I haven't updated my blog for a long time. I've been occupied with something that has taken nearly all my energy and almost all my time, too. Also my book has been put on the back burner for the time being.
Yesterday, I started a business of my own. The process of making this decision has depleted my mental reserves. I'm exhausted and scared but, also, relieved.
The process started one Friday night in April when I was in my cups, prattling the night away with a friend of mine. She told me about her difficulties in finding clothes she likes. She expressed a wish that I were a boutique keeper in our town; she believed that she would get what she wants from me. As the closing time of the restaurant drew nigh, we got a bit carried away with the idea. Next morning I woke up with an aching head and the idea of a business of my own firmly lodged in my mind.
Ever since that morning, I've been ferreting out ideas, rejecting them, and ferreting out some more. I've been hunting for information. I've been hunting for a place for my business. I've been hunting for money. And above all, I've been fretting.
Emotionally, It's been a roller coaster ride. At first, my friend was supposed to partner me in the business; she backtracked on her commitment. At that, the butterflies in my stomach got even more frenzied. One moment, I was excited by a find of a perfect material for my collection of knitwear, the next I was devastated because I failed in gettin a loan. I've had doubts, and I've found my nerv again.
At last, the most energy consuming part of the project is behind me; I've reached the decision of becoming a businesswoman. The firm exists. Since I need to get the confirmation from the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland that the suggested name of the firm is available, there's no point in revealing that bit of information just yet.
The next phase of the profect, the building up the shop and manufacturing the products, will take time and effort, but it'll be less demanding on my psyche. And, of course, I still need to get the loan.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Derivative fanfiction, transformative fiction
There are authors that don’t want fanfiction based on their products. I find that quite peculiar thinking, but those people are free to make that choice. If I ever got any of my works published, I would be pleased if I had fans writing fiction based on my stories. In this post I try to make clear my attitudes towards fanfiction.
I would welcome works of fanfiction writers, fanfics, for the simple fact that I could never get published more than one book per year. When I find a book I love and want to read more from the same author, a year is a very long time to wait for a new book. During those long months, I go to bookstores and libraries and find other works that intrigue me. I might forget the author in whom I once was so interested. However, if there are fanfics available based on the book I like, I might read those and keep my interest in the upcoming book fresh. I believe that fanfiction is a form of promotion for the work it is based on and for the author of the work, too. In addition, it is a form of promotion that doesn’t cost a dime to the author of the original work.
So, why are many author’s unwilling to solicit fannish activities? It is my assumption that such authors are thinking about copyright issues. Unfortunately, fans aren’t too knowledgeable of the laws. I’ve read enough of fanfics to know that there are works in which copyright infringement has been committed. However, also some writers misinterpret the most basic feature of copyright: what copyright protects.
Copyright protects the form that is given by the maker. Copyright does not protect the idea.
For example, in the Black Jewels books, Anne Bishop uses as her fantastic element a race called the Blood. She describes the race as looking like humans on the outside but inside of them resides the other. Because of the other the Blood is capable of using magic. The level of power each individual has depends on the depth of the Well that they have. The strength of the individuals is shown through the Jewels they get from a mysterious source: the darker the jewel, the stronger the individual. That is the form Bishop has given for the idea she came up with.
I must not copy that form and use it in my own work without Bishop’s permission: the form is copyrighted. I am of the opinion that it is not enough to call the race Kittens or to show the strength of their individual powers through the size of their tails. That would be the same form in disguise. The idea itself can be given other forms.
I could write about some hybrids that have magical powers because of one of the contained species. My hybrids would be combined of, say, four species: humans, cows, rats and ants. It would be ants that would have access to magical powers. The power would be something typical of ants…the hybrids would have the power of building steady structures. From there the form of the idea develops into something quite different from the form that Bishop gave the same idea.
One of the main forms that authors create is the story itself. I must not write a poem or a screenplay that tells exactly the same story than the book, without permission. That would be a copyright infringement. It would also be derivative work, not transformative.
Fanfiction should be as transformative as possible. In fanfics, the writers should give the ideas of the original new forms. They should use their own ideas. The writers should tell their own stories. But, fanfiction is a form of fiction that is based on borrowed elements. What are those elements? Typically, writers borrow characters from the original work.
For example, in Bishop’s series, there is a man who has been featured in many of the fanfics in that fandom: Daemon Sadi. What is copyrighted about that character? Apparently, in a fanfic, no excerpts from the books may be used to describe Sadi, but what about the fact that, according to Bishop, Sadi always wears black and white garments; could I tell that in my fanfic? In my opinion, Sadi’s preferred clothing colors are an idea, and I can give that idea a new form. I could write: It was apparent that Sadi was in a foul mood; he was clothed in black from head to toe. Less transformative thing to write would be: Sadi was, as usual, clothed in a black suit and a white shirt. But, unless the exactly the same wording can be found in Bishop’s books, the sentence could be used. I would prefer the more transformative expression, though.
So, in fanfiction, is it OK to write about Sadi or any other character? No, it is not. Sadi is a form that Bishop has given to her idea of a superior male. That form is copyrighted. As long as Sadi of a fanfic fits the role of a superior male, the character is Bishop’s form. Bishop has sold the right of copying that form to her publisher for a certain amount of time. That deal makes it impossible for her to give fanfiction writers the right to copy that character, too. For the time being, she has not that right to give; the publisher has it.
However, in my opinion, the fact that copyright protects the form and not the idea contains a loophole, and some fanfic writers use it to get from derivative fanfiction writing to transformative fanfiction writing. If I tell about Sadi that no longer can fill the role of a superior male, is he a form that Bishop created? I don’t think so. In the original, Sadi is the male that has greater power than anyone else. If I take away his power, in my opinion, the character will change essentially. He wears the same name and the same face, but he is not the same person. As far as I’m concerned, such a story would be more than derivative fanfiction: it might even deserve the title of original fiction.
In fanfiction, there are good works. Some writers are for a good reason proud of their stories. There is a chance that such a writer or her/his readers send the fanfic to the original author. I would not want to get such a post, and I would never read the fic. Why? Because of copyright problems. If I were aware of the copyright infringement, I should inform my publisher of the fact. Does the fanfiction writer want that? It may come to nothing, but why cause trouble? There’s also another copyright problem involved: the copyrights of the writer of the fanfic. If I read a fic and used, even unintentionally, a form from that fic, I would commit the crime of copyright infringement. I don’t need that hassle.
In order to keep me happy, a fanfiction writer who wants to base his/her fanfic on my story must follow these rules:
1. Never use excerpts of the original work without my permission.
2. Never write a derivative work like a poem or a screenplay without my permission.
3. Make your fanfics as transformative as you can.
4. Never expect me to read your fanfic, be it derivative or transformative.
I would welcome works of fanfiction writers, fanfics, for the simple fact that I could never get published more than one book per year. When I find a book I love and want to read more from the same author, a year is a very long time to wait for a new book. During those long months, I go to bookstores and libraries and find other works that intrigue me. I might forget the author in whom I once was so interested. However, if there are fanfics available based on the book I like, I might read those and keep my interest in the upcoming book fresh. I believe that fanfiction is a form of promotion for the work it is based on and for the author of the work, too. In addition, it is a form of promotion that doesn’t cost a dime to the author of the original work.
So, why are many author’s unwilling to solicit fannish activities? It is my assumption that such authors are thinking about copyright issues. Unfortunately, fans aren’t too knowledgeable of the laws. I’ve read enough of fanfics to know that there are works in which copyright infringement has been committed. However, also some writers misinterpret the most basic feature of copyright: what copyright protects.
Copyright protects the form that is given by the maker. Copyright does not protect the idea.
For example, in the Black Jewels books, Anne Bishop uses as her fantastic element a race called the Blood. She describes the race as looking like humans on the outside but inside of them resides the other. Because of the other the Blood is capable of using magic. The level of power each individual has depends on the depth of the Well that they have. The strength of the individuals is shown through the Jewels they get from a mysterious source: the darker the jewel, the stronger the individual. That is the form Bishop has given for the idea she came up with.
I must not copy that form and use it in my own work without Bishop’s permission: the form is copyrighted. I am of the opinion that it is not enough to call the race Kittens or to show the strength of their individual powers through the size of their tails. That would be the same form in disguise. The idea itself can be given other forms.
I could write about some hybrids that have magical powers because of one of the contained species. My hybrids would be combined of, say, four species: humans, cows, rats and ants. It would be ants that would have access to magical powers. The power would be something typical of ants…the hybrids would have the power of building steady structures. From there the form of the idea develops into something quite different from the form that Bishop gave the same idea.
One of the main forms that authors create is the story itself. I must not write a poem or a screenplay that tells exactly the same story than the book, without permission. That would be a copyright infringement. It would also be derivative work, not transformative.
Fanfiction should be as transformative as possible. In fanfics, the writers should give the ideas of the original new forms. They should use their own ideas. The writers should tell their own stories. But, fanfiction is a form of fiction that is based on borrowed elements. What are those elements? Typically, writers borrow characters from the original work.
For example, in Bishop’s series, there is a man who has been featured in many of the fanfics in that fandom: Daemon Sadi. What is copyrighted about that character? Apparently, in a fanfic, no excerpts from the books may be used to describe Sadi, but what about the fact that, according to Bishop, Sadi always wears black and white garments; could I tell that in my fanfic? In my opinion, Sadi’s preferred clothing colors are an idea, and I can give that idea a new form. I could write: It was apparent that Sadi was in a foul mood; he was clothed in black from head to toe. Less transformative thing to write would be: Sadi was, as usual, clothed in a black suit and a white shirt. But, unless the exactly the same wording can be found in Bishop’s books, the sentence could be used. I would prefer the more transformative expression, though.
So, in fanfiction, is it OK to write about Sadi or any other character? No, it is not. Sadi is a form that Bishop has given to her idea of a superior male. That form is copyrighted. As long as Sadi of a fanfic fits the role of a superior male, the character is Bishop’s form. Bishop has sold the right of copying that form to her publisher for a certain amount of time. That deal makes it impossible for her to give fanfiction writers the right to copy that character, too. For the time being, she has not that right to give; the publisher has it.
However, in my opinion, the fact that copyright protects the form and not the idea contains a loophole, and some fanfic writers use it to get from derivative fanfiction writing to transformative fanfiction writing. If I tell about Sadi that no longer can fill the role of a superior male, is he a form that Bishop created? I don’t think so. In the original, Sadi is the male that has greater power than anyone else. If I take away his power, in my opinion, the character will change essentially. He wears the same name and the same face, but he is not the same person. As far as I’m concerned, such a story would be more than derivative fanfiction: it might even deserve the title of original fiction.
In fanfiction, there are good works. Some writers are for a good reason proud of their stories. There is a chance that such a writer or her/his readers send the fanfic to the original author. I would not want to get such a post, and I would never read the fic. Why? Because of copyright problems. If I were aware of the copyright infringement, I should inform my publisher of the fact. Does the fanfiction writer want that? It may come to nothing, but why cause trouble? There’s also another copyright problem involved: the copyrights of the writer of the fanfic. If I read a fic and used, even unintentionally, a form from that fic, I would commit the crime of copyright infringement. I don’t need that hassle.
In order to keep me happy, a fanfiction writer who wants to base his/her fanfic on my story must follow these rules:
1. Never use excerpts of the original work without my permission.
2. Never write a derivative work like a poem or a screenplay without my permission.
3. Make your fanfics as transformative as you can.
4. Never expect me to read your fanfic, be it derivative or transformative.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Finished is not finished
A week ago, after about 30 months, I finally finished my first novel. Of course, I felt the joy of achieving something that, actually, I wasn’t sure I could achieve. Under the joy, I felt a nagging discomfort, though. Something is amiss with my manuscript.
For a week, I couldn’t do anything about the nag. I didn’t know what I should be looking at. Yesterday, on my way home in a rush hour buss, in a sudden flash of understanding that changed. I love it when that happens. It never ceases to amaze me how my mind works. In my opinion, conscious thought processes have more prestigious status than they deserve, and the unconscious processes are undervalued.
There’s a major fault in my story. The fault reflects the mistake that I made in recognizing my antagonist (later Anta). How can I write a novel without recognizing my Anta? I must be the nitwit of all nitwits.
The real Anta is a group of people, not just one person. In retrospect, it’s easy to see that the person I pictured as Anta is actually a catalyst (later Cata) that causes a change in the group mentality of Anta. I guess that I made the mistake in the assumption that Anta is actively working against the protagonist (later Prota). In my book Cata acts, but Anta is sitting back until it’s time to strike the decisive blow against Prota.
In revising the story, I need to make the sitting Anta more visible. That should be an interesting exercise.
For a week, I couldn’t do anything about the nag. I didn’t know what I should be looking at. Yesterday, on my way home in a rush hour buss, in a sudden flash of understanding that changed. I love it when that happens. It never ceases to amaze me how my mind works. In my opinion, conscious thought processes have more prestigious status than they deserve, and the unconscious processes are undervalued.
There’s a major fault in my story. The fault reflects the mistake that I made in recognizing my antagonist (later Anta). How can I write a novel without recognizing my Anta? I must be the nitwit of all nitwits.
The real Anta is a group of people, not just one person. In retrospect, it’s easy to see that the person I pictured as Anta is actually a catalyst (later Cata) that causes a change in the group mentality of Anta. I guess that I made the mistake in the assumption that Anta is actively working against the protagonist (later Prota). In my book Cata acts, but Anta is sitting back until it’s time to strike the decisive blow against Prota.
In revising the story, I need to make the sitting Anta more visible. That should be an interesting exercise.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The completion of the main plot
Late last night, I wrote to the completion the second of the three main story arches. The passage collides together the intentions of the protagonist and the antagonist. Thereby, it's the completion of the main plot; it's the most important knotting of threads in the book. At the moment, I think I managed well with it.
I've been agonizing with that passage for about seven months. First, my ideas for it didn't satisfy me. I rejected my original idea very quickly. I've seen that particular scenario played out too many times in fantasy books. Then I came up with a flood of stupid ideas. For a while, I even contemplated dropping the antagonist into a pit in order to give the person quadriplegia. At the end, I came up with the idea that is now in the file. That happened about five months ago. Why it took me that long to write it?
According to my experiences, it's good to let ideas stand for a little while. Most ideas can't survive that period. The thrill I initially felt fades away. However, if an idea survives the test, in most cases, it's a usable idea that gets even better as it gets older. So happened with the idea for the conclution of my main plot. During the last three days, as I was writing the idea down at last, I had numerous supporting ideas with the main one and a few popped up during the writing, too. Surprises don't stop, it seems. In addition, the main plot had evolved into something even more thrilling than it was back then, fife months ago.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
My definition of fantasy
I define myself as a fantasy writer. What do I mean by that?
A writer
What is writing in the world in which communication is evolving rapidly and away from the neat categories like written communication, spoken communication, and visual communication? If one looks at the written messages on this page, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that I’m a writer. In this blog, however, I combine messages created by the rules of three different modes of communication: written language, picture, and hypertext. I’ve created also the picture of the feather. I’ve given it the color, I’ve given it the size, and I’ve situated it in the page the background color of which I selected. Is that writing? Most likely, you shake your head “no”. Nevertheless, the picture is a part of a page in which, as a carrier of messages, the written language is in the most prominent role. Who am I: a writer or an illustrator?
I already have given the answer: I’m a writer. I use the term writer in the meaning: the creator of a message. In that sense, I’m a writer that creates messages in any modes of communication that I deem useful. The something that turns me into a writer is the message that I want to communicate–not the technique that I choose to use.
Fantasy
The different readers and writers of fantasy define the genre in different ways. My definition is based on my experiences as a reader. I’ve read about one thousand fantasy books from various authors. In addition to fantasy books, I’ve read other genres and general literature. The number of non-fantasy books that I’ve read is about four thousand. I’ve created a criterion that puts one book into fantasy pile and another to the non-fantasy pile. The classification is easy: there’s one factor that decides where a book goes.
As far as I’m concerned, every book that contains a fantastical element is a fantasy book.What do I mean by a fantastical element? My answer to this question is very simple: if the element does not have reference in the real world, then it’s a fantastical element. That includes advanced technology as well as magic. In my definition, science fiction and horror are sub-genres of fantasy.
You may wonder where in my definition is speculative fiction. That concept, even though I find it an interesting one, in my thinking is unnecessary. To me, the two concepts mean exactly the same. Since fantasy as a label is more descriptive, I use it.
After that the classification of fantasy gets fuzzy. While I admit to the idea that there are sub-genres in fantasy, I don’t see a strict line between any of those sub-genres. By many readers and writers, science fiction is seen as distinctively different from other kinds of fantasy. I don’t think so. The scientific speculation on which science fiction is based is every bit as fantastical as any mythic beast or magic ring. Until such speculation has been brought to existence, it’s fantastical.
On what I so far have told you, you might come to the conclusion that I don’t care much about sub-genres of fantasy. If so, you’ve got it right. I don’t need a pigeon hole that the majority of the readers can agree upon for my fantasy stories. I need to know how my story differs from other stories and in which it’s similar to them. Any sub-genre is too closed a class to help me with that. As a reader, I have preferences among the sub-genres and some on them I don’t read at all, but as a writer, I take features from any sub-genre of fantasy. The only deciding factor is the story: any feature I choose has to fit with the story, not the other way around.
A fantasy writer
As a fantasy writer, I’m a creator of messages that contain fantastical elements. Let’s stop for a moment and think. What does it mean that a message contains a fantastical element?
First, it means that there is at least one fantastical element. For example, the message “a blue apple eats ghosts” has three fantastical elements. With the fantastic element there might be something that isn’t fantastical, too. For example, “a blue apple is the key that will unlock the door to the secret of time”.
Second, it means that there is at least one message.
Which is more important: the message or the fantastical element? Let’s take a closer look at the first message, “a blue apple eats ghosts”. What is the significance of that message? It has none. I wouldn’t be interested in a fantasy story that would do nothing but carry that one message.
Without something real in the fantasy, the fantasy cannot tell anything meaningful. The message “a blue apple eats ghosts that are hoxtuesing the mowjongs” doesn’t mean anything. The blue, ghost-eating apple gains significance only if there is a reference to our world: for example “a blue apple eats ghosts that are bothering the thieves”. Even if the story is played out in a fictitious world, there has to be enough of references to the real world in which the readers live.
Thereby, fantasy as a genre gives a natural rise for allegories. It is my experience and my opinion, that the best fantasy stories take advantage of that slant. Such writers as Ursula Le Guin, Robert Silverberg, Octavia E. Butler, and C.J. Cherryh have created very impressive allegories of the human societies by that method. Some writers choose to leave the possibility of making a comment on the human condition untouched. Personally, as reader, I don’t enjoy such fantasy stories. In my mind, such stories read either as adventures or as escape from reality. As a writer, I try to make comments about our own world by creating allegories.
Surprising myself
Today, I wrote the first of the three main story arches in my book to the conclusion.
Finally.
Once again, despite the draft I'm following, something surprising happened. I was writing about my main character Travis' struggle to understand the motives of his partner. It was my intention to make him ponder about the dislike he and his partner feel for a certain side character and thereby come to the conclusion whether to accept his partner's motives or not. However, I wrote about Travis recalling his memories from the very beginning of his time with his partner. Because of them, he came to understand the fault in his own thinking. The end result was the same, but the way I took was a route that I never had even thought about.
It was much better way than to one I had previously decided to take.
Where do these ideas come from? From my subconscious, that's my guess. But, that doesn't tell me much. How do the ideas rise from the subconscious level to the conscious level? I have no idea, but my best ideas seem to appear like this.
Finally.
Once again, despite the draft I'm following, something surprising happened. I was writing about my main character Travis' struggle to understand the motives of his partner. It was my intention to make him ponder about the dislike he and his partner feel for a certain side character and thereby come to the conclusion whether to accept his partner's motives or not. However, I wrote about Travis recalling his memories from the very beginning of his time with his partner. Because of them, he came to understand the fault in his own thinking. The end result was the same, but the way I took was a route that I never had even thought about.
It was much better way than to one I had previously decided to take.
Where do these ideas come from? From my subconscious, that's my guess. But, that doesn't tell me much. How do the ideas rise from the subconscious level to the conscious level? I have no idea, but my best ideas seem to appear like this.
Monday, February 11, 2008
What kind of an experience is 'reading'?
What does 'reading' mean?
Am I seeing words and phrases of a text? The answer is a definite no. For a moment in the very beginning of the experience, I'm aware of letters and words. My awareness of those thing is a short-lived thing, though. I forget that I'm seeing them; such structural building blocks disappeare from my consciousness. Consciously, while I'm reading, I never take notice of phraces or clauses either. I can't enjoy the story in a text if I can enjoy the grammatical features in it.
Am I hearing the sounds, the speech, the discussions? The answer is the same: no. Except for a brief moment at the beginning of the text, I don't hear any imaginary voices unless something takes me out of the story.
I am not watching pictures either. I don't see pictures of people acting with each other. I dont' see pictures of beautiful landscapes. I don't see pictures unless something takes me out of the story.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm not reading as long as I am outside of the story. By the assistance of a well written text, I transport myself into the story, into the moment, into the place, into the action. In my own imagination, I live through the events that someone else has created and formed into a story. While I'm reading, the real world disappeares completely from my conscious thoughts. Words and syntax can achieve such a remarkable thing; nothing else is needed.
How does that happen? I know that it takes something that is called concentration. I know also that it isn't enough. There are texts in which I can't concentrate because the text doesn't allow it. So, whatever it is it has to be in the text, and not in the reader.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Everyday Knowledge
I am an aspiring fantasy writer. My first attempt on a book is almost finished. I never thought it would take me more than seven months to write the last chapter, but it is taking at least that long. The reason is that without revising the story I can't make the end I want work. So, for the most part, I don't write the last chapter; I read and revise the previous ones. One problem is more prominent than anything else:
Everyday Knowledge
I need to give a lot of everyday knowledge about the world I write into being to the readers. How to do that? I don’t want to lecture to the reader. I’ve read lots and lots of books, and I don't like it if the writer suddenly stops the narrative and starts to lecture me about good manners, religious ceremonies, clothing, or nuances of cursing. Such passages take me out of the action and thereby out of the story.
I don’t understand why writers would do that. The characters that are set to play in the world of the story achieved the knowledge as they grew up; they behave as they should, they know the religious ceremonies, they clothe themselves appropriately and they use swear words that the situation demands. I like it if that kind of information is shown to me, not told. So, I know how I should offer the information to the reader. However, I find the actual task quite demanding.
My first version of such a passage:
Everyday Knowledge
I need to give a lot of everyday knowledge about the world I write into being to the readers. How to do that? I don’t want to lecture to the reader. I’ve read lots and lots of books, and I don't like it if the writer suddenly stops the narrative and starts to lecture me about good manners, religious ceremonies, clothing, or nuances of cursing. Such passages take me out of the action and thereby out of the story.
I don’t understand why writers would do that. The characters that are set to play in the world of the story achieved the knowledge as they grew up; they behave as they should, they know the religious ceremonies, they clothe themselves appropriately and they use swear words that the situation demands. I like it if that kind of information is shown to me, not told. So, I know how I should offer the information to the reader. However, I find the actual task quite demanding.
My first version of such a passage:
The song disappointed little Tomas. A young maiden committed a suicide because of a broken heart. It was just like all the other ballads Mellersdans women sang. Tomas had adopted the attitudes of the men of the village: they did not respect women and they did not find their interests worth a thought. According to men, women were always wasting their time, listening for love songs.
My first revised version:
Tomas was disappointed. The song was just a stupid ballad: just one more young maiden killing herself because of love. Tomas drawled the word out in his mind like he had heard the men do. Women’s stuff. They were always listening to these stupid love songs.
I think I can revise the passage further, but it’s already improved.
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