Beth Barany's Blog, page 2
October 24, 2025
Take Up Space Art, Creative and Life in the Second Act by Catharine Bramkamp
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Catharine Bramkamp as she shares with us “Take Up Space Art, Creative and Life in the Second Act.” Enjoy!
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Why Another Book on Creativity?There are many books on Creativity, I know because I own at least 50% of the current editions.
From Julia Cameron to The Work of Art to The Creative Act to Big Magic.
Why another one?
Like all art, we create through our own lens and our own personality.
Take Up Space is written in the voice of that good friend who compulsively delivers helpful unsolicited advice.
She will tell you to begin doing instead of consuming.
She will suggest that you use your art practice to take up space.
And she will cheer you on every step of the way.
When Art Becomes Too SeriousI have found that most advice about art and creativity is sincere and quite serious.
As the sincere book chapters unfold, the advice begins to teeter precariously on the edge of a didactic cliff littered with sharp pontifications and good intentions which you can later use to make a road.
Except for the book —Trickster Makes this World, few creativity books admit that art is not only fun but also subversive.
Art is the Trickster best illustrated by our own Wile E Coyote, a trickster who only accepts the reality of his ACME trampoline/rocket shoes after it’s too late.
But what a ride.
It’s Not Too Late to Take Up SpaceIs it too late?
In our second act, there are a few activities and accomplishments that do not qualify as do-overs:
We can’t make a set of new improved children, it’s too late to meet the right Freshman dorm-mate who will later become amazingly influential and lend you a hand in gratitude for all those nights you held her hair.
It’s possibly too late for a bikini.
But it’s not too late to take up space.
Redefining Yourself in the Second ActHow can we use art to Take Up Space?
In life’s second act — opening after the successful career and successful children in that they are not living in the house with you, who are you and how are you spending your days?
Morning Pickleball?
Afternoons scrolling through endless social media posts by boys the same age as your granddaughter?
Are you watching the news so you can blame “them” for the current messy, violent world?
Or would you like to be a bigger, bolder version of yourself, highlighting accomplishments as well as following long ago dreams?
At this point you will learn you can be thinner and gain back hair follicles but we both know that’s just silly.
The Difference Between Art and HobbyCreativity is a large, popular category.
We can approach any activity with a creative mind-set from origami cranes to field dressing a moose.
But are all those activities art?
As important as they are, no.
Hobbies are goal oriented — a paper crane is successful when it looks like a paper crane.
The moose dressing is successful when the whole of the moose has been moved off the train tracks.
But art, like life, doesn’t follow a set pattern or outcome.
Hobbies are great and they keep us off other people’s lawns, but while ball games are played to win — a hobby– Art (with a capital A) is drinking from the garden hose. You will never know the outcome of that activity. (Although out of all the choices, I don’t think drinking from a non-food grade hose will be the hill our generation will die on.)
Art is the surprise ending you only discover because you began.
Art can be abandoned, worthy of public display or rejected in favor of a fresh start.
Why Do It If There Are No Billable Hours?Which THEN begs the question if there are no billable hours, why do it?
Doing is the whole point.
As I wrote poetry and published books, I found that people were far more interested in HOW I did a project than the finished product itself.
Second act art is about the process — life giving, life enhancing flow.
Our days can be spent in complete joy, in the zone, in flow.
We can be happy all day.
Every day.
That is what this book is all about — how to capture the light, how to live in the world more alive to the possibilities and the yes, art of it all.
The Transformative Power of CreatingOnce you start creating, once you fall into the zone of doing your art, the whole world looks different — better.
Just doing your art will take up space and expand the universe — for all of us.
For an idea of the blog subjects and chapters in Take Up Space (slated to appear summer 2026).
Avoiding a Benevolent GodWasting TimeStarting Where You AreAwe, the Fuel of InnovationCreativity as Cognitive FitnessThe Trickster across CulturesIs Art a Luxury?Scream Time – how to limit social mediaSo, You Moved to ScottsdaleShare Your Art!What is your art practice?
Did playing the trumpet help you through a difficult time?
Do you dance for the sheer joy?
Do you compose healing poems?
I’d like to include your experience in Take Up Space.
The more we share, the bigger the universe becomes.
I invite you to take a quick survey on your art.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catharine Bramkamp is a successful writing coach, Chief Storytelling Officer, former co-producer of Newbie Writers Podcast, and author of a dozen books including the Real Estate Diva Mysteries series, and The Future Girls series. She holds two degrees in English and is an adjunct university professor. After fracturing her wrist, she has figured out there is very little she is able to do with one hand tied behind her back. She delights in inspiring her readers.
The post Take Up Space Art, Creative and Life in the Second Act by Catharine Bramkamp appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
October 23, 2025
Tricking Yourself into Writing Habits with LA Bourgeois
Tricking Yourself into Writing Habits with LA Bourgeois – How To Write the Future podcast episode 175
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“I am a horrible little goblin like that, and it’s just what happens. So I have to trick myself and the ways that I trick myself are to really let myself see what I want to create.” – LA Bourgeois
About this episode
In this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host Beth Barany, talks to Kaizen Muse Certified Creativity Coach, end of life doula, and author LA Bourgeois where they define the meaning behind a creativity coach, and LA discusses strategies for establishing writing habits, emphasizing the importance of starting with tiny, manageable steps to overcome resistance.
Platforms the podcast is available on: Apple Podcasts | Buzzsprout | Spotify| YouTube
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About the How To Write the Future podcastThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers.This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
This podcast is for you if you have questions like:
– How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?
– How do I figure out what’s not working if my story feels flat?
– How do I make my story more interesting and alive?
This podcast is for readers, too, if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
ABOUT LA BOURGEOIS
LA Bourgeois is a Kaizen-Muse certified creativity coach, end-of-life doula, and author. Her readers delight in her Diary of a Lesbian Housewyfe and find inspiration & book reviews at The Thriving Creative.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/housewyfe/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/la.bourgeois/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lahousewyfe/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/la-bourgeois-16b7542b/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@LAHousewyfe
Subscribe to the Thriving Creative and get my quick tips on Tricking Yourself into a Creative Habit!
https://labourgeois.substack.com/
Transcript for episode 175 – Tricking Yourself into Writing Habits with LA BourgeoisIntroduction & Host WelcomeBETH BARANY: Hi everyone. Welcome to How to Write the Future Podcast. I’m your host, Beth Barany. I’m an award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer who helps other writers finish their books and get them published. I also help creative entrepreneurs build their businesses. And I’m passionate about thinking about the future, putting it into my stories, and encouraging other people to think about how they want to evolve and use their fiction for what’s the next step in humanity.
And of course, it’s not just one thing. So I love talking to lots of different people.
[00:35] Guest Introduction: LA BourgeoisSo today I have as my guest, LA Bourgeois. Hi LA.
LA BOURGEOIS: Hi.
BETH BARANY: I am gonna read your bio so everyone can get to know you, a little bit and then we’re gonna dive into our questions. All right. Everyone get to know LA a little bit.
LA Bourgeois is a Kaizen Muse Certified Creativity Coach, end of life doula, and author. Her readers delight in her Diary of a Lesbian Housewyfe and find inspiration and book reviews at the Thriving Creative. So welcome again, LA. So glad to have you here.
LA BOURGEOIS: So glad to be here.
BETH BARANY: We get to talk creativity and book recommendations and also about your book. Before we turned on record, I was noodling around the idea of talking to you about creative flow because you are a Kaizen Muse Certified Creativity Coach. So maybe you could tell us a little bit about what that means and any advice you have for a writer like myself who’s had a break from writing only a few weeks ’cause I was so busy with, with some other projects. But here I am restarting a place I’ve been in many, many, many, many, many times, but I’m always having to reconnect, and kind of come into present time and reorient myself.
And I have a whole lot of practices around that. So I was wondering if you too had some advice for writers like myself who wanna reconnect to their work and also maybe in a fresh way, because my project is changing. And that’s often what happens after a break. So that’s a lot.
[02:12] What is a Creativity Coach?LA BOURGEOIS: Alright, let’s start off with just what is a creativity coach? And really the Kaizen Muse style of creativity coaching, has to do with unlocking your creativity in a way that affects, you can apply this sort of coaching to almost any situation, because what it does is it helps you to think differently and engage your imagination as well as empowering you to overcome the obstacle.
So we spend a lot of time going into what things have worked for you in the past, what you might imagine could work for you, and then if we run out of all of those things, then I start chiming in. People have worked with me to do things like from re reigniting their creative spark, finding their way back to that creative passion that they had loved so much and had just kind of fallen out of love with to I had one woman who contacted me because she wanted some help with interior design.
She was doing some interior design and um, the energy flowed where it flowed and she ended up, actually we did relationship coaching and she found a boyfriend. There’s just all of these different spaces that creativity coaching can help with.
A lot of my knowledge comes from being a, an entrepreneur for most of my life, as well as being an author and writer and having done that research to know what it takes to do that.
But most of the information actually comes from the client, so I, I don’t have to know a lot about that field.
That said, reconnecting and reflowing into connection with your work. The way that I have always done this, I call it tricking yourself into a creative habit, because I will look at something that I know is like the best thing for me to do, and I will immediately rebel and not do it.
[04:19] Reconnecting with Creative WorkI am a horrible little goblin like that, and it’s just what happens, so I have to trick myself and the ways that I trick myself are to really let myself see what I want to create.
So first I select a goal, the goal, and I know what I wanna reconnect with.
[04:41] Building Creative Habits: Tiny StepsThen I select a teeny tiny, itty bitty step, like the smallest step that you could possibly think of to get me that little tiny step toward the goal. And this is actually something that, especially for me and people like me who need to be tricked into doing something, needs to be easier to do it than not to do it.
The big trick is to pick something that’s gonna be teeny tiny that you get and you experience success with. So you’re happy to reengage with it. And just taking that one tiny step starts to build momentum into the project and allows you to go ahead and reengage in an easy way and in a way that builds those, builds that space where you can actually start creating the work and really being in meaningful connection to it.
So for example, if I was reconnecting with the work like you were talking about, right? One of the steps that I might take is to say, I’m going to spend a minute a day thinking about the work. Or sitting at my desk and staring at the computer or going to a coffee shop or just some sort of something, but like just a minute.
Because if you take a minute of the day, just one minute, and think about the project that you’re working on, no matter where you are, and then when that one minute is done, you’re done. That’s another trick. You’re done. You do not, you’re, you don’t have to think about it again. Your work is done. You can walk away.
Once you’ve done that, then the next day it’s easier to return and do that one minute again, but it starts to release all of those things. It starts to move you out of this space where you’re going, where you’re putting pressure on yourself to get it done. Or let’s say you were like, oh, I’m gonna spend an hour on my project and you spent forty five minutes on your project.
Well, suddenly you’ve done forty five minutes more than I’m asking you to do. Or forty four minutes, I’ll figure out math. and then, where you would have this amazing victory because you were only spending one minute. Now you feel failure ’cause you were like, I’m gonna do an hour. So it’s very important to select that, that step and make it something that you do, and then repeat it over and over again.
And as you repeat it, you slowly build the habit.
BETH BARANY: That’s wonderful. Yeah. I love that. I like that first step too, for getting really, really clear about what it is that you wanna create and I do that through journaling. I have a little section in my writing software called Scrivener, where I have “journal to write” when I’m in the writing phase and now I’m in the editing phase, so it’s “journal to edit”, and I just allow myself total permission to kevetch or whatever’s going on. Write a to-do list, it doesn’t matter. And also that gets me to, oh yeah, my main character this, my main character that, and I start reconnecting to the work, acknowledging where it is and where I wanna take it, and then my brain just starts lining up the next steps.
I love your advice starting small, at the very smallest goal that you can conceive of that sounds fun.
LA BOURGEOIS: Absolutely. It’s actually really, really, I hate to say normal, because normal is just not for creative people, let’s call it universal.
BETH BARANY: Yes. Yes. It’s universal. And I’ve noticed that with lots of authors and I do notice lots of writers beat themselves up because they don’t meet some imagined expectation.
I’m a working writer. You’re a working writer. We have to deal with who we are today, not some idealized version, while we reach for the stars in terms of trying to create something, right. We’ll never really get there, but we’ll get pretty close, and then I also love what you were saying, make it small, repeatable, and you said something else that I really vibed with as well.
LA BOURGEOIS: Celebrate?
BETH BARANY: Celebrate
LA BOURGEOIS: Celebrate your success and then let it go. Know that you’ve done it for the day and you get to walk away.
[08:47] Celebrating Success & Overcoming ExpectationsBETH BARANY: Yeah. Yeah. I think that’s so important and I think we’re, we’re practicing the muscle of getting to our work, but we’re also practicing the muscle of celebrating each step, which I have learned that is way more useful than being harsh on myself for not meeting some imaginary, really high bar, which, we never do, and you know, comes from often expectations based on what we see other people do, but we never really know what other people are doing. Plus we don’t really even know how long it took for them to get there.
LA BOURGEOIS: Right.
BETH BARANY: We’re working for thirty years on that habit, and we just see the fruit of it. We don’t see them working all the way into the habit.
LA BOURGEOIS: Exactly. We don’t see them, um, having that one day where like the dog decides that he’s going to chase a deer outta the yard and you spend all of your writing time for that day, wandering around the neighborhood trying to find the dog. Like you don’t see that.
BETH BARANY: Yeah. And you don’t, you don’t see how many years they might’ve worked in obscurity, none of that.
LA BOURGEOIS: Yeah.
BETH BARANY: Yeah, great. I wanna let people know that you and I, I’m pretty sure you and I met through the creativity coaching community, ’cause we both,
LA BOURGEOIS: We did
BETH BARANY: Have training of being a creativity coach, which is a sub niche of coaching. And, yeah, just wanna let people know that that exists, if you’re curious about that kind of training.
LA BOURGEOIS: Yeah.
[10:13] Book Recommendations for Science Fiction and Fantasy AuthorsBETH BARANY: Yeah. Cool, so let’s talk books. You are an avid, avid reader.
LA BOURGEOIS: Yes.
BETH BARANY: I wanna let everyone know that you write a column for us at Writer’s Fun Zone. And, you have all these wonderful book reviews there that I love so much. I can’t read all the books, so I love reading book reviews, so I wanna give a shout out to that.
Yeah. And because we focus here on science fiction and fantasy authors, I asked for some book recommendations, from you for writing books that you have for science fiction and fantasy authors. Can you tell us about those?
LA BOURGEOIS: Sure. I think the very first one, and it’s like the classic is the Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler, and that really details the hero’s journey.
And it’s one that, I mean, you see it in every Marvel movie. You see it in all over the place, right?
BETH BARANY: Mm-hmm.
LA BOURGEOIS: Um, the more intriguing storyline to me these days besides the hero’s journey, because in the hero’s journey, your hero ends up kind of alone.
[11:16] The Hero’s Journey vs. The Heroine’s JourneyBETH BARANY: Yeah.
LA BOURGEOIS: Tortured, sad alone, and I’m like not into that anymore.
So I really like Heroine’s Journey. And Gail Carriger, who’s the woman who wrote like the Parasol Protectorate and all those books, she wrote a book called The Heroine’s Journey, which is great because it really focuses on things like found family. You go from being alone to being a group, you grow as a human being or all of those, I mean, not that you don’t grow as a human being in the hero’s journey, but it just feels like a more rewarding storyline to me, and it’s what I like a lot.
BETH BARANY: Yeah.
LA BOURGEOIS: But knowing those two journeys actually really helps you in terms of creating a plot that works
BETH BARANY: Yeah.
LA BOURGEOIS: For your storyline and, the Hero’s Journey is just a classic of the science fiction fantasy genre.
[12:15] Wonderbook & Imagination in WritingBETH BARANY: Absolutely. Yeah.
LA BOURGEOIS: And then in terms of actually writing science fiction and fantasy, I discovered a book a few years ago called Wonderbook by a guy named Jeff Vandermeer. And this book is gorgeous. I mean, it’s just so beautifully illustrated. He grabs information from all different areas and brings them together and really uses this book as a way to engage your imagination and start breaking you out of the normal cycle of this world to a space where you can actually imagine a world that is fantastic, speculative and all of those things. So that’s the book, especially for science fiction and fantasy. I think any author could use it to great effect, but especially for science fiction and fantasy, and he does do the nuts and bolts of creating a story through to actually creating this beautiful science fiction and fantasy novel. In the next three months, I’m going to do a review of that book.
BETH BARANY: Dear listeners, by the time this interview airs, that review might be up, so be sure to check out LA Bourgeois’s column on Writer’s Fun Zone and also on your Substack. You post all your book reviews on your substacks.
LA BOURGEOIS: So the Thriving Creative is where I post my book reviews, and that’s at LA bourgeois.substack.com. And then I have my art that I do, which is humorous and heartfelt essays about my life and history and house wife-ing basically.
And that is at Lesbian Housewyfe and Housewyfe is spelled with a Y H-O-U-S-E-W-Y-F-E.substack.com. So lesbian Housewyfe.substack.com is the best place to go.
[14:09] LA Bourgeois’ Book: The Lesbian HousewyfeBETH BARANY: Oh that’s so fun. And now I really wanna celebrate you ’cause your, you have a book coming out or your book is out, your next book?
LA BOURGEOIS: My book is out, yep. I just launched it, mid August.
BETH BARANY: Yep.
LA BOURGEOIS: The Lesbian Housewyfe: Bigger, Broader, Delightfuller.
BETH BARANY: I love it. Love it.
LA BOURGEOIS: Yeah. And it’s, it’s super fun. It’s a bunch of essays that I wrote, as I was getting back into this talking of, speaking of connecting back to the work. Back in 2021, I was starting to connect back into my Lesbian Housewyfe work, and this book is actually the first forty essays, something like that. I mean, it’s a lot of essays, but built around that Lesbian Housewyfe character who I had written about for years in the nineties and two thousands, and then I’d taken a break from. And in 2021 I was like, I’m just here, might as well start writing this again and started up the newsletter.
BETH BARANY: And, I just wanna shout out, shout it out for you, because I really love this work.
I just find your work so hilarious and in a, in a big belly laugh kind of way, and also very relatable and very heartwarming. So that’s my plug, and I really encourage folks to read it if you want a good laugh. And also maybe a little tiny cry of joy sometimes, maybe sometimes sadness.
But I, I find it really touching all of your stories.
LA BOURGEOIS: Oh, thank you.
BETH BARANY: Yeah,
LA BOURGEOIS: That’s very kind.
BETH BARANY: So you have two volumes out, right? Tell us the awesome title again.
LA BOURGEOIS: Lesbian housewyfe: Bigger, Broader. Delightfuller.
BETH BARANY: Great. And where can people find your book?
LA BOURGEOIS: So right now it’s available on all of the online platforms and in ebook form and, um, later this year, maybe even by the time this podcast airs, it will be available in paperback as well.
BETH BARANY: Oh, wonderful. Yay.
[16:17] Advice for writers on how to write the futureSo I have one more question for you, which I like to spring on folks, but I won’t be completely outta left field, which is: What advice do you have for writers who want to write the future, write their own future, write their character’s future, but write also maybe a little tiny snippet of humanity’s future?
Because I have this saying that I, I use sometimes in the podcast, which is:
When we vision what is possible, we help make it so.
So the power of visualization, but also the power of putting what we really want into stories like we’re talking about the contrast between the hero’s journey, typically the hero’s alone at the end versus the heroine’s journey where your main character gets to find their new community, which is something I’ve always been writing myself. And yeah, so when we vision what is possible, we help make it so.
So I’m just curious if you have any advice for writers about that process?
LA BOURGEOIS: Well, the first thing that pops into my mind is an exercise that I like to do with people who are just kind of trying to figure out where they are in life and what they want. And I call it your perfect day, writing your perfect day. So what happens is you just make a little time for yourself, sit down and just write out your perfect day. You don’t have to include everything in your perfect day, but you wanna include the most important touch points for that.
But it could be like, get up at ten am and have a magnificent cup of coffee and enjoy time on the porch. What that does throughout as you work your way through that day, is it helps you to really define what are your basic values that you want to see.
Do you love being content?’
That’s a big thing for me. I’m a big proponent of contentment as opposed to ecstatic joy. I’m like, no, no, just let me have a nice day. I do love that moment on the porch with my cup of tea in the morning.
Does your art show up in that space?
Do you want to have that? What else shows up in that day for you? Is it spending time with family and building those, taking those touch points for yourself and making sure that they are included in your story, whatever story you’re writing, those are the points of uh concreteness with things that you have in common with your reader because if you can write about any world in the universe, as long as you have some sort of universal theme that’s running through it, and that can help people to find those touch points in your story so they can jump into the space with you.
BETH BARANY: Oh, yes. That’s so beautiful. And so powerful, so powerful. I’m just thinking maybe your main character is an alien or an elf or a dragon, but you can give it those moments that you cherish, that you hold dear, and now the reader is gravitates towards that. Your description of contentment or maybe for some it is excited joy, or maybe for some it’s adventure, which is something that I really enjoy or I also enjoy meandering.
That to me is a great joy to go out and meander without a direction which is full of discovery and I get to be curious. I get to be in awe, which is probably the core there, this awe about the everyday. Um, I love taking pictures of my neighborhood and the graffiti and the posters and the little, the little gems that people are putting out on the street.
Someone is painting hearts on little pieces of wood and tacking them onto light poles. Yes, and it’s on the main, main commercial street here in my neighborhood and I’ve been taking pictures of them. Very fanatically.
I wanna say thank you so much LA for coming in today and talking with us about creativity, about tips, story, tips for writers, science fiction, fantasy writers, and also your book.
[20:35] Closing Thoughts & Where to Find LA’s WorkYes, please do check out LA Bourgeois work also at writersfunzone.com. And I’m just gonna sign off here and also say thank you very much LA for being our guest today.
LA BOURGEOIS: Thanks for having me. It was so fun.
BETH BARANY: All right everyone. Write long and prosper. And that’s a wrap.
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ABOUT BETH BARANY
Beth Barany teaches science fiction and fantasy novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor. She’s an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and runs the podcast, “How To Write The Future.”
Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:
Author site / Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog
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CREDITS EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA (Refer-a-Friend link)MUSIC CREDITS : Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/fuzz-buzz License code: UMMKDRL02DFGKJ0L. “Fuzz buzz” by Soundroll. Commercial license: https://musicvine.com/track/soundroll/fuzz-buzz.DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465 (Refer-a-Friend link)SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec 2025 BETH BARANY
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The post Tricking Yourself into Writing Habits with LA Bourgeois appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
October 21, 2025
Copyright vs. Trademark: What’s the Difference? by Kelley Way
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Kelley Way as she shares with us “Copyright vs. Trademark: What’s the Difference?” Enjoy!
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Understanding the Common ConfusionThere is a lot of confusion when it comes to copyrights vs. trademarks.
I’ll have prospects say they want a trademark when they actually mean a copyright.
Or they want a copyright, and it becomes clear they are talking about a trademark.
Let me explain the difference between copyright vs. trademark and when they apply.
What Copyright ProtectsCopyright protects creative expression.
Artwork, books, movies, and music are all examples of things that are covered under copyright law.
The purpose of copyright is to encourage people to create and to make sure people profit from their creations.
If you want to protect your work and make sure no one sells unauthorized copies or spinoffs, you want a copyright.
Note: It’s important to remember that copyright only protects the expression, it does not protect facts or ideas. Two people can both write biographies about the same person without infringing on each other, as long as they don’t copy each other’s text.
What Trademark ProtectsA trademark protects your brand in the marketplace.
Company names, product names, logos, and slogans are all examples of things that can be protected under trademark law.
The purpose of a trademark is to ensure that consumers know who they’re buying from, and sellers can build a reputation around their brand so people want to buy from them.
In order to accomplish that, trademark law prevents competitors from using brands that are similar enough to confuse consumers.
If you want to make sure no one is selling goods or services using your brand, you want a trademark.
Need More Help Understanding the Difference?If you are still confused about the difference between copyright vs. trademark, you are welcome to view my videos on these subjects on my website or my YouTube channel.
If you are still confused, or you want help protecting your work or your brand, you are welcome to email me at kaway@kawaylaw.com.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelley Way was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California. She graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in English, followed by a Juris Doctorate. Kelley is a member of the California Bar, and an aspiring writer of young adult fantasy novels. More information at kawaylaw.com.
The post Copyright vs. Trademark: What’s the Difference? by Kelley Way appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
October 17, 2025
Should Your Next Book Be a Series? Here’s How to Tell by Shweta Deshpande
Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer’s Fun Zone, who is stopping by to chat with us about “Should Your Next Book Be a Series? Here’s How to Tell.” Enjoy!
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You’ve got a story idea brewing, and now you’re staring down one of the biggest choices a writer can make: should you write a standalone novel or dive into a series?
Series dominate bestseller lists, build diehard fanbases, and help you stack up your backlist. (Hello, passive income!)
But there’s no getting around the fact that they also come with more planning, more writing, and more commitment.
So how do you know if your story deserves multiple installments, or if it should wrap up neatly within a single volume?
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, there are always clues.
Let’s dive into four key signs that your next project has series potential.
1. Your world is bigger than one bookIf your story is set in a world with its own history, politics, and culture — a world you’ve poured your heart into building — chances are one book won’t do it justice.
Think A Song of Ice and Fire; George R.R. Martin doesn’t just toss readers into Westeros and hope for the best.
He spends entire pages fleshing out noble houses, ancient lore, and tangled alliances.
You feel the weight of the world in every character decision, from the smallfolk in Flea Bottom to the power players in King’s Landing.
Does your story have multiple regions, cultures, or political systems that interact in intricate ways?
Are there ancient prophecies, secret organizations, or elaborate backstories that are integral to the plot?
If the answer is yes, your narrative probably needs to be a series.
That said, remember: great worldbuilding is never just for the sake of detail.
Every piece of lore should serve your story or reveal something important about your characters.
If it doesn’t drive the plot or deepen your themes, it likely doesn’t need to be there.
2. Your characters have a lot going onSome stories aren’t just about one character’s journey.
Maybe you’ve got a tangled web of characters, each with their own arc, their own conflicts, and their own evolution.
If you find yourself agonizing over fitting all that character development in a single book, chances are you’ve got a series on your hands.
Consider The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.
Across seven books, the Pevensies (and later, other major characters) each experience their own growth, face unique challenges, and contribute to the overarching story of Narnia.
Trying to compress all of that into a single book would have totally robbed the series of its depth, charm, and sense of adventure.
Can you imagine a series like that as a standalone?
Squash all the books into one, and you’d lose half the magic.
Another great example is the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman.
Lyra’s hunt for the truth about Dust barely scratches the surface of this sprawling tale.
Other characters like Will, Iorek, and Serafina (among many others) each go on their own journey.
And that’s before we even get into the big philosophical questions or the epic battles.
So if you’re dedicating entire chapters (or more) just to cover a single character’s backstory or growth, take it as a sign that your story is ready to expand into multiple books.
3. Your plot thrives on cliffhangersDoes your story keep throwing curveballs that lead to bigger questions?
Do you find yourself writing cliffhangers that wouldn’t make sense if they were resolved in the very next chapter?
That’s a strong sign your plot thrives on serial momentum.
If your story is structured around unanswered questions, tangled subplots, or escalating tension, a series is probably the way to go.
Take The Hunger Games — each book introduces new layers of conflict, new settings, and new character challenges, all while maintaining that taut “edge-of-your-seat” suspense.
The first book introduces Katniss, the deadly arena, and key players in her world, setting up a tight, high-stakes survival story.
Catching Fire then expands the scope, throwing political rebellion and deeper character struggles into the mix, while giving supporting characters like Peeta, Gale, and President Snow more room to develop.
By Mockingjay the narrative shifts into full-blown revolution, with personal and political cliffhangers propelling the story forward.
Each installment builds on the last, adding new tensions, fresh settings, and bigger challenges that keep readers hungry for more (no pun intended).
Even romance-heavy series get in on the cliffhanger fun!
In Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series, each book focuses on a different sibling, yet the family secrets and unresolved drama spill over from one story to the next.
The result is a story that works on its own, while those sly little twists keep readers hooked on the series, eager to see what the next sibling (or scandal) stirs up.
At the same time, it’s important to beware of lazy cliffhangers.
Every book in your series should offer a satisfying mini-conclusion while still teasing what’s to come.
Otherwise, readers might feel strung along without payoff, and nobody wants that.
4. You have a long-term visionLet’s be real: writing a series isn’t for the faint of heart.
It demands dedication and a solid plan.
Be honest with yourself: do you know where this multi-book ride is headed, or are you just holding on for dear life?
A well-crafted series is like a road trip with a clear destination in mind.
Each stop (or book) should serve a purpose (whether it’s developing characters, introducing new conflicts, or revealing hidden truths), all while driving the overarching narrative arc forward.
A solid hack for avoiding the dreaded “saggy middle” is to break each book into clear story beats before you start writing.
Pinpoint where tension should rise, conflicts should escalate, and key revelations should land.
That’s exactly what J.K. Rowling did with Harry Potter, famously mapping out all seven books before even finishing the first one!
That kind of foresight keeps the momentum sharp and prevents the story from meandering or spiraling into chaos.
Is your book a standalone?If you’re unsure where your story would go after the first book, a standalone might be the safer bet.
But if you have a clear vision, a series will let you explore your big ideas with depth and freedom, turning that single spark of an idea into a multi-installment adventure.
Ultimately, it comes down to your story’s demands.
If your world, characters, and plot are bursting at the seams, a series could be the perfect playground for your imagination.
But don’t fall for the myth that series are inherently more valuable or commercially successful.
Sometimes less really is more.
A well-executed standalone can make a far bigger impact than a bloated series with little purpose.
At the end of the day, it’s not about how many books you write.
It’s about telling the story only you can tell, in the way it was meant to be told.
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About The Author
Shweta Deshpande writes for Reedsy about all things storytelling.
Her background spans brand marketing, podcast production, and editorial work.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Film Studies, which probably explains her love for horror films and complex character arcs.
When she’s not working, you’ll usually find her tinkering with a creative side project or playing chess badly, yet determinedly.
The post Should Your Next Book Be a Series? Here’s How to Tell by Shweta Deshpande appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
October 14, 2025
Why Not Me? Learning to Build a Business as a Creative by Iman Llompart
Let’s welcome back Iman Llompart as she shares with us “Why Not Me? Learning to Build a Business as a Creative.” Enjoy!
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Rethinking My Career PathThe idea of starting my own business has always been a fleeting thought.
But feeling stuck in a competitive job market, especially in a country where everyone is vying for the same opportunities, has a way of shifting your mindset.
Now my thought is, why not?
If I could do something I love without worrying about the demands of higher-ups, toxic work environments, or rigid hours, the possibility of running a small business becomes more and more intoxicating.
Recognizing My ChallengesOf course, I know I’m an overthinker.
I’m also aware that starting a business involves a lot of behind-the-scenes knowledge, and that I could use a little hand-holding when it comes to certain things.
Finding clients and setting rates have always been my biggest dilemmas.
Discovering the Creative Entrepreneur Apprenticeship ProgramBut since joining The Creative Entrepreneur Apprenticeship Program, I feel more at ease.
I’m now in my fourth week of the program, and while there’s a lot of information to take in, I know it’s all meant to help me start and grow my business.
The structure alternates between weekly lessons and two-hour office hours, where we can ask any questions we have about the material or our progress.
Learning from Experienced MentorsSo far, we’ve covered how to write our bios and how to pitch our services, whether as workshops or as offers to attract more clients.
The instructors, Beth Barany and Gala Russ, are incredibly hands-on.
They review our homework through the student forum and provide thoughtful feedback to make sure we understand what we’re doing and how to move toward our goals.
The program runs for three months, and we meet every Tuesday for two hour sessions, packed with practical information and personalized guidance.
The Power of Creative CommunityWhat makes this program special is the community.
Everyone is connected by a shared desire to create and grow a business, but we’re also united by something deeper: a genuine wish to help other creatives.
The creative field doesn’t follow a clear A to point B path, and it’s easy to feel lost or overwhelmed.
That’s why having mentors and peers who can guide and support each other is so valuable.
Building My Own Creative BusinessWith my background in administration and scheduling, I’m building a business around helping other creatives manage the practical side of their work.
As a fantasy writer, I know how important, and sacred creative time is.
It’s a gift to have a team you trust to handle the logistics while you focus on the chaos and magic of imagination.
Finding Confidence and PurposeRight now, I still feel a bit like I’m underwater, absorbing all these new insights, just because it’s new territory and I lack the confidence.
But for the first time, I can see the surface getting closer.
The guidance and patience of my instructors have been invaluable, and I hope to pass on that same sense of support and reassurance to my future clients, who may one day find themselves right where I am now.
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About The Author
Iman Llompart is a Spanish American writer based in Dubai, raised in Mexico, and currently navigating the final stages of the rough draft of an epic fantasy romance novel. Passionate about storytelling and the writing process, Iman understands the struggles that many novice writers face—the self-doubt, the isolation, and the challenge of completing a book. Through blog posts, insights, and personal experiences, Iman seeks to remind fellow writers that they are not alone on this journey.
When not writing, Iman enjoys reading, deep-diving into writing sessions and lessons, and watching book-based shows and movies. Occasionally, she also braves the unpredictable world of dating—an adventure that sometimes feels more daunting than crafting an entire novel. With a love for words and a mission to inspire, Iman hopes to one day share her finished manuscript and continue helping others through the power of storytelling.
Instagram @imanllompart • Instagram photos and videos
The post Why Not Me? Learning to Build a Business as a Creative by Iman Llompart appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
October 13, 2025
Seamless Queer Characters in Fantasy World Building with Chad Grayson
Seamless Queer Characters in Fantasy World Building with Chad Grayson – How To Write the Future podcast, episode 174
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“I’m not asking for everybody to center queer characters in their narratives in world-building, which would be nice, actually, you know, as nice as that would be. But just to include us and to show that we exist and in whatever ways are appropriate in your world, whether that is a more like marginal existence in some worlds.” – Chad Grayson
In this episode on the How To Write the Future podcast, “Seamless Queer Characters in Fantasy World Building,” host Beth Barany talks to sci-fi and fantasy author Chad Grayson about the importance of queer and neurodivergent representation in world building, protecting your creativity, and shares productivity tips for neurodivergent writers.
Platforms the podcast is available on: Apple Podcasts | Buzzsprout | Spotify| YouTube
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About the How To Write the Future podcastThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers.This podcast is for readers too if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
This podcast is for you if you have questions like:
– How do I create a believable world for my science fiction story?
– How do I figure out what’s not working if my story feels flat?
– How do I make my story more interesting and alive?
This podcast is for readers, too, if you’re at all curious about the future of humanity.
ABOUT CHAD GRAYSON
Chad Grayson has worn many hats: tech support flunky, gas station philosopher, reluctant middle school wrangler, and, for one unforgettable night, cheese-mold removal specialist. These days he lives in far Northern California, where he writes hopeful, character-focused sci-fi and fantasy that will break your heart and duct tape it back together. He can usually be found painting tiny fantasy heroes and monsters, wandering the woods in deep narrative contemplation, or yelling at his plot outlines like they’ve personally betrayed him (they know what they did).
His superpowers include procrastination, dyscalculia, and making emotionally devastating story beats sound like a perfectly reasonable life choice.
Here is a short story collection that showcases my fiction. https://dl.bookfunnel.com/b2p8y4vi0l
Website: https://www.chadgrayson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/c.e.grayson
Transcript for episode 174 – Seamless Queer Characters in Fantasy World Building with Chad Grayson Introduction & Host Welcome
BETH BARANY: Hi everyone. Welcome to or welcome back to our podcast, How to Write the Future, Tips for Writers and anyone who cares about the Future. I’m your host, Beth Barany. I am an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author who supports, teaches and coaches other science fiction and fantasy authors. I also support creative entrepreneurs who would like to build their own businesses, and I’m a filmmaker, and of course podcaster. All the things of course.
I run this podcast because I am passionate about helping writers and anyone who cares about the future to help us re-envision how we want to be as humanity. And I think stories are the most powerful way to do that. And so I love to interview other authors and thinkers and futurists and, and people who are thinking outside the box. So today I have one of those people. Welcome Chad. I am so glad to have you here with us today. Welcome.
CHAD GRAYSON: Hi Bethany. Good to be here.
BETH BARANY: So, wonderful. I’m everyone, I’m gonna read Chad’s bio so you can get to know him a little bit.
[01:09] Meet Chad GraysonAll right, Chad, I love your bio. So here’s a little bit about Chad. Chad Grayson has worn many hats, tech support, funky gas station philosopher, reluctant middle school wrangler, and for one unforgettable night, cheese mold removal specialist. These days, he lives in far Northern California where he writes hopeful character focused sci-fi and fantasy that will break your heart and duct tape it back together. He can usually be found painting tiny fantasy heroes and monsters, wandering the woods in deep narrative contemplation, or yelling at his plot outlines like they’ve personally betrayed him. They know what they did. His superpowers include procrastination, dyscalculia, and making emotionally devastating story beats sound like a perfectly reasonable life choice.
Welcome, Chad. So glad that you are here. Really fun to have you. Welcome again.
CHAD GRAYSON: Thank you.
BETH BARANY: I love your bio. It is hilarious and wonderful and touching. So let’s dive into our questions. I ask my guests to provide questions ahead of time because I wanna talk about what they wanna talk about so long as it’s within the framework of our scope.
[02:36] Integrating Queer Characters in WorldbuildingWe’re gonna just dive right in. I often talk about world building and character development on this podcast. And Chad, I really appreciate your questions. Um, so let’s just start.
In what ways can queer people be seamlessly integrated into futuristic fantasy or secondary world building?
And I just have to say, I, I’m attempting this too in my own work, so yeah. Can you talk to us on that?
CHAD GRAYSON: Well, it’s a lot simpler than people try to make it sometimes. Whenever I’m talking about the representation in the groups that are in my books, I always get questions, especially from people in my writing group about, well, how do you do that naturally?
Like, I don’t wanna like make an announcement whenever the character enters the room, like what their sexual orientation is. And I’m like, it’s really simple. Hopefully when you are developing your characters and you’re writing your characters, you’re giving them little character moments where they talked about their lives or their past.
So you can just have your darkest past and talk about her ex-girlfriend or something, or just mention like the priest’s husband or the priestess, his wife. I’m not asking for everybody to center queer characters in their narratives in world building, which would be nice actually, you know, as nice as that would be.
But like just to include us and to show that we exist and in whatever ways are appropriate in your world, whether that is a more like marginal existence in some worlds, that’s appropriate. Or, or if everybody’s just accepted, like acknowledge that. Acknowledge that we exist and show that we are present.
BETH BARANY: I love that.
Yeah. I love that because, you know, every character has a past and every character has their preoccupations. So sometimes what I like to do when I’m doing my character sketches and starting to understand who my characters are, and actually you’re reminding me I have to do this
I have to do this for one of my characters, is, um, to really get clear: What is their preoccupation or interests? And maybe they’re going on a date that night. They all come from somewhere. One of my characters has, in my work in progress, he has two moms and a dad, and he just mentions it in, in his enthusiastic way as he’s talking about his family, because he is a chatterbox and he is a young man. And then I have my protagonist, my point of view character think about, she had just met the mother, one of the mothers, and so she’s like, oh yeah, I could see the resemblance, and also in the personality.
So we all do that. We all talk about our families and we all see resemblances between family members, for example. It could be traits, could be physical traits and so that’s wonderful.
And it’s even something that you can include when you’re planning your story. You can be thinking about the wider culture and the relationships that person has.
CHAD GRAYSON: Some people think you have to have the character walk in announcing their orientation, and that is not what you need to do. That is actually kind of off putting to people that way.
There are some, um, like you just mentioned, there are some science fiction things, writers who do this really well. I really appreciated how in the Expanse series that they had the main character talk about his moms and dads, and it was a group marriage situation that he was raised by. Even somebody like Brandon Sanderson has in the Stormlight archive, I know he’s gotten more in depth with it in his most recent book, but even along the way, he had one side character who dates men. It was no big deal to everybody.
It’s really easy to work it in seamlessly. It doesn’t have to become a major plot point, although it can, it’s nice if it does, but it is so much easier than you think it is. And, you don’t have to have the burden of thinking you have to represent everything all the time. But let’s just to acknowledge that those people, that people like us exist and that are part of your world.
BETH BARANY: Yeah, I love that. I think it’s really important to reflect the diversity of reality. A lot of art in the past has basically disappeared groups of people. Genders, races. I mean, women got completely disappeared from so many narratives when they were in fact instrumental.
So that’s one of my big focuses in my own work. So I really appreciate that you brought that up. And that we, we talk about it and we think about it. If you’ve read a lot of stories that do not include diversity, then it could be easy to forget to actually reflect diversity in our own work. Just because previous writers have forgotten or made the choice or often it’s ignorance, doesn’t mean that we can’t bring more inclusivity into our work.
CHAD GRAYSON: Yeah, all these goods have been here all these years. We’ve always been here, we’ve always been part of the story of life, and there have been people writing about all these different groups through, over, over time, they didn’t get a lot of attention for it. There are some authors who were writing about queer people in the eighties and nineties, but we’ve always been here and it’s nice that we’re into a time now where it is seen as more natural to include us.
BETH BARANY: Absolutely. And it is so important to see ourselves represented in story. I don’t know about you, but I’ve often wondered, uh, how come I don’t see anyone like me, you know, who might have my disability, like what I have with my hands, or even someone who has my kind of personality or my interests.
[07:41] The Importance of RepresentationYeah, or my psychology even.
CHAD GRAYSON: As a queer kid growing up in the Midwest, I didn’t see happy queer people in stories until the early two thousands, and that kept me in the closet until I was 46 years old.
BETH BARANY: Yeah.
CHAD GRAYSON: I mean, not that it was the only thing there was, it was a big, complicated situation, but if I had seen some examples of queer people who were not tragic or tortured or dying of some disease, like it, that would’ve really changed my life.
When, um, Rick Riordan started writing his stories about Nico and making it clear that he was queer and with his relationship, I saw that first cover of that book and I seriously wept for thirty minutes ’cause I was like, if this book had existed when I was thirteen, my entire life might have been different. So seeing yourself in story is, it’s very important, especially for younger people, but for everybody.
BETH BARANY: Yeah. And what is the title of that book?
CHAD GRAYSON: It’s the Sun and the Star.
BETH BARANY: Okay.
CHAD GRAYSON: By Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro and it’s part of the Percy Jackson series.
BETH BARANY: Wow. I love the Percy Jackson series. Yeah. I write YA, and a big reader of YA as well.
CHAD GRAYSON: Yeah, seriously. I looked at that and I just, I had to pull it over the car ’cause it was so powerful. This is a kid’s book and it’s got two boys holding hands on the cover and it just really moved me.
The book was actually good when I read it, so that was good. That was good.
BETH BARANY: That’s good too. Yeah. That’s so good.
[09:01] Writing Productivity for Neurodivergent PeopleCHAD GRAYSON: Sure.
BETH BARANY: I love your next question. So there you are. You’re a writer. It sounds like you have writing really centered in your life and you’ve prioritized it. So tell us some tips for being productive, especially for neurodivergent people.
CHAD GRAYSON: Okay. So I wrote my entire life on the side. It was what I wanted to do with my life, but I never bought into the idea that I could actually do it full-time. I became a Teacher. I had a life, I had kids, I raised kids, I wrote a lot, but I didn’t finish anything. Finally in 2019, I had a big, I dunno if you call it life crisis or, I ended my marriage, I came outta the closet and I decided since I have the opportunity now, I’m gonna make writing the central part of my life.
So since, so July 1st, 2019 was when I made that decision, and I’ve done it ever since. I have the luxury of having sort of an income that doesn’t depend on my writing or having a day job.
So I acknowledge that right away. But I am also neurodivergent. I have ADHD, I’m somewhere in the autism spectrum and I have bipolar disorder. So like that created a bunch of challenges for actually getting the work done. And what I started out doing is: you just have to build the habit in whatever way works for you, and the way you do that is you start out with a really easy, manageable goal at first.
Like say, I’m gonna write for 10 minutes, or I’m gonna write three hundred words and hit that. Build up a history of success for yourself, and that will kinda launch you into bigger leaps of productivity.
I started out with a thousand words a day, which for me is not that hard because I, I tend to write fast, but like for, I know some people that would be a challenge, so I’d say like two hundred or three hundred words a day is fine. That’s a book in a year, if you do, if you can do that.
And I have built up over the course of time through, is just repetition of, of the habit is I’m now doing, I write two hours a day and I usually write twenty five hundred words a day.
I do that three or four times a week. I don’t do it every single day ’cause that would wear me out.
The important thing you do is you gotta figure out the way that works for you. You’ve also got to schedule the time, really. My joke that you only have to schedule the things you actually want to happen.
And what I started doing was putting my writing time on a Google calendar and sending it to the people in my life saying that this is my writing time, this is what I’m doing during this time. Do not bother me unless somebody important is on fire. Um, I did that and it took a little bit of time for them to kind of understand that and, um, but they did. And flip side of that was I feel, I felt like I was creating a bargain with them, that I would actually be writing during that time so that I wouldn’t get to that time and be like, okay, I feel like playing video games or something else.
So you gotta create that contract with yourself and the people you love, that if they give you the time you’ve gotta use that properly, and that kind of builds up a little bit of social pressure and that helps, and you gotta find the method that works for you.
For me, I’m kind of 60% planner 40% discovery writer. I have an outline that I, does kind of loosey goosey major plot points and then I kind of discovery write my way between those plot points and that works really well for me.
Since 2019, I’ve actually written, I think I’m on book thirteen right now and I’ve published ten of them since 2021, so like, I figured out what made me work. Also, I worked on things that I loved. I didn’t write to the market. I didn’t create a bullet list of here’s how I’m gonna break in and become a bestseller right away by following these trends. I wrote the books of my heart, and that made me very motivated to do that.
And I think if you give yourself permission to do that, you’ll be much more motivated to meet the, to hit the goal, and you’ll produce a lot more and you’ll create a body of work you’re really proud of, which is really important.
BETH BARANY: I love all your tips, you know, setting a reasonable goal, an attainable goal, scheduling, bringing in your loved ones to help you with accountability and social pressure and, um, working on what you love, and that’s beautiful ’cause now you’re pulled into it ’cause your heart is, is, calling to you.
I don’t know about you, but my characters talk to me, and they want their stories told, and the only way to do that is to sit down and do it. They don’t talk to me like, um, all the time, but they’re almost like, sit down and get to work so my story can come out. That’s where they talk to me. Yeah.
CHAD GRAYSON: Yeah. Also, there’s a thing about that for everybody, but especially for neurodivergent people, it’s activation energy. It’s the hardest part of the task is starting the task. So if when it comes time to work, you sit down and have a little ritual. Either you light a candle or you put on special music. For me, I sit down and the first part of my writing time is I do a ten minute meditation, usually a guided meditation from YouTube about creativity or inspiration, and that gets me into the zone, and that lets me get going a lot quicker than if I was just trying to sit down and do it cold.
I also look at what I wrote the day before and get into it that way. Just have rituals for yourself that get that activation..
BETH BARANY: Mm-hmm
CHAD GRAYSON: Energy going and you’ll find you can accomplish a lot more than if you just sit down and try to like make yourself go.
BETH BARANY: I love that so much. I teach that. It’s so funny. One person recently said, oh, are you ADHD? And I’m like, I don’t know, but I do all of this. I do rituals, I journal before I write, I have music, I have a whole starting ritual and I, I encourage writers to have what I call a starting ritual, the way that you get yourself into it.
And I also liken it to, I did triathlons. I did four sprint triathlons years ago, and you actually have to train what’s called “train the transitions”. You train, what do you do before you start the race? What do you do when you transition from one thing to another? All of that is something that you can train.
Humans, we’re all habit based, and if you can help yourself have that habit, yeah, you can get yourself into it. And I just love to hear what you’re doing and doing meditation before writing that is so, so wonderful. I, I wish more people did that.
CHAD GRAYSON: You can also make your work a very pleasant environment if you have that opportunity.
There’s a lot of things to do. Just make it as pleasant as possible. Remove as many barriers as possible, whatever they are.That’s gonna be the individual per person, so there’s not like big tip on that, but just remove the barriers. Make it as easy for yourself as possible.
[15:21] Protecting and Developing CreativitySo let your brain unleash.
BETH BARANY: Yes, let your brain unleash. That is so wonderful. I love that. And that kind of segues us into the next question, which you’ve been talking about, but maybe there’s some more you wanna say, which is: How can you develop and protect your creativity when you have a busy life?
CHAD GRAYSON: I gave you a presentation on this a while back, and the biggest tip I have is not to get too sciencey here, but there’s part of their brain called the default mode network, which is what your brain is doing when you’re not really doing anything mental. So like when you are washing the dishes or in the shower, this is where shower thoughts come from. Like your brain just kind wanders.
Protect your time, don’t necessarily be listening to something all the time, or like be busy all the time. Protect the time that you have that your brain can just work, like you’re working a problem in the background. And, just maybe take just ten minutes a day, just take a short walk, don’t listen to a podcast.
Sorry. Don’t listen to a podcast or an audio book or even music. Just like give your brain time to wander. And that’s gonna like, really like stir up that stuff in your default mode network and bring creative solutions to problems and even creative ideas. We get a lot of ideas when we’re bored.
Like for an ADHD person, boredom feels toxic sometimes, but it can also be a really great state in which your brain is creating things, so don’t try to be entertained all the time, let yourself get bored. The other thing is, as well as, like the other tips, just like, you know, protect your time. Always realize you’re thinking about things in the background.
Be feeding yourself good art and also art that you might not like as much so you can like pick it apart. Constantly be feeding yourself things that inspire you. Take yourself on artist dates, that’s one of the Julia Cameron’s from The Artist’s Way. Be going out and having new experiences. Yeah, just things like that, like just treat your creativity as important.
The other thing I really harp on is everybody is creative. There’s not such a thing as a creative person and a non-creative person. You might have a job you think is not, not very creative, but trust me, you’re solving problems, you’re coming up with new ways of doing things. You are a creative person, even if it doesn’t seem like you are not producing art or writing or craft projects or something else. Everybody is creative ’cause we’re humans. And just getting, keeping in touch with that part, that part of our humanity creates empathy and can keep us kind of sane in a world that seems like it’s going a little nuts sometimes.
BETH BARANY: Absolutely. I feel like you and I could stand side by side and we’d be nodding at each other. Like I teach the exact same things. I love it so much, especially, you know, science has shown and please do get sciencey. I am a science fiction writer. Nerdy is great around here. I love what you were saying, how that part of our brain that needs to wander and meander and, and it’s a good reminder for me too because I am a, a high level learner on the Clifton strengths.
I’m number one learner, so I always wanna be learning things. I’m always listening to a YouTube video or to French radio. I speak French or, talking to a friend through asynchronous audio communication. But the other day I was just so full of doing so much I stopped, I didn’t listen to anything, I took a walk.
Ah, it was great. So it was just a reminder myself to do more of that so thank you so much for bringing that up and, and to feed yourself. Also, I have a whole freebie that I, maybe I’ll, I’ll, I’ll call it out for this episode, which is “10 Ways to Jumpstart Your Ideas.” It is just a laundry list of fun ways, a very short little ebook to encourage folks to do new things.
And science is showing, coming back to brain science, that the only way that we’re gonna have new thoughts and new ideas is if we expose ourself to new things, new people, new places, new art, new music, new authors, new locations. And that is the only way that we’re gonna be able to actually come up with new ideas, and create new kinds of stories and also come up with new ways of being in the world. So yes, yes, yes, feed yourself art and I, I love, yeah, take yourself on an artist date. Wonderful, wonderful advice.
CHAD GRAYSON: We all have like a idea antenna that’s kind of out there, like pulling things from the universe and sometimes we just have to learn to listen to that. And that’s what the default mode network and doing new things is about sometimes.
BETH BARANY: Yes. And so it makes sense that with a default mode network, and this thing we call boredom is actually an essential part to our human evolution, to our ability to come up with new ideas. I can almost see like, let’s have a boredom campaign.
Let’s see how bored we can get. What can I do today that’s gonna create some boredom?
CHAD GRAYSON: That might be a hard sell, but I can see it would be useful.
BETH BARANY: It could be funny. Yeah. I mean, oh yeah. I’m gonna go stand in line here or there, whatever. Yeah. so, I have one more question for you as we wrap up for today.
So Chad, this is kind of a nice bookend to the first question I asked.
[20:20] Representing Neurodivergent Characters in FictionHow can we as writers properly represent neurodivergent people in our fiction?
CHAD GRAYSON: The answer is a little bit the same as with queer people, just to show that we exist. It’s a little bit more out of a challenge to understand what neurodivergence is sometimes for writers and not just make, oh, this person’s quirky.
‘Cause there aren’t quirky neurodivergent people, but there are also some of us who are. Also, it doesn’t hurt to actually state that there are neurodivergent in especially science fictional worlds where this is known about.
In my fantasy book Curse of the Onyx Heart, one of the co-lead characters is Tealy.
He is an elf mage, He’s based on my best friend. It’s my best friend’s D&D character actually. And my best friend is autistic, so I modeled that character after him. And he’s an autistic mage, like definitely, I don’t ever use that word because it’s like about, about like renaissance kind of era.
A friend, a reader picked up that he was autistic like this is he autistic. And I was really proud of the fact that like, I got that right. They love the character and I thought he was a good, a good bit of representation. This takes a little bit of research sometimes because if you’ve met one neurodivergent or person, you met one neurodivergent person. We are all different and it expresses differently.
There’s a lot of really great resources online on what that feels like. There’s a lot of writing from people who experience these. And on my blog, I write about ADHD and bipolar disorder all the time and how it affects my life. Look for primary sources for people writing about their own lives. Tumblr is full of this. You look at the tags on Tumblr and get a first person perspective because if you get only third person perspectives, you’re gonna miss a lot of nuance, and you might create some harmful stereotypes, but just include us.
Show that we can function in society, you know. There are high support needs autistics, my granddaughter is one of them, but there are a lot of autistic people who are just fine, just with a little bit of difference in the way their brain works. So show that we can be productive members of society. Show us using our gifts in interesting ways and show that we can have full lives and we’re not tortured by our either genius or madness.
BETH BARANY: I really love what you’re saying because, and I wanna underscore, doing primary research, like when I realized I wanted to start including those kind of characters in my work, I went and talked to a friend who is neurodivergent and, was diagnosed kind of late, which often happens with women.
And I talked to her and I also talked how do we go about researching this kind of thing. And so I love that you keep a blog. Thank you for, for sharing about your life. And, and there are a lot of people who talk about their life and we have access to that these days, which is one of the wonderful things about the internet.
I don’t know about you, but not everybody knows how to research very well these days. I come from a library background, so I realize I have some skill sets that I have been cultivating for a really long time. But what do you recommend in terms of search terms to make sure we can find those first person accounts?
CHAD GRAYSON: You can put first person account or blogs by insert like blogs by ADHD people, blogs by autistic people. Look at the tags on Tumblr. Tumblr’s got a lot of weird stuff on it, but Tumblr’s also a really great for people who are writing about their lives and their own experiences. Just look at the tags, like ADHD or autism or Au-DHD, those are some terms that are popular there. Also, there are first person resources like How to ADHD is by Jessica McCabe. She is a, um, YouTuber. She also wrote a book called How to ADHD, and it was an amazing first person primary source of how to deal with having ADHD through diagnosis, through how to integrate what you learn into your life.
So, um, I really recommend her. There are other podcasts of a ADHD people, that are from ADHD people. So just look up ADHD podcasts. I get most of my podcasts from Spotifys and they have like a whole channel of like neuro divergent resources there. So look for like things that are people’s personal experiences that’s gonna be most helpful.
You also can do the things like look at the Wikipedia entry for whatever you’re looking up. That’s a good place to start to know the bare basics of what the syndrome or brain difference is like, and how it works on a scientific level.
But realize also like you get one primary source. It’s better to have two or three at least, because the expression of these things is different for each person. So if you can kind of triangulate, you can get to something really realistic that’ll resonate with a lot of people. If you just go with one person, that’ll be their experience and they’ll probably resonate with people, but if you wanna go broader, get like two or three at least references on something to really, like, like I said, triangulate what that looks like in a broad group of people.
BETH BARANY: I love that. I love your, your use of triangulate. That’s so wonderful. There is one more question that I like to spring on folks as we wrap up.
It won’t be too outta the blue. My question for you is for those who want to think about how to write the future, and how we might use our fiction to reshape, how we wanna be in the world? Do you have any tips for those writers who are thinking along those lines?
[25:36] Writing the Future: Hopeful FictionCHAD GRAYSON: I think it’s really important to think about things that are possible and where we might go in a hopeful way. I do not like grimdark fiction. I don’t have anything against people who write it, but it is not my thing. I tend to wanna imagine us solving our problems and I think that’s more useful on a society level than just wallowing in like how bad things can get, which is, it has its own, has its own use, ’cause we do need those stories of warning.
But just when you’re especially writing futuristic things, think about just how we, how we look at the problems we have today that are societal, like near societal collapses that are coming in with climate change, with the problematic society with income inequality. We have an opportunity to look at how those problems can be solved.
And I think we have a responsibility to do that, to show people the way. And in fantasy worlds, we don’t have to create fantasy worlds that mimic all the bigotries of the past. We can create fantasy worlds that are more inclusive for different ethnic groups and queer people and for neurodivergent people and for all kinds of different minorities.
We have the opportunity to recreate what has been. And we don’t have to just like, oh, well it was middle ages, so of course they’re gonna be misogynists. We don’t have to do that. We can create different worlds. And I would like to see a lot more people do that because I think it’s more useful and more hopeful and also more interesting to include more people.
BETH BARANY: Absolutely. I love that so much. Well, Chad, thank you so much for coming on How to Write the Future today and supporting, uh, the creation of hopeful, optimistic possibilities for us as humans on this planet. So thank you so much.
[27:18] Closing Thoughts & FarewellCHAD GRAYSON: Welcome. It was a pleasure.
BETH BARANY: All right everyone. That’s it for this week. Write long and prosper. And that’s a wrap.
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061Need instructions on how to leave a review? Go here.
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ABOUT BETH BARANY
Beth Barany teaches science fiction and fantasy novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor. She’s an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and runs the podcast, “How To Write The Future.”
Learn more about Beth Barany at these sites:
Author site / Coaching site / School of Fiction / Writer’s Fun Zone blog
CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580
Email: beth@bethbarany.com
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CREDITS EDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://www.descript.com?lmref=_w1WCA (Refer-a-Friend link)MUSIC CREDITS : Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/fuzz-buzz License code: UMMKDRL02DFGKJ0L. “Fuzz buzz” by Soundroll. Commercial license: https://musicvine.com/track/soundroll/fuzz-buzz.DISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465 (Refer-a-Friend link)SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec 2025 BETH BARANY
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October 7, 2025
Habit of Mind: Creativity by Bailey Lang
Let’s welcome back Bailey Lang as she shares with us “Habit of Mind: Creativity.” Enjoy!
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How you think affects how you behave — and if you’re someone who wants to write, paying attention to your habits of mind is as important as trying to adjust your external habits to get more words on the page.
In this article series, we’ve already talked about curiosity, openness, and engagement.
Today, we tackle a big one: creativity.
What is Creativity?You might be thinking that a whole article about creativity is a waste of time.
You’re a writer.
Obviously you’re creative, right?
You’ve got that in the bag, unless you’re feeling blocked, burned out, exhausted, overly busy, distracted by your phone, or — the list goes on.
The thing is, creativity isn’t just about putting something beautiful, expressive, or unique on the page.
As a habit of mind, creativity encourages us to change our orientation to everything.
According to the framework that forms the foundation of this series, creativity is “the ability to use novel approaches for generating, investigating, and representing ideas.”
Creativity is more than your ability to come up with a new type of dragon for your epic fantasy trilogy.
It’s about how comfortable you are taking risks, trying new approaches in your practice, exploring new methods of engaging in writing, and, crucially, assessing how it all went at the end of the process.
How do Writers Practice Creativity?As writers, we practice being creative every time we sit down to write — no real surprise there!
However, we can always cultivate more opportunities for creative thinking.
Imbuing your everyday habits of mind with creativity will pay dividends in your writing practice.
You can grow your sense of creativity by providing yourself with opportunities to get curious.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to know or do?How can you learn more or get engaged?Going beyond our first impulses (“I’ll Google it” or “I’ll watch a YouTube video of an expert”) forces us to get more creative about how we discover new ideas.
The more we’re learning, the more likely we are to draw interesting connections between seemingly unrelated things — and odds are good you’ll come up with something cool to use in your writing.
We can also ramp up our creativity by assessing where we’ve fallen into a rut in our creative practice.
Maybe you always write stories from a particular point of view, and you challenge yourself to write a handful of stories using an unfamiliar perspective.
Paying attention to where our writing feels comfortable, familiar, or even stale can point us to places where an injection of creativity might breathe new life into our work.
Creative Activities for WritersIncreasing your creativity doesn’t have to be about coming up with the wackiest, most unrealistic scenario possible for a story (although that can be a lot of fun!).
Making creativity into a habit of mind is about creating the conditions where you feel excited and encouraged to regularly try new things, test out ideas, and see what happens.
Introduce a ConstraintWe often assume creativity happens when we remove as many obstacles as we can between us and our writing — but constraints are incredibly useful tools for forcing us to get creative.
By blocking off possibilities, we pay closer attention to the resources we have, and we get a lot more creative about how we use them.
Here are some constraints you could play with to increase your creativity (in your writing and your thinking more broadly):
Compose a poem without using the letter “e”Write a scene that only refers to one sensory detail (i.e., sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch)Create a new recipe using only food you already haveCome up with 20 non-standard uses for a simple object — a brick, a pen, a bookGo Outside as Often as PossibleThere’s a significant amount of research showing that getting outside enhances our creativity.
Getting off our devices and out into the world — even a small park in a busy city — can help us restore our attention, leading to more creative thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
The more time you spend outside, the more likely you are to have the kind of creative breakthrough that feels like a gift from your Muse.
Build intentional outdoor rambling (sans cell phone) into your daily and weekly rhythms, and pay attention to your attention, your creativity, and your overall mood!
Reading RecommendationsHow Nature Can Make You Kinder, Happier, and More Creative3 Science-Based Strategies to Increase Your Creativity Find Your Unicorn Space (affiliate link) Big Magic (affiliate link)***
About the Author
Dr. Bailey Lang is a book coach, writer, and editor.
At The Writing Desk, she helps authors build sustainable, enjoyable writing practices that take their books from draft to done.
Bailey has a PhD in rhetoric and writing studies and loves geeking out about writing.
You can sign up for Bailey’s free newsletter, Word to the Wise, for more writing advice and regular author interviews.
The post Habit of Mind: Creativity by Bailey Lang appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
October 3, 2025
What Will You be Happy Making? by Catharine Bramkamp
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Catharin
e Bramkamp as she shares with us “What Will You be Happy Making?” Enjoy!
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The Role of Art in HappinessYeah, yeah, the arts are important.
Got it.
What else can art do for me?
Art will make you happy.
I believe strongly in spending my days happy.
What I’ve discovered is that often we are happier with a schedule that in turn helps you do what you’ve always wanted to do.
The Challenge of Free TimeIs this you?
You’ve always wanted uninterrupted time, time to finally do what YOU want, free from schedules and to-do lists.
Yet when you do earn that free afternoon, that open day, that schedule free retirement, what you get in return is . . . a vague sense of unease.
We spend our days organizing our lives and trying to keep the schedule:
School, job, children, more school, medical protocols, caretaking, meals.What happens when all those requirements fall away?
What if we wake one morning to endless summer?
We can do what we want?
But what do we want?
The Disorientation of Doing NothingAll those afternoons just reading a book have made you twitchy.
You know you want to exercise, but just can get up the energy (which is ironic) to do so.
You finally have the evening to create gourmet meals, but instead you just pick up take away and eat in front of the TV screen and wonder where the evening went.
This isn’t about joining a drumming class (which could be interesting), this is about how a lack of schedule is surprisingly disorienting.
Lessons from ItalyLast year I spent two beautiful weeks in Italy, returning home with plans to keep up the vibe.
Enjoy the summer, postpone projects, just hang out.
By day three, I was experiencing escalating dissatisfaction.
I was cranky, and cranky about not enjoying my own imposed endless summer.
Doing nothing, just relaxing was oddly inadequate.
The Power of a ScheduleSo I made a new schedule.
And you can too.
Mark up the calendar to make your new perfect day real:
Read the news over coffeeExerciseWalkLunchArtIt is not counter intuitive to schedule art making.
Label an hour as the art time.
Start assuming that’s how the hour will be spent.
Treat the art time as important enough to protect.
Earning Time OffAfter a half hour working on your art in the morning, you will feel you earned an afternoon at the lake or on the beach or in the hammock.
Earning the “time off” is necessary for the American mind-set.
Most of us feel we need to have accomplished something on our to-do list before we can relax.
Even if that to-do list is one of fun or optional projects.
If the art spills into more time that is the big win.
You entered into the zone and that’s how we connect to the universe, to our own inner voice, and to our needs.
A Low-Impact Art ScheduleCreate a low-impact schedule for your art.
The shorter the expected time, the easier it is to enter and do.
It will work.
You will work.
Now take a break.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORCatharine Bramkamp is a successful writing coach, Chief Storytelling Officer, former co-producer of Newbie Writers Podcast, and author of a dozen books including the Real Estate Diva Mysteries series, and The Future Girls series. She holds two degrees in English and is an adjunct university professor. After fracturing her wrist, she has figured out there is very little she is able to do with one hand tied behind her back. She delights in inspiring her readers.
The post What Will You be Happy Making? by Catharine Bramkamp appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
September 30, 2025
Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard, and Jill Badonsky Interview by LA Bourgeois
Let’s welcome back LA Bourgeois as she shares with us “Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard, and Jill Badonsky Interview .” Enjoy!
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Jill Badonsky’s Creative ChildhoodWhen Jill Badonsky was growing up, she wanted to herd imaginary friends.
“I had one of those childhoods that lead you to be an artist or a writer, and what got me through was my imagination,” she said.
“Knowing the power of having these imaginary friends, my imaginary support system, was what turned into the Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard.”
This book, now in its fourth edition, anthropomorphizes ten powerful creativity principles into whimsical and wise beings who support us in finding creative fulfillment.
After all, who wouldn’t love to have a conversation with a muse to break through an obstacle?
Much more fun than doing it all alone!
From Book to Coaching SystemBadonsky also used these same principles to create her coaching system, Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching.
In this way, she fulfilled her other childhood dream profession, being a teacher of something creative.
Frankly, she’s the only person who I’ve ever interviewed who, when asked “What did you want to be when you grew up?” answered, “I wanted to be exactly what I grew up to be.”
How fabulous!
Inside Nine Modern Day Muses and a BodyguardBut let’s get to our Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard.
The book begins with a quick overview and history, plus a list of tools needed for the journey, which include items such as Patience, Joy, and Trust.
We begin with the Bodyguard, guardian of your creativity.
Your bodyguard is here to protect you from the damaging influence of others as well as the ways that you can find to thwart your own creative brilliance.
And here’s a quick introduction to each of the Muses:
Aha-phrodite: the Muse of Paying Attention, Passion and PossibilitiesAlbert: Muse of Imagination and Innovation (the only muse named after a human, Albert Einstein!)Bea Silly: Muse of Play, Laughter and DanceMuse Song: Muse of Nurturing, Encouragement and Good CompanySpills: Muse of Practice, Process and ImperfectionAudacity: Muse of Courage and Uninhibited UniquenessLull: Muse of Pause, Diversion and GratitudeShadow: Muse of the Dark SideMarge: Muse of Okay-Now-Let’s-Get-StartedOne of the things that I love about this book is that, when you discover you’re struggling with something, you can simply turn to the Muse who will most easily be able to help you and go in-depth.
Each chapter includes affirmations, journal check-ins, tools, exercises, and even a specific walk to unleash the muse’s energy in your body.
Badonsky covers each principle with an eye to the reader’s holistic wellbeing, and I find that approach very refreshing.
Interview with Jill BadonskyBadonsky joined me to discuss these muses and what it means to be a thriving creative.
What prompted you to transform these 10 creativity principles into the Muses and a Bodyguard?
I was an occupational therapist in psychiatry.
I’d studied creativity ever since the early eighties, and had a background that fed into my instincts and intuition, which is what the Muses are mostly based on.
I discovered the nine Greek Muses and I had a whole bunch of creativity principles I was gonna personify, and I thought, “Well, I’ll put them into 9 Muses.”
But they didn’t fit into nine muses!
That’s why there’s a bodyguard.
I just intuitively, based on my own creative blocks, came up with these new “modern day” Muses, which really represent self-talk that helps you get through creative blocks and want to be creative.
In your work, which muse do you feel like gets called on more often than others? Or are they all called on about the same?
They all have the same amount of clout, as far as the creative process goes.
But because I work with so many people who don’t think they’re good enough, who are perfectionists, and people who are just really critical of themselves and their work, I work mostly with Spills, the Muse of Imperfection, Process and Practice.
Although Albert helps us think differently about what we’re doing, and Bea Silly is vital for, “So what, I’ll do it anyway!” They overlap a little bit too.
I love all of them.
I don’t want to favor one over the other, because they get really revengeful and then they put marshmallows under my carpet, and it’s just a sticky mess.
How do you define being a Thriving Creative?
Showing up for yourself, making time for yourself and enjoying it.
I think a lot of people are doing what they think they’re supposed to do and should do.
But I think the people who thrive in my world most creatively are following the energy of which idea energizes them the most, and lets them enjoy the process.
If I’m enjoying the process and doing it for myself, the product either takes care of itself, or I just had a blast in the process.
And just making creativity a priority.
If it’s a value of yours, make room for it and time for it.
Don’t be hard on yourself, because it’s impossible to be perfect as a human.
Closing ThoughtsWhich Modern Day Muse resonates with you? Leave a comment and let’s chat about it!
Haven’t started the book yet? Pick up a copy of Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard at your local library, favorite indie bookshop or online!
Our next Book for Thriving Creatives is Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer .
This gorgeously illustrated text is my go-to instruction manual for writing speculative fiction.
VanderMeer offers an accessible, example-rich approach that emphasizes the importance of playfulness as well as pragmatism.
It also embraces the visual nature of genre culture and employs bold, full-color drawings, maps, renderings, and visualizations to stimulate creative thinking.
Grab a copy at your local bookshop, at the library, or online and join us to read Wonderbook!
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ABOUT LA BOURGEOIS
LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois is a Kaizen-Muse Certified Creativity Coach and author who helps clients embrace the joy of their creative work and thrive while doing it.
Get more of her creativity ideas and techniques by subscribing to her newsletter at https://subscribepage.io/unlockyourcreativity.
The post Nine Modern Day Muses and a Bodyguard, and Jill Badonsky Interview by LA Bourgeois appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
September 23, 2025
3 More Copyright Myths You Should Know by Kelley Way
Let’s welcome back monthly columnist Kelley Way as she shares with us “3 More Copyright Myths You Should Know.” Enjoy!
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My previous article on copyright myths proved to be a hit, so I’m following it up with three more myths related to copyright:
1. If it’s online, it’s free to useThis myth is pervasive.
It’s so easy to copy and download things online. People assume the content must be free to use.
Unfortunately for them, this is not the case.
Posting something online doesn’t remove copyright protection, it just makes it easier for people to infringe.
In addition, bad actors will often post other people’s content online, so you can’t trust that the person who posted it is the same person who owns the copyright.
If you’re looking for content you can use, go to a reputable website where copyright owners have given permission for others to use their content.
2. Copyright lasts foreverI’m afraid this is also a myth.
A copyright lasts a very long time, but it does not last forever.
Currently, a copyright lasts for the life of the author plus seventy years.
After that, it is in the “public domain,” meaning it’s available for anyone to use for any purpose.
For works published before 1978, the rules are slightly different.
1978 was when the current Copyright Act took effect, so the rules for those pre-existing works more closely follow the old rules.
Thankfully, they got rid of all the technicalities that had to be met in that prehistoric era.
Now those works get 95 years of protection from the year of publication, assuming the owner followed the formalities while they were still required.
3. I can copyright something I created with an AI program.I went over this in more detail in an earlier blog post, but AI is so popular right now that the message bears repeating.
The Copyright Office has made it clear that content created by an AI program is not copyrightable, because only human-created content is eligible for copyright.
Content created with AI assistance falls into a gray area, but the rule of thumb is this: if you give an AI program instructions and can’t predict what will spit out the other end, the result can’t be copyrighted.
To give a concrete example: say you are editing a photograph using an AI program.
You ask the program to make the photo three shades lighter.
This can be copyrighted, because you know the end result the AI program will produce.
Then you tell the program to add a cat dragging a bathrobe into the picture.
The result cannot be copyrighted, because you have no idea what details the AI program will add in.
What kind of cat will it choose?What’s the color of the bathrobe?Where is this tableau going to appear in the photograph?All of these are creative decisions you leave in the hands of the AI program, and the Copyright Office will only accept creative elements contributed by a human.
Questions?I hope you found this myth-busting session helpful. If you have questions about your copyright, you are welcome to email me at kaway@kawaylaw.com
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelley Way was born and raised in Walnut Creek, California. She graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in English, followed by a Juris Doctorate. Kelley is a member of the California Bar, and an aspiring writer of young adult fantasy novels. More information at kawaylaw.com.
The post 3 More Copyright Myths You Should Know by Kelley Way appeared first on Writer's Fun Zone.
