Interest in an Authors’ Challenge?

[EarlyMorningLight]

So I know I’m still pretty new here and I might be getting ahead of myself, but I’ve got an idea stuck in my head to run a music-themed authors’ challenge. I’m thinking stories inspired by songs, musical milieus, musician characters, music that defined a relationship, stories about the soundtrack for a sexual encounter… as long as it brings together music and sex, it’s fair game.

Would anyone be interested in going down this rabbit hole?

 

[TheRedChamber]

I could probably do something with that concept. I'd have to have a think.

 

[Winter_Fare]

Definitely!

 

[Cobaltofdark]

So I know I’m still pretty new here and I might be getting ahead of myself, but I’ve got an idea stuck in my head to run a music-themed authors’ challenge. I’m thinking stories inspired by songs, musical milieus, musician characters, music that defined a relationship, stories about the soundtrack for a sexual encounter… as long as it brings together music and sex, it’s fair game.

Would anyone be interested in going down this rabbit hole?

I've been using playlist and inserting lyrics to songs in all my work I see music ad sn extension of storytelling

 

[Blind_Justice]

Since I have just ticked the "need to write a sword'n'sorcery" story box on my bucket list, I could see me doing a music-nerdy story. It all depends on the timeline.

 

[PennameWombat]

Not uninterested, my only story where music/singing is a key part is A Christmas Miracle on Dewdrop, where a civilisation of merpeople have singers and storytellers as valued members who provide entertainment, education, news and more, given it’s an oral culture. My lead character is a mermaid named Sirena Chanteuse and there are scenes of her singing and leading chorale groups. Whether I’d aim for a sequel or something new would depend on the timing and any further guidelines than included in the OP.

 

[MelissaBaby]

So I know I’m still pretty new here and I might be getting ahead of myself, but I’ve got an idea stuck in my head to run a music-themed authors’ challenge. I’m thinking stories inspired by songs, musical milieus, musician characters, music that defined a relationship, stories about the soundtrack for a sexual encounter… as long as it brings together music and sex, it’s fair game.

Would anyone be interested in going down this rabbit hole?

There was a challenge to write a story based on a song a couple of years ago, and as I recall, it was well received, so this idea, which is slightly broader in scope, likely would be as well.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The only problem is that Lit may frown on lengthy music lyrics quotes. Maybe I'm thinking of another site that definitely makes you keep them short. I remember quoting music lyrics here a long time ago, but a commenter said I was overdoing it and distracting from the story. His exact words were, "skip the song quotes. Reference the song, we can all find the lyrics. Don't waste the time unless they are essential to the story." Of course, the references were not about musicians or music per se; they were merely about what was on a bar jukebox.

 

[MrPixel]

The sexiest music composition on the planet is most assuredly Ravel's Bolero, which has no lyrics. You can all but hear the growing passion in nearly every note, and the coda is all about the orgasm.

Yeah, it became a trope with the movie 10 for that very reason, but it was sexy and descriptive before the movie and remains so today. Ravel's music is passionate and emotional; La Mer is a favorite for imparting the senses of ebb and flow, literally. If I wasn't working so intently on trying to get my "project" story whipped into shape to publish, I'd take the particular challenge in writing a Ravel-based story. Let me mull on that, however.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

The only problem is that Lit may frown on lengthy music lyrics quotes. Maybe I'm thinking of another site that definitely makes you keep them short. I remember quoting music lyrics here a long time ago, but a commenter said I was overdoing it and distracting from the story. His exact words were, "skip the song quotes. Reference the song, we can all find the lyrics. Don't waste the time unless they are essential to the story." Of course, the references were not about musicians or music per se; they were merely about what was on a bar jukebox.

True^^^
Copyright infringement is something that the admins of Literotic strive to avoid. I don't think I've ever seen an exact limit on what percentage of a song's lyrics can be included in a story, but I have had a story rejected for including too much of the lyrics. Cut them back some and it sailed right through when resubmitted.

 

[_Lynn_]

So I know I’m still pretty new here and I might be getting ahead of myself, but I’ve got an idea stuck in my head to run a music-themed authors’ challenge. I’m thinking stories inspired by songs, musical milieus, musician characters, music that defined a relationship, stories about the soundtrack for a sexual encounter… as long as it brings together music and sex, it’s fair game.

Would anyone be interested in going down this rabbit hole?

I've used songs in the past, long before I was aware of how many lines I could legally use. And I still like using music, but I don't write anything with sex in it for Lit, so I'm out, even though I like the idea.

 

[Thefireflies]

There was a challenge to write a story based on a song a couple of years ago, and as I recall, it was well received, so this idea, which is slightly broader in scope, likely would be as well.

The A song from my story, a story for my song challenge organised by lit author carrteun was great. There was extensive discussion about how much music inspired people's writing and I can see how another challenge in a similar vein would be welcomed by many. Even when I'm not in a writing mood I could be listening to a song and it might trigger a memory or thought that provokes me to write something. Or at least consider writing something!

 

[Thefireflies]

The only problem is that Lit may frown on lengthy music lyrics quotes. Maybe I'm thinking of another site that definitely makes you keep them short. I remember quoting music lyrics here a long time ago, but a commenter said I was overdoing it and distracting from the story. His exact words were, "skip the song quotes. Reference the song, we can all find the lyrics. Don't waste the time unless they are essential to the story." Of course, the references were not about musicians or music per se; they were merely about what was on a bar jukebox.

I've used song lyrics in stories too, but when the previous song-based story challenge was on there was considerable discussion about using lyrics, and I think there was some consensus not to use them, or keep them to a minimum of perhaps a line or two, unless you wrote them yourself. I remember editing any lyrics from my challenge story.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I've used song lyrics in stories too, but when the previous song-based story challenge was on there was considerable discussion about using lyrics, and I think there was some consensus not to use them, or keep them to a minimum of perhaps a line or two, unless you wrote them yourself. I remember editing any lyrics from my challenge story.

I've quoted several lines but I don't want to mention the exact number or where they are. I'm starting to catch some of the paranoia that has been floating around here.

 

[KeithD]

Music is already a frequent theme of my stories.

 

[ElectricBlue]

True^^^
Copyright infringement is something that the admins of Literotic strive to avoid. I don't think I've ever seen an exact limit on what percentage of a song's lyrics can be included in a story, but I have had a story rejected for including too much of the lyrics. Cut them back some and it sailed right through when resubmitted.

I managed to get by with every second stanza of a poem, so fifty percent. It made a mess of the meaning though, so from my story's point of view, not so good.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm thinking of something exhibitionist and fetishy based on the Beatles' song "Everybody's Got Something To Hide, Except For Me And My Monkey."

 

[KeithD]

The publishing standard--with no legal standard set--is two lines of a song or poem (total per work) and 50 words of prose, except for a literary critique of the song/poem/work itself. Whether or not to sue whatever the number of words used is entirely up to a copyright holder who can produce a formal copyright in court.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The publishing standard--with no legal standard set--is two lines of a song or poem (total per work) and 50 words of prose, except for a literary critique of the song/poem/work itself. Whether or not to sue whatever the number of words used is entirely up to a copyright holder who can produce a formal copyright in court.

I've seen novelists list all the copyright permissions that got for song lyrics they quoted. I can't remember how many lines they used. See, for example, Updike's Rabbit At Rest.

 

[PennameWombat]

Most lyrics I’ve quoted are public domain lyrics, which are fine. Use to your heart’s content, since there is no actual performance I’m using I can’t violate the copyright of the performance (separate from the copyright or public domain status of the lyrics.) I’ve also mentioned titles and artists of songs (because that’s doable), and hope the reader knows the song to fill in the scene. Just need to make sure you’re using the actual public domain version, as plenty of songs (like ‘House of the Rising Sun’, the original in public domain) have many modified versions of lyrics which are still under copyright.

I've seen novelists list all the copyright permissions that got for song lyrics they quoted. I can't remember how many lines they used. See, for example, Updike's Rabbit At Rest.

If you have permission, you can use as much or as little as they permit you to. S.M. Stirling, in his ‘Emberverse’ series, made extensive use of lyrics, whole songs at times. His forewords made explicit mention of his permission and he directed readers to the songwriter’s website.

 

[BarracudaSwordfish]

I once quoted a song the main character in the story wrote. In other words, I wrote it.

It got rejected twice because there was too much quotation even after explaining to Admin.

Still not sure how I got it through in the end.

 

[EarlyMorningLight]

I’ve just been down a rabbit hole re: fair use and found a great article that explains it pretty well from both the practical and legal (in the US at least) perspectives. DM me if you want the link.

 

[Voboy]

One of my 750-worders was like that: a romantic interlude based on (I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight by Cutting Crew. It was fun to write and it's been well-received (for a 750-worder), but there's a reason I chose that topic for a short piece. I wouldn't have wanted to do a conventional-length story based on the premise. It would have been difficult to sustain, I think.

I would (well, "did") choose a song famous enough that everyone would know it, meaning I didn't need to quote many lyrics (though I chose to). I would probably do the same thing again, but in a crowded challenge field I would think there'd be value in deconflicting everyone's stories. So that there aren't 20 stories about Chris DeBurgh's Lady In Red all posting on the same day.

It's a good idea though, potentially.

 

[EarlyMorningLight]

I would probably do the same thing again, but in a crowded challenge field I would think there'd be value in deconflicting everyone's stories. So that there aren't 20 stories about Chris DeBurgh's Lady In Red all posting on the same day.

It's a good idea though, potentially.

That's a good point. People could claim songs in the Support thread for the challenge.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I once quoted a song the main character in the story wrote. In other words, I wrote it.

It got rejected twice because there was too much quotation even after explaining to Admin.

Still not sure how I got it through in the end.

I was thinking that was one way around it, but it's some extra work and I don't have much aptitude (or at least experience) with that. Man, the site objected to you quoting yourself? Just strange.