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Many aspiring writers want to know whether or not they can use song lyrics in their manuscripts.
I think it’s because using lyrics is like taking a shortcut. The song conveys a feeling the writer wishes to convey. They want readers to pick up on that feeling and feel it themselves.
The short answer is NO. Unless the song is in the public domain, which takes much longer to happen than you’d think, you need to get permission to use song lyrics. Obtaining permission is usually prohibitively expensive.*
I’ve come up with a work-around for this problem. When I want my characters to sing or listen to music, I think about what I’m trying to convey through the mention of this music, and I choose a song that conveys the message IN THE TITLE, not just the lyrics.
You might be surprised to hear that, for the most part, titles can’t be copyrighted. EVEN BOOK TITLES. A quick search on Amazon reveals that there are multiple books with the same title as other books–even bestsellers. For example, there are multiple books titled “The Beach House.”
You can mention the song title in your novel. Choose a song that conveys the feeling or sentiment you want to get across in the title. This may require giving up on your first choice if the song title doesn’t establish mood. However, if the song is well-known by the general public, you may consider that your reader will get the feeling you want just by mentioning the song. The reader may see the title and immediately “hear” the song in their head if it’s popular enough.
Instead of “taking the shortcut” by using a song to impart feelings, try conveying this feeling in other ways.
I’ve only seen bestselling novelists include lyrics, and that’s because they sell so many books, they or their publishers have the means to purchase the rights to do so. One example I can think of, off the top of my head, is Elin Hilderbrand and her book “28 Summers.” She uses music for the purpose of establishing setting/timeline at the beginning of each chapter.
The Chicago Manual of Style recommends using quotation marks for song titles and italics for larger works such as albums or plays.
I’m not a lawyer. This is just my personal advice based on internet research. Seek professional advice to make sure you don’t get sued, and we’ll both be happy.
by Shelley Marsh, special to The Shorelines
published March 15, 2014
The Fourth Annual Antique Appraisal Showcase took place Saturday, March 8 at the Ponte Vedra Library. Crowds of people brought their family heirlooms or garage sale bargains to be appraised by professionals for a $5 donation to the Friends of the Library. Experts in various fields were on hand providing oral appraisals on individual items including books, coins, fine art, jewelry, dolls and more.
Some individuals were pleasantly surprised to find their items were worth more than they expected. Others were dismayed to learn that items thought to be valuable were actually worthless. Regardless of appraised value, many patrons expressed that these possessions had a sentimental value that was priceless.
Local resident Jane Skelton attended the event because she was interested to learn more about two paintings. One was a watercolor of Saint George Street in Saint Augustine painted by Nan Greacen. Nan Greacen was the daughter of American Impressionist Edmund W. Greacen, who directed the New York City Grand Central School of Art for twenty years. His daughter, Nan, was born in Giverny, France, where the family lived near Claude Monet.
A second painting was found in Mrs. Skelton’s grandmother’s attic in “a dimestore frame.” She suspected the impressionist oil painting might be the work of a well-known artist, and waited patiently to hear the opinion of local art expert Henry Robert
Another patron, Bob Cowhey brought his family heirloom: a large, framed artwork presented to his grandfather by early twentieth-century comic artists of the Chicago Sun Times. Mr. Cowhey’s grandfather was Harry Baker, a journalist in Chicago and New York. The drawing depicted various famous cartoon characters shaking hands with his grandfather, who was seated at his desk at the newspaper office. Each cartoon artist took a turn adding his contribution to the artwork, a compilation of many famous cartoonists. The colors were still bright and eye-catching.
Some of the experts on hand included Ron Chamblin of Chamblin’s Book Mine, Bea Ketchum of Avonlea Antiques & Design Gallery, Bill Hardy, Miriam’s Jewelery, Henry Robert, Dave Workman and Joyce Fleming. Ms Fleming manages “Joyce’s Dolls” in Jacksonville. She reported “we’ve seen quite a few nice, antique dolls today, but not many that people thought were worth 100000 but turned out to be worth 10.”
One participant who declined to give her name emerged from the “rare coins” room smiling: “I found out that my coin is worth a dollar in a Saint Augustine gift shop, but it was fun anyway!”
If you feel the need for speed, head over to Autobahn Indoor Speedway. Located in an office park off Phillips Highway, this newly-opened facility features “state-of-the-art, European-style racing.”
The Italian karts average 50 miles per hour but can top out at 80 MPH, and are capable of acceleration that is 3 times faster than a gas-powered, shifting car. Tony Bieryla, pit manager, says “It’s a load of fun: an adrenaline rush. Anybody with a speed bug will leave here with a grin on their face.”
For the complete article, see Voidlive.com
by Shelley Marsh, special to The Shorelines
January 9, 2014
Helga Tan Fellow is participating in the greening of the First Coast by cultivating actual greens — and employing a team of fish as her unofficial sharecroppers.
Her farming method is referred to as aquaponics, where koi and plants form a symbiotic relationship that results in a vegetable harvest.
Six months ago, Fellow was inspired to establish GYO Greens, an aquaponic farm and educational center, because of her passion for promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
“I am a big fan of environmental practices, and I love gardening and education, so this seemed like a good fit,” she said.
Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jax-cdn.com/community/shorelines/2014-01-08/story/growing-fishes#ixzz3BVTu4lI1
by Shelley Marsh, special for The Shorelines
February 15, 2014
Alice Hickox is bringing the benefits of healthy eating to homes in Ponte Vedra, one home-cooked meal at a time. Her personal chef service, Lettuce Do Dinner, launched last month.
Hickox is a serious advocate of better health through nutrition. During Hickox’s sophomore year of high school, her mother was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, and given 30-percent survival odds. Hickox’s father transferred the household grocery shopping and cooking duties to her, and Hickox was off.
Believing she could help her mother through nutrition, Hickox “declared war” on her mother’s cancer. A school term paper topic was fashioned around the idea, and Hickox focused on documenting and preparing healthy meals.
“While most teens would have seen this as a nightmare, I found it to be the part of the day I looked forward to the most, and I credit those years to launching me into a lifelong passion for cooking,” Hickox noted on her website.
Today, Hickox’s mother is into her 70s and Hickox fondly remembers the “A” she received on her sophomore term paper. Her passion for health and cooking continues.
For the complete article, please see The Florida Times-Union online.
by Shelley Marsh, special to The Ponte Vedra Recorder
JULY 24, 2014
Fans of the animated Disney movie “Frozen” filled the Ponte Vedra Branch Library during the Friends of the Library presentation “Frozen in July” on Thursday, July 17. Little girls in flowing dresses waited in line for their opportunity to meet the Snow Queen. Characters in costume from “Girly-Girl Par-Teas” represented Anna and Elsa, the sisters from the popular musical film. The library parking lot was filled to capacity, and many attendees had to walk from parking areas two streets away.
Cathy Antunez of Nocatee, anticipating a crowd, arrived 40 minutes ahead of the scheduled start for the event. Her 7-year-old daughter, Samantha, wore her favorite Frozen princess t-shirt. Ivey Schulkers waited half an hour with her daughter, Emerson, also a princess fan. One mother of two confessed, “I didn’t tell anyone on Facebook that I was coming here, because I knew it would be so popular!”
For the complete article, please see The Ponte Vedra Recorder E-Edition
by Shelley Marsh, special for The Shorelines
March 22, 2014
A new outlet for artistic locals has arrived at the Beaches. Painting with a Twist opened February 6 in the Ponte Vedra Square Shopping Center at the corner of Solana Road and A1A.
Painting with a Twist is a nationwide “paint and sip” franchise based in Louisiana. The concept is a mixture of social event and art class. A lively instructor leads a room full of dabblers in the creation of a painting, stroke by stroke. Everyone paints the same painting; an online calendar shows which painting will be produced during each event. Attendees are welcome to bring their own snacks and even bottles of wine to sip while they paint.
Business owner Maya Patel was inspired to open her own Painting With a Twist after attending classes at the franchise location in Saint Augustine. “One day I discovered Painting with a Twist, and was instantly a painting addict. Painting was a way for me to escape reality and just enjoy myself without thinking about all the day to day stresses. I also really love art, although I am not artistic at all.”
For the complete article, please see The Florida Times-Union online.
