ackerman, of Writers Helping Writers for more guidance on how to make Authentic connections through social media using her FAR Method of Marketing for more ideas.

4. Writing community and Giving Back

Share the good news. Giving Back to your writing community brings your good juju to your work, but it also can provide you more posts on Social Media. Sharing your gifts of time and insight are essential to quality writing that readers love to read. Do you have a writer friend who could use cross-promotion or has a new give-away on their website? Share press releases and forward social media from your author friends, as they most likely will do the same.

Get Involved in Community Service. Giving back can mean actual volunteer time too. For example, try helping at a Habitat for Humanity or a pet shelter, especially if those locations or occupations are a part of your novel. Get into the difficulties and joys of working as a carpenter or a vet tech and find better ways to make your stories realistic. Find other places to help out, too. Make someone’s day and make yourself feel better by showing you care with your time, energy and resources.

Giving your time and energy can benefit your writing in many ways. Inspiration from your work and the people you interact with can make it to your own pages. Getting a clear picture of what someone’s work and life is truly like helps us to write with integrity.

Put on your writer hat and pull up your sleeves to learn a new task. It will vitalize your manuscripts and even bring smiles to your face.

All these wactivities can be adapted to social media. Pictures, quotes, promoting a cause, can all come from these activities. Share what you are doing and let your audience know. They love a sneak peek behind the scenes. And who knows? It might inspire and inform your work in progress as well.

What ways do you use your writing process to interact with your audience? Do you use social media for more than the promotion of books? Share down in the down in the comments some of the ways you've found to connect, and feel free to toot your own horn!

About Kris

Kris Maze writes empowering, twisty stories and also teaches Spanish. After years of reading classic literature, mysteries, and legal thrillers, she sought to publish her own books. Her first Science Fiction novella, IMPACT, (Aurelia Leo, 2020) is now available!

Kris Maze is fascinated with strong characters like her protagonist Nala, a teen journalist who reluctantly works with a crazed scientist Edison to survive an incoming asteroid implosion. For more information on her book, look here.

Check out her newly revised website and say hi!  While you are there sign up for her newsletter to get updates on blog tours and media takeovers during the next couple months. For Subscribers during September there will be a free Writer Wellness Tips and Tools download, so now is  a fantastic time to visit her website.

For more information on her Dystopian Sci-fi Romance check here.