So, i've been writing poetry as a personal hobby for the last 2 years or so. Started as an outlet for those feels during hard times and whatnot, but i've kept at it, and my work has actually developed. I'm kind of weird when it comes to letting people read my work, as it's all extremely personal (heartbreak, addiction, etc), so I actually hadn't let anyone read anything until recently. And I'm blown away by the response I'm getting. People actually like it. Like, really fuckin like it. I've now got a ton of people asking for a book of some sort. Now here's my dilemma. I plan on just making these little books by hand, all DIY style. But don't I run the risk of having someone steal my work. Do I copyright each poem, or something to that extent? It'd suck to see someone try to pass off my work as their own. So yeah, I know there's a couple authors here in Mayberry. Any advice to a clueless poet?
Quite a few authors here, I'm not one. But, you'll get your advice soon, I'm sure. Congrats on being poetic. It never came to me, even though I tried.
google creative commons. also you can upload your poems to a site like deviantart under your username and that should copyright it automatically, and if you ever get into a dispute you can point to that
I'm also a writer. You should share something you've written, it could be beneficial for you. As far as copyrighting your stuff / making sure it doesn't get stolen, The old school way of doing it would be to take all of your poems and mail them to yourself, and then keep them in the sealed envelope (which should have a postdate on it), in case you ever need to prove when they were written and who wrote them. Anyway, definitely share something- I'll share one of mine:
Nice, thanks. Created a DeviantArt page, and using Creative Commons. Aaaaand yeah I'll post something, mine as well It was a long line A trial by fire I'm glad I'd followed This quest it delivered experience and passion heartbreak and grace failure self-loathing and demons erased This journey I followed This pain I endured For something so soothing As love evermore But one day I'd found That these stones that held sturdy These walls built around me For false gods unworthy Need not for your hope Or a lover's embrace One day I'd found them Crumpled down to the base But no time to wallow To break down like those walls This future's unwritten These moments still ours In pain we will struggle In strife we will grow When you fall to your knees Stand back up to your toes In pain we will struggle In strife we will grow When you fall to your knees Stand back up to your toes
Cut From The Same Shroud We got people who be skeezin yet preachin the lines of Jesus. From the good book to the higher plan; From youth to a grown man; Disillusioned with the lies and a Vatican fortified with precious stones and solid gold, while people out in the cold Struggle to survive, their pain is unjustified. So, what would Jesus say if he saw his followers suffer- the man who supposedly treated his enemies to last supper. Thumpin bibles and shootin off rounds of ammunition, the hate that goes with your faith is a full-on contradiction. So I want nothing to do with all the hate that they spew - a person is a person no matter their world view, or race or creed, gay straight or in-between, there's no need since we grew from the same seed
I guess ill link my DA page as we. I've only got those two up, 11 more left to add http://mattgpoetry.deviantart.com/ Edit: yeah so I'm doing this all off my phone, and DA's mobile page is dogshit. Biggest fucking headache to work with. So if you're interested, message me and ill give you a link to my personal site, that has all my work Jeez DA's mobile site is fuckin awful to work with...
Is this Christian themed poetry? Anywho, you can do the ghetto copyright thing, just make one copy of your book, seal it up in a envelope or package, mail it to yourself and never open the package. EDIT, nevermind, someone already said it.
I heard posting a copy to yourself by registered mail and not opening unless you need to prove your claim works pretty well. Im no scientist though.
I write too. Poetry, Lyrics, Philosophy, Small Articles, etc. Here's what I wrote before I went out on New Years Eve. One of the lines came to me and I had to sit and write something of it. A toast to those I've dined with on fine nights such as this to the hooligans and debaucherous and to the justice seekers and loves plaintiff Gather around the bottle and drink to our past Days will come again but pray it's not your last A drink for my men and all those I do miss and another for my brothers dressed as midnight riders for a kiss - Happy New Year
as someone who has won poetry slams and stuff, I'd do edits on your poetry. There is a different between written text and spoken poetry... your stuff doesn't work well text, it seems like it needs delivery.
This is my biggest challenge - i've baaically known this since I started, but its cool to have someone with experience tell me the same. Do you mind if I pm you my personal site with all my work on it? It would meam a lot to get real input on it. It's nothing special, so it'll probably seem pretty lame to you, but as I said, it'd mean a lot
