Copyright Law (Part 2)

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Most magazines are copyrighted, and their copyright doubly protects your personal copyright. Newspapers are seldom copyrighted, although syndicated columns are protected. Government publications are not copyrighted either. If you write a book, the publisher will register your copyright; but make sure they register it in your name, not the name of the publishing house.

An application for copyright registration contains three essential elements: A completed application form, a nonrefundable filing fee, and a nonreturnable copy or copies of work or works being registered and “deposited” with the Copyright Office. You can register as many of your articles, stories, and poems as you like under the same copyright, as long as all the material is sent to the Copyright Office at the same time.

Here are the options for registering your copyright, beginning with the fastest and most cost-effective method. Option 1 – Online Registration: through the electronic Copyright Office (eCO) is the preferred way to register literary works. The filing fee is $35.  See www.copyright.gov and select register a copyright.

Option 2: You can register using fill-in forms, and the charge is $85.

The hotline number to request forms or information is 202-287-8700.

 

For copyright claim forms call 202-287-9100 and leave a message.

 

Copyright Law (Part 1)

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What is a copyright? A copyright is a way to protect something you create, whether writing, painting, or drawing. A copyright gives you four specific rights:

  1. Copy the work.
  2. Take excerpts to use elsewhere.
  3. Sell selected rights to the work and make money from it.
  4. Perform or display the work.

What can you copyright? Anything that is your original work: articles, poems, stories, pictures, songs, grocery lists. Anything you write down can be copyrighted except ideas, concepts, and titles. Anything regarding the expression of ideas can be copyrighted.

Since the laws were changed in 1978, you do not have to register your work with the copyright office to hold a copyright on it. Once your original material comes off your printer or pen, you own the copyright on it. If someone plagiarizes your work, however, and you want to sue him for copyright infringement, then you need to register your work with the copyright office in Washington, D.C.

 

Endings (Part 4)

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Here are my last three suggested endings. I have given examples of each type of ending from chapters in my own books.

  1. The Straight Statement Close – This editorial close consists of a few sentences or a final thought in the author’s own words.

“I needed to allow others to be themselves. When I dated someone, I tried to accept him for who he was—not for who I wanted him to be. Through this time, I always felt God had someone special planned for me. When I was ready, and my ‘Mr. Perfect’ was ready, God would allow us to meet” (“Turning Frogs into Princes,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

 

  1. The Stinger – This unexpected conclusion provides an ending that startles, surprises, or shocks.

“Elbows jabbed their ribs; feet tangled with theirs; the unrelenting mob moved on until they came to the place where the old man lay. Bending down, they touched the old man’s arm, now grown cold. They were too late” (“Too Little, Too Late,” Potpourri of Praise).

 

  1. The Word of Advice Close – This warning or word of advice points a verbal finger at the reader.

“Loving too much leaves us open to the danger of being hurt, but loving too little can cause us to forget how to love and forget how to live” (“Loving Too Little, Loving Too Much,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

 

Whatever ending you chose, give your article or story a solid conclusion. Don’t just let your story die. Provide the readers with food for thought that they can digest and use in their own lives to help others and themselves move closer to the Lord.

 

 

 

 

Endings (Part 3)

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Here are seven through nine of my twelve suggested endings. I have given examples of each type of ending from chapters in my own books.

  1. The Anecdotal Ending – You can either end with an anecdote or use the split-anecdote technique in which you start the anecdote in the lead (or the middle somewhere) and complete it in the closing.

“Looking back over the past ten years, I never dreamed my life would take the path it has. When all I had to hold onto was a thread linking me to God, I learned to step out in faith and to take risks. If I had not been forced to earn a living, I never would have developed my current programs and ministries. After six years of being a single parent, I am now blessed with a supportive husband and a thriving business (“A Thousand Ways,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

 

  1. The Natural Close – Let your story end naturally. You’ve told your story. Stop.

“When Mobin visits foreign cities, as he was doing that day in the Maldive Islands, he still tells people, ‘I collect telephone directories. Do you have one I can take home with me?'” (“Telephone Directories,” Potpourri of Praise).

 

  1. The Summary Close – This ending attempts to cover the highlights of the story or to tie up all the loose ends.

“How wrong my first impression had been. I was aware that God planned that therapeutic evening. He knew I would run out of wood, and although I hadn’t specifically asked Him for more, He provided anyhow” (“A Surprise Encounter,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

Endings (Part 2)

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Here are four through six of my twelve suggested endings. I have given examples of each type of ending from chapters in my own books.

  1. The Play on Words – Sometimes alliteration, a slogan, or a catchy phrase sticks the longest with the reader.

“Pastor Ananda’s burden for his flock, however heavy, is carried with joy and compassion. It fits him well. Each of us has our own divinely designed yoke—our own job to do. Suddenly I felt a renewed strength to wear the yoke God has fashioned for me” (“Pastor Ananda” Potpourri of Praise).

 

  1. The Quote Close – Use a quote taken from a subject, history, or other source of quotations to add finality to the article.

“Angelic flames of light and heavenly choirs, accompanied by celestial harps and trumpets, turned a scene of earthly tragedy into a scene of heavenly triumph. From what they saw that day, and from ‘God’s Carvings’, the Aucas learned what the Psalmist wrote: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15, “Dawa’s Story,” Potpourri of Praise).

 

  1. The Add-On – This close can make a point never made in the story—a shocker or something that seems natural for making your final point.

“As we walked toward the refreshment table together, I realized that my lack of forgiveness had cost us both a great price” (“Forget and Forgive,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

 

 

Endings (Part 1)

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Twelve Ways to End Your Article or Story (Part 1)

Next to your beginning, your ending is the most important part of your article or story. This is also true in writing books. When your readers get to an end of a chapter, you do not want them to place a bookmark in and lay down the book without a desire to pick it up again. I have a shelf full of books with bookmarks stuck in them—books I have never finished because they didn’t hold my interest at the end of their chapters. I don’t want my books sitting on other people’s shelves unread.

Here are the first three of my twelve suggested endings. I have given examples of each type of ending from chapters in my own books.

  1. The Lead Replay – This is a duplication or a rewrite of the lead sentence or paragraph or a restatement of the lead’s theme.

“With the Lord leading the way, FEBC expands its ministry to move to the future as it lifts its eyes beyond the horizon” (Eyes Beyond the Horizon, Thomas Nelson).

 

  1. The Proximity Close – Tap the material immediately preceding your final paragraph for a closing.

“Next time you are in a church, look carefully at the stained glass windows. Picture yourself as part of His magnificent stained glass window. Watch the sun piercing through each unique piece of glass. Notice how many shapes and sizes are necessary to form the whole.

Remember that the Master Craftsman started with one—one piece of fractured glass. What can we accomplish for His glory if we, too, start with one?” (You Start with One, Thomas Nelson).

 

  1. The Restatement of Purpose – Occasionally, a vivid and colorful restatement of the article’s purpose makes an effective close.

“God teaches us to pray specifically. He knew that car was important to Rich’s education, so He spared it. With what took place, I learned an important lesson: When things look bleakest, God is there, showing His presence in the smallest details of our lives” (“The Fire,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers, Broadman & Holman).

 

 

 

Titles with Pizzazz (Part 3)

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When Is Your Title Right?

How can you know when your title is right?  The acronym “ACE” will help you create a memorable title.

“A” is for accurate. The title must truthfully reveal the focus of the article and also fit its tone. You wouldn’t put “Buffalo Bob Bites Bullet” on a serious crime story any more than the President would turn up for a televised press conference in a sweat suit.

 “C” is for concise. Five to seven words are a typically good length. Active verbs, specific nouns, and bright adjectives help tighten the message.

 “E” is for eye-catching. You have just a few words to convince your readers you can provide what they want. So you appeal to their felt needs, whether that is for information, inspiration, consternation, or confirmation. One study showed the use of pronouns (“you,” “I,” “they”) and the “how-to” approach made for stronger titles.

Put a lot of thought in a title before sending your manuscript to an editor. The first person you need to impress is at the publishing house, so they will publish your article or book.

 

 

 

 

Titles with Pizzazz (Part 2)

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To create a good title, look for key phrases that seem to sum up the article or book. Watch for sentences that catch your eye as you read through—perhaps they will captivate your reader, too. I wrote an article about a man who escaped from Vietnam. He felt his escape was made possible by the providential hand of God, so I named the article, “The Providential Escape.”

Another way to catch the reader’s attention is by reversing words or by changing one word in a common saying to create your own saying. “Forget and Forgive” is a devotional I wrote on forgiveness. Using “Forgive and Forget” would be overuse of a tired cliché. “Take This Job and Love It” is another example of a good play on words.

If you are writing a mystery, use words that show intrigue. Anonymous Tip and Final Witness are book titles that do this well. The reader wonders, Who will be the final witness? Be careful, however, not to tell too much in the title. “John Overcomes Cancer to Win the Race” probably doesn’t leave much for the reader to learn from reading the story.

Titles should be easy to pronounce and yet have pizzazz. The more memorable your title, the more apt your article or book is to be read and remembered. The Purpose Driven Life is an excellent example that is simple, memorable, and meets the reader’s needs.

 

Titles with Pizzazz (Part 1)

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The title of your article or book is as important as its beginning. The title is what you use to hook the readers, so it must be eye-catching. Many readers buy a book on impulse by looking at the title. Many readers buy a magazine because an article title piqued their interest. Some readers thumb through a magazine or browse a website, checking titles and reading only the articles for which the title grabbed their attention.

Titles need to be accurate. They should express specifically what will follow in the article. Readers don’t want to feel cheated because they thought they were getting something totally different than what your article or book delivered. If your subject matter is serious, also make your title serious. Example: “A Cry for Acceptance.” If your material is humorous, you can make the title funny, too. Example: “Turning Frogs into Princes.”

Titles are usually concise. A good rule is to keep your titles five to seven words. Use active verbs, specific nouns, and descriptive adjectives to grab your readers. Also try to draw in readers, so they feel actively involved in your article or book. They need to feel there is something in it for them. All Cracked Up: Experiencing God in the Broken Places is a good example.

 

Beginnings (Part 3)

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This concludes the series on eight different ways to begin an article, story, devotional, or book chapter. I have used opening paragraphs from some of my books as examples. Beginnings are very important, and I hope my suggestions will help you craft a good opening paragraph.

 6. A Mood is set by using such phrases as: stared out the window, huge chunks of ice, shivered.

Staring out my hotel window on this winter’s day in Washington D.C., I watched huge chunks of ice lazily drift down the Potomac River. I rubbed my arms and shivered—partly from the cold, but mostly from the memory forming in my mind (“Loving Too Little, Loving Too Much,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

 

7. A Question may be asked at the beginning or near the beginning of the story or chapter.

The front door was slammed angrily with a thud. My son stomped down the stairs and out of earshot. Only silence remained.

Why do I fight with my son?  My stomach churned as I pondered this question (“A Gentle Attitude,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

 

8. A Quotation may be used to begin a devotional, a story or article, or a book chapter.

 He who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.

–Author Unknown (“Forget and Forgive,” Rest Stops for Single Mothers).

 

Whatever vehicle you choose, make sure you grab the reader’s attention immediately. Don’t be afraid to jump into the action.