Copyright Dilemma

What I found interesting from the Owl website was that it mentions section 107 of the Congress of Copyright Act, which I didn't know about. Owl states that- “teachers and students are more protected when using the copyrighted works for classroom assignments, lessons, projects, criticism, comments, news, reporting, teaching scholarship or research.” This gives teachers and students options for exploring different copyrighted material, but what about everyone else? Don’t individuals who want to use copyright materials for expansion of ideas and knowledge have the right to have further understanding of a particular subject?

"Courts often favor uses that transform the copyrighted work into something new by adding criticism or commentary to change the meaning or message of the original. Educational use is protected to allow creativity and intellectual expression," (quote from owl) On YouTube I have seen videos that do the exact same thing. People post the original movies adding their own commentary, and allowing others to comment on the film. There are also blogs where individuals criticize a piece of writing, adding their own interpretations about the text. If these "amateurs" are following the same guideline as students and teachers, then they shouldn't be penalized.

Owl gives advice, saying that Internet users should stay on the safe side by only using a small chunk (10%) of any media. I do believe this is fair, considering that the artists are sharing their work with the Internet Universe. But here comes the tricky part, though the available pieces can be used, sometimes you can only have them for a short period of time. This makes me think about the Terms of Use page that appears when you want to install software or download a copyrighted image. It seems to be presented in small font, and the sentences are so close together and go on for 2-3 pages.

Living in such a fast paced society where time is limited, individuals are so eager to use the copyrighted work that they automatically agree to the terms, not noticing the “temporary use,” phrase. Maybe if the ‘Terms of Use’ should specify the important details earlier on in a shorter format, so the conditions can be presented clear to the user. I know that there are probably bloggers out there who have images posted beyond the time limit permitted, due to the lack of information.

It seems like a catch 22, that only one group of people have access to materials when others don’t. As long as amateurs use the copyrighted media for non-profit purposes and don’t exploit the artist’s work, is it necessary for individuals to go through such a grueling process?

There seems to be so many rules and regulations when dealing with the issue of copyrighted work. Yet, it does protect artists and their assets, from those who make it tough on everyone, when using other’s art for self-gain.

Collision of Creativity

I used to preach about people respecting artist, musicians and writers, by giving credit to their talent; by not exploiting their work. Though I still believe this, I'm guilty myself. Viewing the videos and information from the websites Creative Commons and Owl, has allowed me to see my own creativity in a different light. In the past I have used images from google, sometimes not worrying about if the image was available for free use from the artists. I blindly believed that since the pictures were presented on google images then it was OK to use for my own inspiration.

As I kid my grade school teachers allowed us to cut out images from magazines and make a collages to reflect out own personalities. My little hands would cut into the magazines and paste them on construction paper. But I didn't realize where these pictures came from, or the time spent by the artists who put their hearts and souls into the piece. Even now as an adult, I take images from magazines, or the web and make collages to grace the covers of my journals, thinking I'm actually being creative. But since I didn't create these pictures myself, am I still being original by tearing them apart and rearranging them? There is no easy answer.

I create play list for my mp3 player, collecting songs from famous and independent singers. I use them as the soundtrack for my each scene in my stories; which inspires me to finish them. I believe I'm molding the play list into something unique. But in reality, though I carefully rearrange and place each song in a particular order, I'm not being creative. The artists are the ones making my play list come to life, not me. I had no part in the music's production or lyrics.

By surfing the web, I have came across people who take images, music lyrics or pieces of writing to make what they believe a unique art work. This makes me ponder whether if I ever get published to allow my writing available for the public to use for artistic purposes. Though the result from a collision of amateurs ideas and artists work can create something beautiful, it can also turn into one big mess. In some cases this collision can lead to disrespecting the artist.






The first video is a spoof of Taylor’s Swift’s Song –You Belong With Me by Venetian Princess. Though VPrincess video is hilarious (I admit it I love all her videos) the spoof took a song that Taylor wrote herself, the music video created by the director and turned into a horrible, creepy persona of the artist. The second video is the official video, which is quirky and disgustingly cute, which has a positive message: Don’t judge a book by its cover. See the true beauty and soul within. The spoof disregards this message, VPrincess changing it by replying that if I change myself I can get the guy I want. Does this mean that every time an artist allows his/her work to be used, they are at risk for the meaning behind their work to fade.


Though the Internet is a place for freedom of speech, space, and ideas, does this give us the right to recreate a piece of art that doesn't need further alterations? If the amateurs themselves made a artwork that was mutilated and left to the devices of others on the web, they would feel the exact anguish felt by many artists.

The Liquid Dream: Future Destruction of the Writing Culture

After reading an excerpt of Andrew Keen's book Cult of the Amateur, one of his passages stood out to me in a profound way: The Liquid Libary. In this passsage Kenn mentions Kevin Kelly who in 2006 wrote a article in New York Times, that described his veiws about creating Liquid Libraries on the web, that anyone can have access to books of all genre's and time periods. Pages of books can be carved into segments, rearranged, and words cut out; combining broken paragraphs, forming a craptacular version of the story.

"Should I be allowed to annotate and remix Moby-Dick so that Ahab spots the whale at the beginning of the journey? Is Plato's Republic still the same book if it contains a chapter from Locke paragraph from Kant. A finished book is not a box of Lego's, to be recombined and reconstructed at whim," (pg. 58)

As a writer myself, I'm deeply connected to my stories and poems. If someone were to disemember my words; it would be as if a part of my soul was ripped my from body. No one has the write to take art and destroy it because their bored or not fully able to grasp a work's meaning. These Liquid libraries would lead to the destruction of the writing culture: The artistic technique of weaving words, images, and ideas into a story will dissappear. Diction woould have no place in a society, were as longs as a work is quick and entertaining to read, its considered true literature.

There is already a decline in the popularity of newspapers, and literary magazines due to the internet. Though amateur reviewers and bloggers have the power to break or make a piece of writing, they should give books the respect they deserve, since they are the foundation of our world: Spreading Knowledge. If Kevin Kelly's idoic idea comes to pass, then future generations will never understand the messages of such classics as "Wuthering Heights" or "East of Eden," because they will be stripped and formatted to create a ball of confussion. How can new writers be born if all they have for inspiration is a puzzle of missing pieces?

Hopefully more writers will protest to keep physical copies of their books, and not allowing them to be exploited on the web. This will not only secure the next generation, but make others in our time see how our society will crumple if ideas of the past and present are shattered.

Mirror, Mirror: The Vanity Among Self Publishers

I’m a Fiction Writing Major who is struggling to complete a novel. Most writers like myself dream of having there books be number one on the bestseller list; or a short story grace the glossy surface of a magazine. There are many trials that writers must take, to have their work published: Query letters sent to different publishing houses to promote your manuscript, nails bitten to the nubs trying to find an agent. Then there’s the waiting game next to the mail box for the golden ticket of approval or letter of rejection. Every writer dreads this process, but the rough patches in the journey to become published, builds character, sparks determination, and reveals the dedication you have for your work.

But, what if this process could be by passed all together? This where self-publishing presses arise; they serve those writers who don’t want to face the grueling process and become published on their own terms. Others think that by getting a book out there, they will catch the attention of an agent or high ranking publishing company. There are advantages of self publishing, you gain control of the book’s design as well as setting its price, and where it is sold. The author gets full rights to the book, instead of the publishing company owning a large chuck of it. Through companies the writer might see only 5% to 15 % royalty of each book, while dealing with the self press gets them 50 % to 200 %. If you leave money out of the equation, what happens to the integrity of your novel?

According to Andrew Keen, author of The Cult of the Amateur, “Today’s digital print-on-demand services are turning amateur novelists into modern day Gutenberg’s, enabling anyone to publish anything, regardless of quality, for a fee,” (pg. 56). He mentions a software website called blurb.com that hooks people in by advertising technology that can turn blogs, photos, and stories on the web into physical books. A book is supposed to be a reflection, a mirror image into the soul of the writer. By self publishing, writers are being robbed of the chance to get their work critiqued by editors not only to fix misspellings, but give ideas to fully expand the work, and mold the story until it’s a polished piece ready for the public’s hungry eyes.

I believe every artist deserves a chance to have their work showcased, but the easy route is not helpful. I have found a website called, Instantpublisher.com, that only mentions the positive sides of self-publishing, never the negative. It hooks the desprite writers by claiming that "publishing companies take months to complete to complete the book and sale in stores, instantpublisher.com completes the finish product in only a few days." It fools the writer into believing that this is the only way to get their writing published since it's hard to find a company to publish spealized books and fiction.

Yet the site doesn't reveal that you can spend up to $3000-$5,000 paying for the disruption of your books to different locations, producing more copies, and fund advertising to promote your book; which would have been taken care of by a Professional Publishing Company. Also agents and companies don’t think highly of self published work, and consider them not really “published.” Book reviewers will even take a second glance at your book because it wasn't properly proofread or organized by an editor.

I have submitted a few stories to magazines and have been rejected. But I consider it a learning process; I will only get better as a writer if I evolve from my mistakes. When I finish my novel I will take the bumpy road, until I find an agent and company that accepts my writing style, while gaining the benifits of having a professional published book.



(I got my info from http://www.writingworld.com Article
“Self Publish FAQ’s" by. Moira Allen and http://www.
instantpublisher.com)

The Template Experiment

When I first created my personal blog, I saw "thisaway rose" template created by Dan Rubin; it spoke to me. The template has a mixture of different pinks on the margins and a cool, deep, yet vivid purple for the header and font color. "Thisaway Rose" Emphasises the pictures I post, making them pop out to the viewer. Though I love this template, I want to see what would happen if I actually change to a different one, would my blog still have the same impact?


Alternative Template 1: Mr. Moto created by Jeffrey Zeldman

*At first when I looked at this template the word that came to mind was dull. But as I looked deeper, I realized that the gray margins and header gave my blog a quiet strength. It brings out the colors in my video clips and photos; as well as heightens the intensity of my black and white drawings. Though the down side of this template is the fact that if this wasn't my blog I might by pass it. I would only consider reading the blog, because of its header: The Crow Speaks Her Own Truth.




Alternative Template 2: Dark Dots created by Douglas Bowan

* This template is too busy and all over the place. It clashes harshly with my images; which means that my viewers would spend most of there attention on the dots and not my text, that seems to disappear inside the dark blue background.




By experimenting with two different templates has allowed me to see that a blog depends on the style its framed in. "Thisaway Rose" fits my blog perfectly to me, it expresses my personality: sweet, intuitive, and determined. Though if my template wasn't available I would have to go with "Mr. Moto" that creates a bit of mystery, which is what I want my writing to convey.

Welcome to the Jungle: Top Five Tips to Help Conquer the Blog Beast

I have explored the dark depths of the Internet jungle, to discover the secret of taming the beasts called, "Blogs." I barely made it out alive with my mouse intact. By viewing different types of blogs and their masters, I now know what five tips can sooth such savage creatures. These tips I hope can help myself and others who wish to conquer their blogs, so they can be able to share them with the world.

Tip 1: Don't be Afraid to add Images or Videos.

Reason: Grooming your blog by adding images and videos can draw attention to it. I looked at different blogs and the first thing I noticed was the video clips and pictures the owners used. Images can create a first impression of what the blog post is going to be about before reading the text. Living in a fast paced society, where time is limited, images can speak volumes.

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Tip 2: The information you present in a post should be related to the images you use and the theme of your overall blog.

Reason: Readers expect your blog to be reliable, not straying from the point you want to prove in the post. By posting a picture or video that doesn't connect to your text, can cause the readers to be confused, and feel like you are "yanking their chains." This will make you loose your audience and their respect.

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Tip 3: Your Template design should express your personality.

Reason: Templates can emphasis the meaning of the images you use as well as your text. Your design can create the tone of your blog: Bright colors can stand for lively, energetic, outgoing, while dull colors such as gray or white means that the blog will be dull, boring, and straight laced.

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Tip 4: You need to have creative header and blog description. What's the theme of your blog? This is the question you need to answer.

Reason: Though some people post random blogs about anything, your blog can stand out if you have a interesting theme. This could be your hobbies, goals in life, or rants about particular issues.

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Tip 5: A blog post needs an interesting title.

Reason: For books a catchy title can cause the reader to be intrigued, turn to view the back cover summary, then read the whole text for themselves. A blog is similar to a book, except your readers don't have the option of a quick summary of the blog, so they rely on interesting titles to hook them into the post.

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Now that I have shared these tips, you no longer have to cower in fear of your Blog. Use this wisdom to stare it down, and become the master of your own domain.

Blog Review 2- Lagniappe- "The Special Ingredients'

Sophia Blog's background is a rusty yellow, that emphasis the images on the screen. She uses pictures of the band members performing, the people from the neighborhoods the band plays in. Sophia also uses old fashioned Photos as well as poster boards to draw people into Lagnippe's world. This gives the blog a laid back,vintage, atmosphere.The videos Sophia posts of Lagniappe allows the audience to listen to the band's music for themselves. So they will be able to hear the different types of instruments being played: Saxophones, accordions, banjos, fiddles.

By looking at Sophia's Blog design, make me think about posting videos of writers performing their work: Book readings and poetry slams; so my audience can see how writing has evolved from paper to the screen. Sophia's blog relies mostly on images and videos, but its fits with her theme: Music. Sometimes words can't fully express the raw intensity of a performance. The audience as to hear and see the band to truly understand them.

Sophia shows other young artists in Cincinnati the band's birth place. Kids create paint images on side walks, who believe one day they will reach their dreams as the members of Lagniappe, when they were struggling musicians. By seeing pictures from Cincinnati lets me the viewer understand why the band chose to start their careers in the heart of this city. It has many cultures and stories that are being told through the bands music.

Blog Review 2: Lagniappe- "A Taste of New Orleans"

I stumbled upon a blog that caught my eye:Lagniappe-Cincinnati's Only Cajun Orleans/Gypsy Band. A Blogger who goes by the name Sophia, created this blog to show the talent of the band Lagniappe which in French means, "a little something." The band plays down home Bayou flavor music that makes your blood dance. Sophia who is a lover of music as well as photography, follows this band as they play in different clubs across America.

Sophia is not a groupie, she books some of the band's gigs. In her blog Sophia describes the atmosphere of different places the band played or visited which includes local restaurants, bars, and clubs who are looking for a band to boost their business.The blog is geared towards other music junkies, but is open to other viewers who are interested in this style of music. The blog not only helps Sophia in her career, but allows her audience to interact, by posting Lagniappe's tour dates and locations for their performances.

Though I think Sophia's blog is awesome, I would like for her to add more of her point of view, so other people can experience the excitement and emotions faces her adventure with Lagniappe. She relies so much on photographs and videos that her voice becomes lost.

Sophia gives me new ideas about how to make my own blog stand out. I could add the history of different genres in writing:Fantasy, Science Fiction, Magical Realism etc.... Maybe I can post "The Author of the Month," who has inspired me and has made an impact in the Media. In the future, if I every create my own online magazine, I can advertise it by posting sneak peeks of it on my blog.

I recommended Sophia's Lagniappe Blog, which opens a window into a style of music (Bayou,Cajun/Gypsy) that's not widely shown.





Link: http://www.lagniappecincy.blogspot.com