The Latest Posts

• Adding Criminal Law and Procedure to Your Fiction: Part II November 17, 2018
  In my October 6 article for Sidebar Saturdays on Adding Criminal Law and Procedure to Your Fiction, I considered whether you should worry about getting the law right in your stories and novels. It’s up to you, authors—after all, you’re writing fiction! For the sake of realism, if you want to put your fictional perp […]
  V.S. Kemanis
• Internet Research – Will It Bring The FBI Knocking? November 3, 2018
  Regardless of genre, plot, or how much we love making things up, writers learn early on that our stories demand research. For the majority of us, the internet is the first place we turn. Unless of course, first-hand knowledge or experience exists, say a sibling with the same agoraphobia as your protagonist (I swear this […]
  Matt Knight
• Creative Theft – Plagiarism vs. Copyright Infringement October 20, 2018
  “Good artists copy; great artists steal.”  The quote is widely attributed to Picasso. Most likely, the idea existed before Picasso made it famous. The literature is littered with much older discussions of how artistic theft creates new works of art. As writers, our creative endeavors are shaped by our world. We are a product of our […]
  Matt Knight
• Adding Criminal Law And Procedure To Your Fiction October 6, 2018
  The Case for Getting it Right For my novels about a female prosecutor, much of the “legal research” is in my head from a career in criminal justice and the court system. Police work and courtroom drama are great for building suspense. I also strive for accuracy under the law. Authors: Should you be concerned […]
  V.S. Kemanis
• The Legal Hurdles Of Writing True Crime Books September 22, 2018
  The highly popular publishing genre, True Crime, brings to mind a slew of great books like Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter, Cathy Scott’s The Killing of Tupac Shakur, or Ann Rule’s The Stranger Beside Me. True Crime books are nonfiction but written like a novel, and examine real criminal cases involving […]
  Matt Knight
• Morality Clauses, #MeToo, and Publishing Contracts September 9, 2018
  Summer is over (sigh). Editing is done (woohoo). Back to blogging business. Morality clauses–you might have heard of these power-packed contract provisions. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, morality clauses have surged in publishing contracts. Or maybe morality clauses have always been there, but due to the recent wave of scandals rocking Hollywood and […]
  Matt Knight
• Gone Editing — Be Back Soon May 19, 2018
  Summer is here. Bring on the BBQ and beer. But only after I finish a two-month blog-holiday to edit my manuscript The Gene Pool. If you have questions, I’m still available to help. Send an email through the “ask a question” link on the website. I’ll respond as soon as I can. See you at […]
  Matt Knight
• Cocky: One Writer’s Adjective, Another Writer’s Trademark – For Now May 13, 2018
  Romance writers lit up social media last week over a recent trademark for the adjective “cocky.” As with any genre, romance novels have a specific set of conventions. Open any romance book and you will find a tone that ranges from mildly sensual to fully erotic, and flush with sexual innuendoes, euphemisms, and double entendres […]
  Matt Knight
• Using Music and Film Clips Without Violating Copyright Law May 5, 2018
  If you are creating book trailers, audiobooks, or online videos that include preexisting music or film clips, copyright law can be one of your biggest headaches. The first step to avoid copyright violations is to identify who owns the copyrights in the preexisting music or film clip. The second step is to license the rights […]
  Matt Knight
• Confessions, Trials, and Fiction April 29, 2018
  A writer this week asked about the use of confessions in the criminal trial process. A character in the writer’s plot has signed a confession admitting facts necessary for conviction of a crime. The writer wanted a short courtroom scene and a quick conviction. For that, the writer needs a plea bargain. Plea Bargains The […]
  Matt Knight