Tuesday, June 26, 2018

2018 - MONTH 6 - busy! Busy! BUSY!

Busy is the only word that can be used for all that has happened during the month of June.  Evans and Rhodes have been busy getting ready for a major Book Festival held on June 16th. Both authors were asked not only to sell our novels, but to speak at the event.  L. Barnett Evans ended the Book Festival with the reading of Excerpts from her recently produced play, Take My Hand.

C.V. Rhodes served as the keynote speaker at the Festival.  The title of the speech was "Follow Your Dreams, but Take Care of Your Business".  Since Evans and Rhodes are both authors and playwrights, in that speech important suggestions were made for those who aspire to  become writers. 

If you choose to follow these suggestions, no matter what type of  creative artists one might, remember that your work is valuable.  Know your worth.  Live your dreams, but take care of your business.


    SUGGESTIONS FOR CREATIVE ARTISTS
                                   
·        Copyright your work (own your work in case of future disputes) Go on line to the U.S. Copyright Office Official site and register your work.  It cost $35 to $85.

·        Have an attorney review contracts ask questions regarding what you don’t understand on those contracts (Legal Shield membership will provide such services)

·        Playwrights, you own your work and when a producer wants to put your play up all you are doing is giving permission for that producer to do your work for a limited time.  You should receive rights and royalty monies.  Every time that play hits the stage you should receive royalty money.  Never give permission for a producer to do your work without a written contract.

·        Authors when you get a book contract, even if you have an agent, you should understand every right that you’re giving up, especially your digital rights (ebooks, audio books, streaming of any kind anything to projects your rights for the future ).  Giving up too much for too long can cost you.

·        If you’re an author with a publishing contract, (whether you have an author or not) learn how to read a Royalty Statement (question anything that looks suspicious, be willing to challenge the publisher regarding it)

·        Playwrights and Authors know how much you’re willing to give away to get produced or published





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