For the week of Hearts and Flowers, WITS would like you to share a line of writing you love, your own or another's. Just one. We want to share our own favorite lines and hear about yours down in the comments.
Many writers struggle with self-doubt, with imposter syndrome, with anxiety. The conundrum is that before we ask others to believe in us and our writing, we must believe in ourselves and know that our words deserve to be heard.
Go ahead, be brave.
Kris (K. Maze)
From a YA short story I'm working on. The female protagonist discovers wrestling as a way to fight back after life has given her a beating.
She jogged to the third mat when her name was called over the loudspeaker. Her arms still ached, though the bruises were fading. Tonight she'd definitely fight back.
Do you think I know what I'm doing? That for one breath or half-breath I belong to myself? As much as a pen knows what it's writing, or the ball can know where it's going next.
Don't be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.
Julie
From my own work in progress, Awaken. For context, the characters are climbing a mountain.
“I’m coming up.” My voice is steadier than my nerves. They flutter in my stomach like birds trapped in a too-small cage. There’s no other sound but the thick rush of wind ripping at our hair and our clothing and our confidence.
And a bonus line from a wonderful novel that I recently copy edited and can now be purchased, His Lady to Protect by Justine Covington:
Bright cheeks and sparkling eyes reminded Susannah of the conspiratorial laughs her mother had shared with this woman, and a lump the size of her mother’s gravestone formed in her throat.
Jenny
From my high-risk pregnancy memoir.
Fear stalked through my childhood, a rabid dog that refused to be put down. As the child of a retired military officer, who cuddled his glittery narcissism beneath a shadowy cape of PTSD, I grew used to navigating a world filled with fear.
Your turn! Share a line you've written that you love, either from your current work in progress or a previously published book. Then the rest of us will show our love too!
Are you an indie author about to create or commission a cover? If so, most likely you'll be using images to design your latest best seller. Did you know that those images have copyrights? Even if you found them on the interwebs like litter on a street corner, they still have rights. It's that fact that gets a lot of authors in trouble.
It's never a good idea to pull an image directly off of a Google search because you can't be sure where it's coming from, who has the rights, whether they've released them, or whether they are still very much the property of the creator.
To keep yourself protected from potential legal action, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Discover images at reputable websites
If you're designing the cover yourself, use reputable stock photography sites and purchase the right to use the image. In a future blog post I'll go over the rights each site gives, and the pros and cons of each, but in the meantime here's a few reputable sites I recommend:
Pay attention to what rights you actually purchased
Some sites sell you the right to use an image for personal reasons at one price, but charge a different price for commercial use. (Hint...you need commercial rights.)
Also take note of whether you're allowed to manipulate the image in any way. Most stock sites do grant you the right to tinker to your heart's desire, but a few don't. Be sure you adhere to whatever rules they set out for you. Some sites give you unlimited eBook reproduction but limit the number of print copies you can produce before requiring an "extended license."
When you purchase the image, I highly recommend saving a PDF of the license and storing it for future reference with the image/cover.
Pass on by any image marked "for editorial use only." That means the image can't be used for personal or commercial purposes, which means you can't use it on a book cover. Those images are only used for magazine or news articles, and should never be manipulated (Photoshopped together with other images or retouched).
The buck stops with you
If you're hiring a designer to craft your cover for you, it's still ultimately your responsibility to make sure they've obtained the rights to the images they use to craft your cover, in the same way that if you hire an assassin you're still responsible for the murder they commit on your behalf.
Most professional designers are well aware of the basic rights/rules, but some aren't. Don't be afraid to ask them where they purchased the image, and ask for a copy of the image license.
If they produced the image themselves (if, for instance, they are also a photographer and they used their own photography), then ask them to convey the rights to you in writing. There are boilerplate contracts you can use to convey the basic terms, just so there are no misunderstandings in the future.
Sometimes it seems silly to go through the motions of paperwork but trust me, should a lawsuit arise, you'll be glad you did it.
"Free" isn't worth it.
I avoid "free" sites because:
1. The images are not great quality and they are overused. It's fine for a blog post or newsletter, not so fine for a book cover; and 2. The license is flawed.
Most free sites use a type of "Creative Commons" license which means yes you can use it for commercial use, but it does not guarantee that whoever posted the image to the site actually had the right to distribute the image, nor that they didn't violate privacy laws or property laws to obtain the image.
In other words, they may have infringed on someone else's rights...which makes you an accomplice if you use it. They also don't police the content at all, leaving you vulnerable.
The stock sites I've mentioned above do a certain amount of vetting of the photographers who post their images for use. There are statements and contracts which establish that they've obtained the model's permission, that they own the photo, etc. Which in turn gives you a certain level of protection you just don't get for free.
In my next post, I'll go more in depth regarding the stock photography websites I've recommended and their painful-to-read rights. If you've been using a site that didn't make my list, please leave a note in the comments and I'll investigate it for you.
Please note...I'm not a lawyer. I'm a graphic designer and an author. I have, however, spent years in the publishing industry handling images and dealing with the legal issues associated with using them, so I do have tips and advice that I hope helps you in your book covering quest. That said, when in doubt, please consult an actual lawyer or simply don't use the image.
Do you struggle with finding images? Have you ever had legal issues with photos? Melinda is ready for your questions down in the comments!
About Melinda
Melinda VanLone writes urban fantasy, freelances as a graphic designer, and dabbles in photography. She currently lives in Florida with her husband and furbabies.
When she's not playing with her imaginary friends, you can find Melinda playing World of Warcraft, wandering aimlessly through the streets taking photos, or hovered over coffee in Starbucks.
Alternately titled: Talk Me Off the Edge- My 1st Fiction Book
is Being Published!
Bridging from Non-fiction to Fiction has been like a flight
from Earth to Mars. New landscapes. New people. Different atmosphere. Different
laws of physics. And it is a little daunting.
My love of writing began when I was a latchkey kid. I would spend hours, even days, in the local library. I started in the kid’s section, but after I'd read all my favorite books, I ventured into the adult section.
“Whoa there, little guy, this is for the adults. I’m not sure you are in the right section,” said the librarian. I was 10 years old and I desperately wanted to read books from the pulp fiction section. I was especially interested in fantasy and science fiction titles with their creased covers and yellowed pages.
Eventually I wandered into the business center, which had a long table with typewriters. I wanted to write my own stories. I dreamed of being a writer and seeing my pulp fiction title stuffed in the tall rotating carousel.
My mother procured (read: pilfered) my typing paper from her company's supply closet and I sat down to create.
Fast forward thirty years, when I retired from the day job to write full time. I have been writing non-fiction books and articles for thirteen years, but I never forgot my roots in that little town library.
The Unexpected Book
In 2012, my life changed. After raising two girls, I had my baby boy, Max. He came into this world a wonder: a mix of superhuman powers, and superhuman weaknesses. Cold air is his kryptonite. The medical term is Cold Urticaria with Angioedema, which is a fancy way to say that he was allergic to cold and to viruses. Allergic in the "stop breathing" kind of way, which was terrifying.
My inspiration came from a couple of my favorite writers. Ian Fleming, of the James Bond series fame, decided to write a book for his son, and read him the chapters as a bed story. It eventually became the book, Chitty Chitty Bang, Bang, which became a movie with the screenplay written by Roald Dahl. (As a child, this movie scared me, as children were captured and put into a cage.)
My second inspiration was Stephen King. He had written thirteen books, and his daughter Naomi had not read any of them because horror was not her thing. So, he wrote The Eyes of the Dragon, a fantasy story, for his daughter. It is one of my favorite Stephen King books.
Both of these authors shifted genres to create something for their children. I was inspired too, and it became a special story and our special time while my little boy was so sick.
The Proposition and the Promise
Two years ago, my son asked me where his book was. (Which meant I had to move the project into being.) It is the novel I never intended to write.
In September it will be released to the world, and I am an emotional wreck. I will finally fulfill the dream of the little boy I used to be. The boy who dared to grab a book from the adult stacks and run back to the children’s section to read Frank Herbert's Dune.
Instead of being the expert sitting across the table, helping nonfiction authors write and publish their books, I am the one chewing my nails and questioning my sanity.
Is this a stupid idea? Will people hate it? Do I have the right
genre? What am I going to do for marketing? Distribution?
I’m like a student in their first year of med school: I know just enough to be dangerous, but not enough to be correct in my assumptions.
I am currently shifting my POV with a deadline to get it to the editor. I have given them my thoughts for the cover and am checking my inbox hourly to get the first glimpse. I am questioning everything.
Basically, I've become the client I sometimes dread: full of insecurity, and prone to dramatic predictions that "it is terrible and that is why no one who has read it has given me accolades." What if it's not the best thing they have ever read??
Can someone pleaseput me out of my misery?
There is a shiny light illuminating my desperate self-flagellating musings. I have a great support network.
I have surrounded myself with people both in and out of the industry who have my back, and who set me straight when I veer too far into Crazyville.
I believe I can get through this and, for any of you who are reading this right now and nodding your head (because you recognize my agony and overly dramatic responses), I have some advice from that network to share.
The Best Advice
1. Rely on your tribe.
Listen to what they are saying to you. Stop responding with things like “yes, but…” They care about you and want you to succeed. Let them know what you need. A hug? A high five? A shot of whiskey?
Think of book publishing as running a triple marathon where they are on the sideline with signs, water, and snacks.
2. Believe in yourself.
Even if you are the only one who reads and loves your book, it was worth the effort. It’s likely that if you love the work, others will too. You don’t need everyone to love it, your opinion is what matters in the end. Were you happy with your work? Were you satisfied with what you created?
When I was ten and wrote an epic star opera on my pilfered paper, I was so happy at what I had created, and so proud to present it to my parents. It was not a top seller in any category, but it was the greatest thing I had ever created.
I have to remind myself of that moment. It is the reason I continued to want to be a writer. I wanted to see MY book on the shelf so that I could read it.
3. Brace yourself.
I have given my clients this advice, and now I am on the other side of it. The writing is just the beginning. The real work begins after you write “the end” on your first draft.
Now I must dig in and take the time to rewrite, think about marketing and covers, distribution and returns and everything else that goes into publishing a book. All of it with this ticking clock that rings on launch day.
4. Take care of yourself.
Step away from the manuscript. Walk around. Spend time with the family. Occasionally sleep. Run a few miles on the treadmill.
A work of fiction is much different than nonfiction or any other kind of writing I have done. This is so much more personal, and therefore I feel overprotective, anxious, and vulnerable. I must take care of my mental, physical, emotional, and even spiritual parts of myself. I must take it one task at a time and push forward every day.
If I've got this, then you, my fellow writer, also have this.
I know I will cry when I see the completed book. That’s just how I roll. And there will be only one critic whose opinion matters in the end: my son. This was written for and about him. This story helped me feel more in control at a time when I felt so helpless as a parent. Part of my nerves are because I want to make him proud.
Drawing on our real-life experience and being able to write my own happy ending was therapeutic. This book helped he and I heal as much as it entertained. September 14, 2020 is the day this first book of a trilogy is released. That's the day I will finally have my nervous breakdown.
Every published author knows the madness of release day. We willingly embrace this madness over and over again.
It’s totally worth it, don’t you think?
Have you written a special story for a family member? Changed your genre? Do you get nervous on Release Day? Tell us about it in the comments!
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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 Pirates, will be released in Summer 2020.
