Issue 8

By Lisa Burns
On June 6, 2008, the Superior Court of New Jersey will hear Wikipedia’s argument to be removed from the lawsuit Barbara Bauer Literary Agency vs. Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. (“Wikimedia.”) Ms. Bauer has sued Wikimedia for defamation and interference with prospective economic advantage.

According to court documents, statements were published on Wikipedia referring to Ms. Bauer as, “The Dumbest of the Twenty Worst,” and that she has “no documented sales at all.” The plaintiff asserts that Wikimedia was informed of the false and defamatory statements, but that Wikimedia refused to remove the statements from Wikipedia.

Wikimedia claims that it cannot be held liable for the publication of the article on the Wikipedia website or anything contained within it, because of the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 of the act states, “Operators of Internet services are not to be construed as publishers (and thus not legally liable for the words of third parties who use their services).” Wikipedia claims it qualifies for protection under the CDA. Wikimedia also asserts that the claims should be dismissed because they are barred by the first amendment. According to the deposition, the court must decide whether the statements are defamatory.

The plaintiff asserts that Wikimedia published the statements, but did not create or develop the statements.

According to a complaint filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Ms. Bauer claims that the statements about her on Wikipedia are false and defamatory, and that Wikipedia refused to remove the statements from the site, despite the fact that the founder of Wikipedia has stated publicly that the website is accountable and mistakes are removed in minutes.

The case against Wikipedia is raising eyebrows across the world; publications in England have been covering the case since January. Defenders of Wikipedia do not believe the online encyclopedia needs to take responsibility for the disparaging remarks made about Ms. Bauer on its website because Wikipedia did not write the statements; they only published them. Defenders of Barbara Bauer believe that Wikipedia should be held responsible for the damaging remarks and further state that Wikipedia does have editorial control.

Wikipedia is one of the twenty-two defendants Ms. Bauer is suing for defamation, tortuous interference with prospective economic advantage and conspiracy to defame. At this time, Ms. Bauer and Wikipedia declined to comment on the case.

Agree? Disagree? Tell us at editor@writersnewsweekly.com or join the discussion on facebook.com.

By Monica Bean

When I first read The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas in high school, I recognized a brilliant work, even if I initially failed to understand its connection to my life. The Count of Monte Cristo is a powerful, compelling story about a man named Edmond Dantes who is betrayed by men following their own selfish motives. He is thrown into the Chateau d’If, trapped by prison bars and the surrounding seas, until he manages to escape 14 years later. During his time in this jail, Dantes transforms from a young man who has the world handed to him through his upcoming marriage to Mercedes and his recent promotion to Captain of The Pharaon into a man hardened by the realities of his situation and driven by the single-minded desire for revenge that he follows upon his escape and the discovery of treasure on the Isle of Monte Cristo.

When I went through The Count of Monte Cristo a second time while in college, I recognized its parallels to modern life. One of the greatest quests that everyone faces in the world is figuring out how to live their lives. As Mary Schmich once said in a now famous, mock graduation speech she wrote for a newspaper column for the Chicago Tribune, “Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.” As a college student stuck at a crossroads in my life with many possible directions to take, I experienced my first dose of the real world, and my first desire to pursue my passion for writing. The reason The Count of Monte Cristo is so captivating is because the author focuses on Dantes’s clash with reality in the society of the 1800s and how it transforms him from a man who follows his heart to a man who follows revenge.

Everyone develops their own personal quests in life. Our quests are formed and shaped by society, by our parents and friends, by our interests and goals, by our dreams and fears and experiences. The personal quest of Edmond Dantes reflects the modern desire for a life’s purpose within the pages of an exciting novel set in the 1800s that will have readers questioning motive, love, revenge, and their own passions in life.

There have been many books – and the periodical Skeptical Inquirer – devoted to debunking the paranormal. Chris Carter’s book, the first in a series of three, is the first book (that I am aware of) that is devoted to directly challenging the arguments of the skeptics of parapsychology.

As Carter carefully documents, the so-called skeptics have gone to the most extraordinary lengths to deny, distort, and suppress the evidence in favor of psi phenomena. He makes the valid point that true skepticism involves the suspension of belief, not the refusal of belief, and so most of these people are not really skeptics, but actually dogmatists.

This book is an excellent accompaniment to Dean Radin’s book The Conscious Universe. Radin’s book focuses more on the empirical evidence; Carter’s book does cover the historical and experimental evidence, but is focused more on the scientific and philosophic aspects of the controversy regarding psi phenomena, and on the dark history of the “skeptical” movement.

The book also has its own website, which can be found by entering the title and author into any good search engine.

Joshilyn Jackson

Joshilyn Jackson is the bestselling author of Gods in Alabama and Between Georgia. Her books have been described as southern Gothic laced with dark humor.

Q: Why is having a blog important?

A: “I looked at other authors’ web pages that were only updated every year. A blog diary experience makes the author more accessible. You connect with the reader for pleasure, not as a source of review.”

Q: How did you find an agent?

A: “I did what all the books say you should. I wrote query letters and an agent pulled mine out of a slush pile. An agent does more than sell books; he helps the writer through every stage of publication. He was very influential in helping me successfully distinguish between writing and publishing. Writing is intensely personal, while publishing is a business.”

Q: What have you learned from writing your first book?

A: “The longest journey is from your head down onto the page. I’m a reviser. I’ve gotten really fearless about trashing something if it doesn’t work. The trick is writing so the reader can access the world through your words. Being in a writers group with Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants) and others and having a writing partner also helps because they read with a good eye.”

Q: You’ve said a book is “not my child, but my boyfriend.” Explain.

A: “When I’ve finished a book it becomes an ex-boyfriend. We’re still friendly, but I move on to the next.”

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact and Touching The Dead, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.

Carlotta Holton has just received her second award for Touching the Dead from the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. Click here to purchase the book.

When I was in my early twenties, I was determined to save the world. An idealist from the get-go, there was no doubt I could single-handedly make a real difference. I worked endlessly for worthwhile causes, fought with conviction for anything I believed in, and even joined a sit-in at Cal State Northridge to listen to the rants and raves of Jane Fonda. Everything made sense back then, and no undertaking was too great.

Of course, as I got older, reality reared its ugly head, and I was forced to grasp the inevitable—changing the world might be a bit more difficult than anticipated. I reluctantly watched my headstrong ideals slip away, being taken over by practical necessities, like working to support myself. Before I knew it, life had gotten in the way, and my once powerful strides to bring about change were fading into memories.

I now know it doesn’t have to be that way. As many years have passed, I’ve been forced to mature and maybe even gain a bit of wisdom. Although I’ve kicked and fought most of the way, I’ve learned that simple change, taken in baby steps, can be as important as ambitious, enormous deeds.

There are so many accomplishments we can carry out each day to continue our inner quest. We can stand up for what we believe in, use our strengths to work with and inspire children, support our troops and their families, vote and let our voices be heard, give unselfishly to one or more charities, recycle and conserve energy. In other words—give of ourselves.

And there is more. Act using compassion, love, and understanding with everyone, even when the alternative is easier. Smile at strangers, share a look of encouragement, remind someone of his uniqueness. Simply take the time. You never know how a gentle glance or genuine grin will make an impact on someone’s life, but it does. That unforgotten act of kindness is contagious and oh so powerful.

I can’t say that I don’t occasionally miss trying to change the world in one full swoop, but aging does have its benefits. I now recognize that small gestures can be as effective as the huge demonstrations I attended over 30 years ago. I haven’t given up. I’ve merely come to the realization that there is more than one way to save the world.

Lisa Martin owns Martin-McLean Literary Associates LLC. She represents established authors as well as new writers.

Before driving back to give a speech at my alma mater, Grace M. Davis High School, I read that Forbes Magazine ranked Modesto, California as the nation’s eighth most miserable city. In fact, according to last year’s edition of Cities Ranked and Rated, Modesto was the nation’s least desirable place to live. Authors Bert Sperling and Peter Sander gave the Central California city where I spent several years of my life zero points.

Yet I’ve learned some important lessons about “miserable” cities as I’ve traveled and driven back to Modesto several times recently. Statistics aside, rejected cities are ripe with people who know how to create fascinating spheres around them. If the recent conversations I’ve had in snubbed cities are any of indication of the kind of company misery brings, I’m in. In fact, the writer in me was born in Modesto.

Last month, when I returned to my former high school to speak to its academic achievers, I was reminded of my love of literature formed there. Seeing Ms. Barr, my senior-year English teacher, I realized that after all these years I could still recite the Macbeth piece we learned in her class (applause to her). Memories of books we studied flooded my mind. The image of my bedroom strewn with pictures of other places I had also read about and that I wanted to explore for myself wouldn’t leave my mind. Teachers introduce us to books, books to other worlds. We travel through words and then are inspired to go, visit, and learn things firsthand wherever that may take us. Whether tourist destination or cast-off neighborhood, dreams can be made anywhere. Muses lurk in what others pass by.

On a hot May Saturday earlier this month I was back in Modesto’s downtown, a participant in a fundraiser for the Visually Impaired Center of Stanislaus County. There I talked with several blind people about literature. Their passion for stories and words inspired me. Equally fascinating is what they taught me about the singularity of voice and the unique experience of listening to a book read aloud. That night my friends and I read poetry to each other in the garden, the sound of their voices comforting to me as I missed the almond orchards. Again I could think and dream, lost in the words of the poetry.

Artisans, artists, designers, people who create and inspire, this is the Modesto surveys do not communicate. Whatever a city’s rank, imagination is born and can be expressed. Modesto was once my place to read, study maps, and grow until I was taken elsewhere. Even though I did not stay, by driving back to Modesto I’ve learned better than to only believe in status. I now have a hunch that other low-ranking cities across the nation are occupied by people I would like to meet, and they aren’t miserable either.

Tyler Oaks earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Stanislaus and her Master of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento. Tyler lives in California's Napa Valley with her husband and twin daughters. Tyler is presently at work on her next novel.

If you’re a writer, then you’re a conscious human being. If you’re a conscious human being, then you’ve felt the sting of rejection. Therefore, if you’re a writer, you might as well stay in your pajamas all day and mope around semi-conscious drinking mojitos.

Logical or not, writers dread rejection, and it’s sidelined more of us than the most insidious cocktail. The moment we put pen to paper, we invite rejection from teachers, agents, editors, publishers, booksellers, producers, parents, ourselves. If we dwell on it, rejection can affect the way we think and write, eventually becoming internalized as negative self-talk and spilling into other areas of our lives. But that’s no fun, so why go there?

If rejection is a foregone conclusion, then it’s how we react to it that makes or breaks us. Some hit the mojitos, some post their rejection slips and break out the darts, some write a bestseller and sleep undisturbed. If the way we react is a choice, then we’re in control of how rejection affects us. Try these suggestions to rub out the sting:

1. React, then act. Cry and scream. Throw darts. Beat pillows. Venting is a great way to restore equilibrium. When you’re done, take a deep breath and move on to the steps below. They require discipline, but they’re worth the effort.

2. Reject rejection. For every rejection slip you get, write your own, listing three things you love about your piece. Focusing on positives can keep your mind from dwelling on what others perceive to be wrong.

3. Know it’s about them. Hemingway liked mojitos; Faulkner liked mint juleps. If you get rejected, it’s about someone else’s preferences, not about you. Each time your manuscript gets bounced, you’re a step closer to the agent or publisher who will like what you’re serving.

4. Don’t interpret. Rejection letters are notoriously vague. For all you know, your submission “didn’t fit our needs” because the agent left it on an airplane and was too embarrassed to own up. If you find yourself dwelling on grim interpretations, write down three happy alternates and know they’re equally probable.

5. Find the silver lining. Every rejection is an opportunity in disguise. If you’re lucky enough to get concrete feedback, be grateful and use it to make informed decisions about how to proceed. If not, dig deeper for something beneficial to take from the experience; it’s always there if you’re willing to look.

Here’s a quote from novelist Irwin Shaw: “An absolutely necessary part of a writer’s equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment the world hands out and the punishment he inflicts upon himself.”

If we’re in control of how rejection affects us, then it follows that we can use it to our advantage, to become better writers and equip ourselves to persevere. This logic is yours to accept or reject. Either way, I’ll be dreaming tonight about that bestseller.

Have a question for Doug? Click here to submit it to THE WRITE MIND.

Doug Kurtz is a published novelist, certified life coach and the owner of Write Life Coaching (www.writelifecoaching.com). He earned his MA in creative writing at the University of Colorado, where he also taught fiction writing. He currently lives in Boulder, where he’s busy coaching other writers and working on his next novel.

One of the most important things I think an author can do every day is read, that is of course in addition to writing. I think most authors are voracious readers; I know I am. I read constantly: fiction, non-fiction, magazines articles, newspapers, blogs, whatever. I love to read to learn but I really enjoy getting lost in the world of another author’s imagination. I have enjoyed reading for as long as I can remember. The problem is that since I started to write, the way I read has drastically changed. Now, most of my reading is for a purpose, not that enjoyment isn’t a purpose, but now my reading is more about learning than pleasure. I’m not exactly pleased with this new development. I used to love getting involved in a good book and fading into the world of the characters in the book. What better way to spend a few hours? A good book can make your problems go away for a little while, or at least send them to the very back of your mind.

But now, as a writer, I read to learn. Granted, it’s still fun to do but not quite as much as it used to be. When I read now, I’m looking for things. No, not mistakes, even if many books published these days have them. Many authors don’t have the time or funds to have their work copyedited. While often I find typos or grammatical errors or even a run-on sentence, I try to read on without letting those bobbles bother me too much. The things I look for now are the things that make a good book…a good book. I get intrigued by a strong transition from chapter to chapter or from viewpoint to viewpoint. I get dazzled by the use of powerfully descriptive words. I am impressed when an author can keep you guessing until the end with a whodunit, while the culprit has been sitting right in front of you, the reader, all the time. I love it when the author takes control of the reader’s emotions and makes you laugh, then cringe or cry, with the turn of one page. I am awed when an author conveys a message by using subtle hints rather than spelling out the obvious. These are all things that I devour as an author, as I learn and develop my craft. And although I will continue to read as much as time allows me to, I am not happy with this new dilemma I am stuck with as a recently published debut author.

Michael Balkind, the author of Sudden Death, is a graduate of Syracuse University, has a successful career in sales and marketing, and has owned several businesses.

Photo courtesy: Michelle Kwajafa

The creative person is not just creative in their vocation or avocation. They are not just a creative writer, creative artist, or creative musician; they are a creative being. Creative people think creatively and most dress creatively and behave creatively. Creativity is expressed on a continuum from mild to moderate to profound. In other words, some people are more creative than others and some are far more creative than others.

When an individual goes beyond profound creativity, they become abnormal and are identified as crazy or way too weird. Crossing the abnormal, crazy line is identified when the creative person can’t shut off their creativity or are so reinforced by their creativity they refuse to shut it off. Normal people are able to respond appropriately to environmental situations. Normal people dress and behave one way at church and a different way at a Friday night beer blast. Normal people pick up environmental cues and respond accordingly.

The reason normal people are able to adapt is because they learn incidentally and subsequently function within an external locus of control. As a creative person advances along the creativity continuum, they move toward an internal locus of control. When crossing the line to craziness, the locus of control is so internalized the individual loses contact with reality or doesn’t care about reality.

What is confusing to psychologists and sociologists is when the creativity goes beyond bizarre craziness and turns into ingeniousness. As an individual moves into the category of genius, the abnormal, crazy line begins to blur. At this point the normal general population begins to accept the person as a creative genius. When anointed at this highest level of creativity the individual is given a license to do just about anything they so desire; any time, any where, any when, any what.

Oftentimes a normal creative person gets so wrapped up in their creative world they lose contact with reality. When this happens, reality tries its darnedest to pound them back into conformity, but a few resist and cross the abnormal, crazy line only to be faced with:

You ain’t no Ernest Hemingway.
You ain’t no Pablo Picasso.
You ain’t no Wolfgang Mozart.

Now take a close look at yourself. Do you dress a little unusually? Do you act a little strange at times? Do you surround yourself with unusual things, very unusual things? Well, maybe you are a genius like Hemingway, Picasso, or Mozart, but nobody recognizes you for what you are. Or maybe you are just plain crazy like the rest of us want-to-be writers, artists or musicians whose work remain unrecognized and unappreciated.

Dr. James Payne, a nationally-recognized scholar, educator and speaker, is a professor of Special Education at the University of Mississippi and a Fulbright recipient. He is the developer of the PeopleWise Event Management System and the PeopleWise Profile System.