Ian Dawson's Blog - Posts Tagged "public-domain"
Writing Tip of the Week: Exploring Public Domain Media
It’s the start of a new year, so it’s time for a fresh crop of books, plays, short stories, images, audio, and films to enter the public domain. Why is this important? It means there are hundreds of ideas available to adapt and bring new life to if you’re looking for an interesting story or concept that already exists.
Maybe you’re looking for a story to adapt for your next screenplay or short film. Perhaps you’re a novelist who wants to experiment with a new genre or story structure. You might find an image that generates ideas for a new story. Or, maybe you’re interested in finding plot elements that have been used before but want to find a unique way to use them for a new story.
This public domain catalog is a fun place to start.
Here are some tips to keep in mind if you find something that piques your creative interest:
Check the Date
Copyrights lapse on different versions and editions of books, short stories, and films, but a later version might be under copyright protection. To protect yourself, ensure your version is still in the public domain.
What Version is Under Public Domain?
Winnie the Pooh, Popeye, and Mickey Mouse have fallen into the public domain over the last few years, but if you plan to use them, you must know what version of each character is now in the public domain.
There are specific designs of these characters that are free for you to use, so you must do your homework so you aren’t met with a cease-and-desist letter when your work is out to the world.
Inspiration for the Imagination
You may find a book in the public domain with a compelling premise or several compelling plot elements that inspire you to write a different story using these elements. That’s great, too, and shows how you can use these public domain properties as a springboard for your creative endeavors.
The same could happen with a drawing, painting, or photo in the public domain that inspires a new story idea based on the events in the image.
Final Thoughts
The public domain is a vast wonderland of media that can be overwhelming but can also spark creative ideas that empower you as you develop your next story idea. Have fun exploring this vast archive and see what inspires you!
Happy Exploring, and I’ll see you next time!
Maybe you’re looking for a story to adapt for your next screenplay or short film. Perhaps you’re a novelist who wants to experiment with a new genre or story structure. You might find an image that generates ideas for a new story. Or, maybe you’re interested in finding plot elements that have been used before but want to find a unique way to use them for a new story.
This public domain catalog is a fun place to start.
Here are some tips to keep in mind if you find something that piques your creative interest:
Check the Date
Copyrights lapse on different versions and editions of books, short stories, and films, but a later version might be under copyright protection. To protect yourself, ensure your version is still in the public domain.
What Version is Under Public Domain?
Winnie the Pooh, Popeye, and Mickey Mouse have fallen into the public domain over the last few years, but if you plan to use them, you must know what version of each character is now in the public domain.
There are specific designs of these characters that are free for you to use, so you must do your homework so you aren’t met with a cease-and-desist letter when your work is out to the world.
Inspiration for the Imagination
You may find a book in the public domain with a compelling premise or several compelling plot elements that inspire you to write a different story using these elements. That’s great, too, and shows how you can use these public domain properties as a springboard for your creative endeavors.
The same could happen with a drawing, painting, or photo in the public domain that inspires a new story idea based on the events in the image.
Final Thoughts
The public domain is a vast wonderland of media that can be overwhelming but can also spark creative ideas that empower you as you develop your next story idea. Have fun exploring this vast archive and see what inspires you!
Happy Exploring, and I’ll see you next time!
Writing Exercise of the Week: Fun in the Public Domain
In my last post, I discussed media in the public domain and how it can inspire new ideas without the fear of dealing with copyright-protected media. Today, I present three writing exercises you can do as you explore public domain properties.
While you can easily do these with other media, if you use public domain works and are inspired to take your creative journey further, you won’t have to deal with any legal headaches in the future.
You can use this public domain site as a launching point:
https://publicdomainreview.org/
Let’s jump in!
Exercise #1 – A Free Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
Find a public domain photo, painting, or sign and write a 1,000-word story about it. You can either write a fictional story based on what’s in the photo, painting, or sign or write about why the piece grabbed your attention and what you might be able to use it for in a future project.
Exercise #2 – For the Love of Reading
Find a book in the public domain and read through it, noting any ideas, plot points, character moments, or story concepts that interest you. Jot down what you find and list what types of future stories these elements could be used in.
Take a few of the ideas and brainstorm a short story (let’s stick with the 1,000-word model). How can you enhance or transform these ideas into something unique but inspired by the original text?
Hundreds of public domain fiction and nonfiction books are worth a look and are excellent resources for mining ideas!
Exercise #3 – A World of Audio Awaits!
Explore public domain audio and find a song, speech, poem, or other audio clip that grabs your attention. Is there a quote you heard that you liked? Maybe it was the speaker’s cadence or personality that grabbed you.
Use that element as a springboard to write a 1,000-word short story.
Final Thoughts
The possibilities of what public domain media will inspire one of your future writing projects are endless. Explore and find photos, books, audio, and more that might give you your next big idea!
Happy Writing and Exploring, and I’ll see you next time!
While you can easily do these with other media, if you use public domain works and are inspired to take your creative journey further, you won’t have to deal with any legal headaches in the future.
You can use this public domain site as a launching point:
https://publicdomainreview.org/
Let’s jump in!
Exercise #1 – A Free Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
Find a public domain photo, painting, or sign and write a 1,000-word story about it. You can either write a fictional story based on what’s in the photo, painting, or sign or write about why the piece grabbed your attention and what you might be able to use it for in a future project.
Exercise #2 – For the Love of Reading
Find a book in the public domain and read through it, noting any ideas, plot points, character moments, or story concepts that interest you. Jot down what you find and list what types of future stories these elements could be used in.
Take a few of the ideas and brainstorm a short story (let’s stick with the 1,000-word model). How can you enhance or transform these ideas into something unique but inspired by the original text?
Hundreds of public domain fiction and nonfiction books are worth a look and are excellent resources for mining ideas!
Exercise #3 – A World of Audio Awaits!
Explore public domain audio and find a song, speech, poem, or other audio clip that grabs your attention. Is there a quote you heard that you liked? Maybe it was the speaker’s cadence or personality that grabbed you.
Use that element as a springboard to write a 1,000-word short story.
Final Thoughts
The possibilities of what public domain media will inspire one of your future writing projects are endless. Explore and find photos, books, audio, and more that might give you your next big idea!
Happy Writing and Exploring, and I’ll see you next time!
