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Previously published vs. recycled writing: Editor's Notes #315 June 10, 2020 |
| Hello, you’re at the beginning of something else. —Mr. (Fred) Rogers In this issue: 1. Previously published vs. recycled writing 2. Tickled my funny bone 3. Interesting Web site 4. Writing prompt 5. My Covid-19 offer to you 1. Previously published vs. recycled writing Running out of things to write about? One solution could be to revisit previously written, and even previously published, work. Unless you have something in process, spend some time going through writing you’ve already done, looking for potential. I once won a contest with a reworked piece from a writing class. This issue shines a light on selling second rights to previously published work vs. recycling previously published work. One of the interesting Web sites below explains in some detail what qualifies as previously published work. Whoever published the work first owns first rights. These are usually more valuable, so do be careful when selling or giving away your first rights. Even if you have published something, you can usually offer second rights to it. Check your contract to see if you have that option open. If so, a good hunt online can uncover venues that pay for second rights. Alternatively, you can recycle your writing. Recycling is taking one thing and turning it into another. Turn a poem into a short story or vice versa. Write the same story for a different age group. (Think of all the fairy tales that have been made into movies for adults.) Take research for a piece of fiction and expand it into a nonfiction magazine article. You are bound only by your imagination. Just be sure that the new piece doesn’t look or sound like the original. To count as a recycler, you have to make something truly new. =========== 2.Tickled my funny bone Is it wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly? =========== 3. Interesting Web site This article sorts out what is considered previously published. https://writersrelief.com/2013/11/19/what-is-considered-previously-published-writing// And here’s one that gives some ideas of places that pay for second rights. It’s a good place to start if you have something worth publishing again. https://www.freedomwithwriting.com/freedom/uncategorized/51-publishers-that-will-pay-for-previously-published-articles/ / =========== 4. Writing prompt Be a magpie. They have a reputation of being thieves, but they are just curious about things. So are writers. You may not have anything you can or want to republish or recycle, so consider a bit from someone else. You can’t use the other writer’s words or discoveries, but if you are just a little bit curious, you can ask questions of the writing, and then record the answers you find. If you can’t think of anything else to prey upon, go ahead and pick apart this issue of Editor’s Notes. Did anything surprise you, tickle your fancy, trouble you, inspire you? Where can you go with those reactions? I always enjoy seeing what you write. This time, I may just have a vested interest in your creation, so do share, please. =========== 5. My Covid-19 offer to you Where I live, sanctions are slowly lifting. That has added a level of stress I didn’t expect. Should I do everything I’m now allowed to do? Probably not. That means I have more decisions to make. You may be facing the same, or other, stress. My offer below is my way of cutting some stress from the lives of writers who are considering being edited. What follows is a copy and paste from issue number 309. It’s still in force for you and anyone you choose to tell about it. Along with the health threat hanging over the world, we are facing a huge financial hit. I’ve decided one thing I can do is to make quality editing less expensive during this trying time. For subscribers to Editor’s Notes and their friends, I am suspending the fee for the sample edit to anyone using the code EN19 until I cancel this offer. I intend to keep this offer open as long as the world is in crisis with Covid-19 and its aftermath, so watch this space. I will give a warning here before I pull this offer. You can submit your writing sample at https://www.writershelper.com/sample-edit.html Be sure to click the link below the heading "Promotion Code" to get to the special form for a free sample edit. If you find yourself at a form before clicking the special link, scroll slowly back up the page, and you should see the link for the code (EN19). But it gets better… When I return an edited writing sample, I include quotes for the full range of my editing services. Until further notice, I will give a true quote, but I will not charge writers the full amount. I am discounting my services 50% for subscribers to Editor’s Notes and their friends. I will give a warning here before I pull this offer. Feel free to pass this offer along to any writing friends you think may be interested. As long as anyone uses the code, I’ll honour the offer. This is what I can offer you in this time of crisis. I hope it encourages you as you face possible illness and financial uncertainty. =========== Join Writer's Helper Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WritersHelperEditor Follow me on Twitter @AudreytheEditor Link on LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/audreyowen (Email me first so I know how you know me.) =========== If you know a writer who would appreciate receiving Editor's Notes, forward this issue. If someone has passed this on to you, you can get your own free subscription by signing up at https://www.writershelper.com/newsletter.html |
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