copyright symbol as bate in a mouse trap

Using Other People’s Work, Copyright Law for Writers

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Use of someone else’s work, such as song lyrics, a quotation, or a character, in your story is subject to copyright law. Copyright protects the expression of an idea from unpermitted copying, modification, publication, or performance (“infringement”). Copyright only protects the expression of the idea, not the idea itself. J.K. …

Chinese Flag with a rocket and the words Hugo Award with big stamp of Censored

Hugo Awards Bow to Chinese Censorship

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What are the Hugo Awards? Hugo Awards are one of the preeminent speculative fiction awards. They call themselves a ‘science fiction award’, but many of the nominees and winners are clearly in other genres like fantasy, time travel, or even the supernatural. The Hugos date back to the 1950s and …

Face of Frank M Robinson next to campaign buttons for Harvey Milk

Frank M. Robinson: A Must-Read SF Author

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FRANK ROBINSON AND HARVEY MILK For many years, I knew of Frank M. Robinson (1926-2014) as the highly gifted speechwriter of gay rights visionary, Harvey Milk. In tapes recorded by Harvey before his death by assassination in 1978, he spoke of Robinson as the one person who was most familiar …

Two wrestlers, one flying through the air headed for slamming the other.

Submission Slammers

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I write short stories. The investment is light, the turnaround is fast, and with every story, I feel my writing improves. While many members of Speculative Fiction Writers are developing novel-length manuscripts, short stories provide an excellent creative break. It might be just what you need to get unblocked. To …

Actress with a sword pointing outward

Film Review: Damsel

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Warning: Contains Spoilers The Setup Actress Millie Bobby Brown, as the titular heroine Elodie, lives in an impoverished country with her non-royal family. She narrates the movie, and describes herself as a damsel in distress who cannot depend on a knight in shining armor, and must rescue herself from imminent …

Space alien looking at multiple screens

Embrace the Future of Web Images

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In the ever-evolving digital landscape, the importance of optimizing your website for speed and performance cannot be overstated. As an author, your website is your digital storefront, and the images you use play a crucial role in engaging your audience. Enter WebP, a modern image format that promises to revolutionize …

Animated author shouting at his laptop

Cultivating Our Author’s Voice

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What is an author’s voice, and how can we cultivate it? An author’s voice is the unique way we share and express our story, using an imaginative framework of words to develop characters, settings, ideas, and emotions. A cultivated writer’s voice immerses readers in the story, making them feel like …

Closeup of a ghostly face

Speculative Fiction and Nightmare Rescripting

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In one of my recurring nightmares years ago, I walked through the barracks at Air Force basic training while nondescript men leered at me. I ran but found no way out. I froze in terror and rage as they assaulted me. The Science According to researchers, approximately 2-8% of adults …

dragon sitting on book

Book Review: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

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This much-awaited sequel to Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing entitled Iron Flame was released November 7, 2023. Early special editions include “sprayed” black page edges. The book’s blurblet cover tagline reads: “Burn. It. Down.” Fourth Wing won most major awards, so this book was highly anticipated. Trilogy Theme The trilogy focuses …

Title inside ripped paper with a gavel in the background

Trademark Law for Writers

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Using a trademarked product in your fiction can set a scene or tell the reader about a character. Sure, you can have someone drink a soda, but so much more is conveyed to the reader if that soda is described as a Coke, a Pelligrino blood orange, or a Kroger …