Kelly Schuknecht

Back to Writing: Short Story Challenge

August is here and as summer is winding down, it’s time to get back to your writing and publishing goals. Each week this month I will present you with a writing challenge for the week. Come back every Wednesday to join the challenge and get back into the habit of writing on a regular basis. As Desiderius Erasmus once said, “The desire to write grows with writing.”

If you have had a busy summer, it may have been awhile since you sat down to
write, so we’ll start with an easy challenge — write a short story this week based
on something you experienced this summer.

Start by brainstorming:

Did you travel somewhere new this summer? Did you have a scary, strange or funny experience while camping? Did you participate in an event that you don’t want to forget?

Now, write a 500 word short story about your experience. Don’t worry about perfecting the story. The goal of this week’s challenge is to get back in to writing. You never know, the short story may spark a larger project idea such as a self-published book of short stories or a novel based on your short story.

After completing the challenge, feel free to comment below. Tell us a little bit about the short story you wrote or how the challenge has helped you get back to your writing goals.

ABOUT KELLY SCHUKNECHT: Kelly Schuknecht is the Vice President of Outskirts Press. In addition to her contributions to the Outskirts Press blog at blog.outskirtspress.com, Kelly and a group of talented marketing experts offer book marketing services, support, and products to not only published Outskirts Press authors, but to all authors and professionals who are interested in marketing their books and/or careers. Learn more about Kelly on her blog at http://kellyschuknecht.com.

Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Self-Publishing FAQ: Four Questions Answered

Throughout the month of July I discussed topics that often come up for self-publishing authors. Without an experienced agent, many self-publishing authors find that it’s tough to get the answers to their questions about rights and permissions. The July series was designed to help answer some of the questions you may have and to direct you to other sites where you can get more information on each topic. If you missed the series, here is an overview of the topics I discussed and links to more information.

Parts of My Book are True, Can It Still Be Fiction?

Many authors aren’t sure whether to label their work as fiction or non-fiction, a novel or memoir. It is important that writers understand the differences between the two in order to avoid legal issues. The main message is this: if it’s not 100% true, it’s not non-fiction and readers need to be aware that at least parts of the book are fictitious.

Can My Non-Fiction Book be Considered Libelous?

Libelous statements are published statements that are false and damaging. They can be made against people or products. For someone to have a case against you, the statement must be three things: untrue, damaging, and knowingly false. Public officials and public figures must also prove malice.

Can I Use Images From the Internet in My Book?

Many self-publishing authors aren’t sure whether or not they can use internet images in their books. The same copyright laws apply to images found on the internet as any other images. Most of them are protected by copyrights and require permission to use.

Can I Use Song Lyrics in My Book?

The Fair Use rule does not apply to song lyrics. You need permission unless you are only using a song title or if the lyrics are in the public domain. You will also need permission to play recorded music in your book trailer.

For more information on these topics, you can click on the title to visit the original post, which includes links to additional resources. Also, if you have questions about self-publishing, comment below and I will try address them in future posts.

Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Questions Self Publishing Authors Ask: Non-Fiction Book Considered Libelous

Throughout the month of July I will be discussing topics that often come up for self publishing authors. Without an experienced agent, you may have found that it’s tough to find the answers to your questions about rights and permissions. These posts are designed to help answer some of the questions you may have and will direct you to other sites where you can get more information on each topic. Come back each Wednesday this month for more informational posts to help you in your self publishing journey. If you have additional questions, please send us a comment and we’ll add it to our list of topics to cover in the coming weeks.

This week I will address the question: Could my non-fiction book be considered libelous? Many self publishing authors aren’t sure what libel is and how to avoid legal trouble. Here are some helpful things for you to know.

Libel can be against people or products.
Libelous statements are published statements that are false and damaging.
For someone to have a case against you, the statement must be three things: untrue, damaging, and knowingly false.
Plaintiffs must have evidence to prove that the libel statement caused them harm.
Public officials and public figures must also prove malice.
An excellent source on the topic of libel is the “Briefing on Media Law” portion of The Associated Press Stylebook.
When writing non-fiction, only write the truth. Otherwise, write fiction.
Keep records of your research in case you ever need to prove that a statement is true.

To learn more about libel, check out this great post: http://www.writing-world.com/rights/libel.shtml.

Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Questions Self Publishing Authors Ask: Images from the Internet

This week I will address the issue of using images you found on the internet in your book. Many self publishing authors aren’t sure what they need to do in order to protect themselves from copyright laws when it comes to using images from the internet. If you want to use images from the internet in your book, there are a few things you should know.

Most images are protected by copyright laws and permission is required to use them.
Fair Use depends on the individual circumstance. Always be sure you meet all of the requirements. Otherwise, you need permission.
Images you find on the internet are subject to the same copyright laws as any other image you may want to use in your book.

To learn more about legally using images, check out this great post: http://www.copyrightlaws.com/us/legally-using-images/

Kelly Speaks, Uncategorized

Questions Self Publishing Authors Ask: Song Lyrics

This week I will address the issue of using song lyrics in your book. Many self publishing authors aren’t sure what they need to do in order to protect themselves from copyright laws when it comes to using song lyrics. If you want to use song lyrics in your book, there are a few things you should know.

The Fair Use rule doesn’t apply to song lyrics.
You can use song titles without permission because titles can’t be copyrighted.
You can use song lyrics that are in the public domain.
If you want to use copyrighted lyrics, you have to get permission and pay, and it can be costly.
You will need permission and have to pay to use recorded music in your book trailer.

If you still want to use song lyrics in your book, you can obtain the rights in five easy steps. To learn how, check out this article: http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2013/03/so-you-want-to-use-song-lyrics-in-your.html.

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