Hi everyone. Today I am handing over the blog to guest author Diana Dawn. She is going to share the process of writing a book to make it your own. Diana is one of our featured authors in our Beyond Starlight box set. If you haven't grabbed your copy yet you can HERE. Make sure to snag your copy because it is a limited edition and will go down on February 19th.
Hello all! Thank you for letting me blog here today! I thought I would bring up a topic that is on my mind and possibly 'food for thought' for other writers out there. I'd like to discuss writing stories that are loosely based on or related to other existing material...specifically material written by another source. For example, fairy tale retellings are quite popular. I, myself have written several fairy tale retellings, or other types of stories related to existing material out there that wasn't written by me. This subject is on my mind because of the upcoming live-action remake for Snow White coming out later this year by Disney. I have loved Snow White all my life, and I have even written an entire series based on a retelling of an alternate life Snow White might have had if circumstances turned out differently. I started thinking of some general guidelines I thought I would share about writing stories related to media that is already available and how to be careful with doing so. For example, there is so much great material out there regarding fairy tales, aside from Disney. There are several lovely movies and cartoons and retelling books available. It would be a shame for us to shy away from writing what's on our hearts just because we are afraid of being accused of "copyright infringement", etc. I thought I would take some time today and discuss some strategies around writing stories related to material that other sources have written about.
1. Create your own story or spin on the material. For instance, a fairy tale retelling is a great example of this point. You love a story, like Cinderella, and you decide you want to write something that is unique to an idea you have based on that story or character. Everyone has their own unique styles and ideas, and this is a good way to put your own take on a beloved story or an existing work.
2. Change as much as possible. Change the character names, pet's names, land or country names, etc., so as not to be associated with another work. Sometimes, this can be a challenge. For example, Snow White... I wrote a retelling story with my main character's name being "Snowelle". Now luckily, some material has been around for centuries, and no one has a "patent" on the name, such as Snow White. I also wrote a Little Mermaid retelling with the heroine's name being "Kaia", meaning "the sea". Some characters haven't been around for as long as others, so this is something to be careful about. Using clever little naming ideas can help with this.
3. Do your research. As in the previous point, many stories come down from legends over the years and no one “owns” their original source. For many, we don’t even know the origin, to be certain. These types of stories will allow for more flexibility and less worry of infringing on any “original work”. Do your research on where the story originated. And it might even give you more ideas to write about.
4. Don't use the other copyrighted source material in any way. This is a must! For example, I wouldn't even use the lyrics to a song from the related material in a phrase spoken by a character in the story. Or, when you describe a character, be sure and not describe their outfit as being the same as the one for the character in that other related work, either. You don't want to be sued by anyone and have all your hard work ripped away!
5. Use your own images or images that will not be associated with the related work. This may sound obvious, but any similarity can be pounced upon, whether it's a character's appearance and clothing, a castle design, the personified look of an animal...anything is up for scrutiny.
6. Don't use any copyrighted music… for example, if you make a book trailer or related media for your work. I always search for original music from artists who offer their work for a small fee with no copyright requirements, and some even offer free works just for a mention of their name or website.
I’m sure there are more tips for this subject. I would suggest doing a search before you get started or as you are writing to see if you can find any other helpful information on the subject. Thank you for your time and especially thank you to The Dungeon Crawlers Blog for allowing me to share today!
Happy reading!
Diana Dawn
*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR ***
Diana Dawn
As a lover of fairy tales and romance, Diana has focused her writing on romantic fiction, with a hint of classic fables. She has been a lifelong writer and first began creating stories in grade school. When she isn't glued to her computer or lost in her next fantasy story, Diana enjoys taking vacations with her husband and three children.
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Download the first two books in my series FREE at my website or at these links:
Fallen Snow: Whispering Willow Book 1—
Beyond the Tunnels —
Diana's Newest Releases:
Starboard Hearts —
Forget Me Not —
*** ABOUT THE BOOK ***
~ Starcrossed Love ~
Featured: "Beyond Starlight" Box Set
"Starcrossed Love"
by: Diana Dawn
Kira’s planet's sun had suffered collapse, destroying her world and everyone she loved. As part of the Gundrie race, Kira's crystal pendant with its energy source of their planet's sun would allow her to live forever. She was one of only two left of the Gundrie. The other was a man she despised. If you are one of the last of a race that lives forever, how can you find everlasting love?
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