New Year's resolutions, part II: copycat, not copyright

 As a fellow writer and I chatted about our work, he said dolefully that he'd love to write stories featuring Sherlock Holmes -- except for the copyright issue. 

And I was like, what? Way more than 100 years since publication of the first Sherlock Holmes story (1887's A Study in Scarlet) and the character was still under copyright? So, why has there been a plethora of Sherlock Holmes movies and TV shows? Not to mention Netflix? Were they all copyright pirates?

Turns out, most of those Holmes vehicles simply bowed to the fiats of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Estate and paid licensing fees. But the case of the copyrighted Holmes didn't end there, with enough twists to make the master detective proud.

The estate's tenacity matched those of Holmes' greatest villains, claiming that because the final Conan Doyle-penned Holmes stories were published as late as 1927, Sherlock Holmes as a "character" -- apart from the stories themselves -- continued to evolve long after the usual copyright period. Specifically, the estate claimed ownership of any work in which the detective "could express emotion."

Image: Sam Williams at Pixabay

However, court cases and law changes later, Holmes is now "free to smile," in the words of IGN writer Roy Schwartz to whom I'm indebted for a discussion of the new, freer, and possibly sexier Holmes.

And perhaps that writer I chatted with earlier can now flex his Holmes story muscles.

To some degree, I can understand the estate's viewpoint. Aside from the monetary benefits of licensing, Doyle's heirs probably wanted to avoid subjecting Holmes to bizarre parodies of other out-of-copyright works as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, or the upcoming slasher version of a childhood favorite, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. (Warning -- it's not the Disney version, which still holds the copyright on Pooh's red shirt.)

But why should we writers limit ourselves to sequels or parodies? A more satisfying option would be using famous characters as supporting actors for completely different protagonists, with new plots and settings.

Think of the lively Enola Holmes take. (Did I mention a sexier Sherlock?) Or Holmesian characters in modern settings, even those out the British Isles, as in TV's Sherlock and Elementary. Or pick up a secondary character, even a villain, as the main character. Ever wonder what Dr Moriarty's been doing lately? 

And for another writer's suggestion of an unlikely villain hidden in The Hound of the Baskervilles, check out my post, "Look to the femme, not the chien."

Even if you'd had enough about Sherlock Holmes, Emily Temple at LitHub suggests other interesting, newly out of copyright works as jumping off points. It's a new year! Get inspired and write!

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Still to come: Is it too early to talk about spring literary events? Not at all!

Pitch a classic, part 2: would you read this novel?

I’m still hard at work, practicing the query pitch techniques Annie Neugebauer brought to this spring’s Writers Guild of Texas workshop. Practice on multiple books to sharpen those skills, Neugebauer urged her audience, even on books by other authors. So, after trying my hand earlier this week at fitting the classic adventure tale, Tarzan of the Apes, into Neugebauer’s pitch format, I’m pitching a classic of a different sort, Anne of Green Gables. If you haven’t already read and loved it, would you read it based on this query?

Query pitch for Anne of Green Gables

Attention-grabber: An orphanage sends an adoptive family the wrong child. 

Essential premise: In 19^th century Canada, adopted children serve as unpaid farm or household workers, less family members than indentured servants, with no emotional ties expected or wanted.

Protagonist: Anne Shirley

image: pixabay

Goal/motivation/obstacle/stakes: She longs for a stable home. Now 11-years-old, she was orphaned too young to remember her parents and has ping-ponged between orphanages and a series of uncaring, even abusive, foster parents. Elderly Matthew Cuthbert brings her home, lacking the heart to tell her that he and his spinster sister had actually requested a boy to help with their farm work. But Matthew’s sister, Marilla, is determined to send Anne back to the orphanage, a move that breaks Anne’s heart.

Antagonist: Marilla Cuthbert

Goal/motivation/obstacle/stakes: Marilla is determined to return Anne to the orphanage and secure the desired boy who will be able to spare her bachelor brother Matthew from the worst of their farm’s backbreaking labor. Although Matthew has opened his heart to Anne, he fears thwarting his overbearing sister's decisions openly. And despite her outward crustiness, Marilla fears keeping Anne will not only endanger her brother’s health but force her to recognize the emptiness of her own life.

Supporting character: Matthew Cuthbert

Motivation: Matthew’s severe shyness and social awkwardness have deprived him of much human interaction. Anne’s nonjudgmental acceptance offers him a last chance at surrogate fatherhood and selfless love.

Closing hook: Will Anne push Marilla to open her heart, even if it means risking her brother’s health and her own long-standing habits?

(Note: I was surprised to learn that this quintessentially Canadian novel was first published in 1908 by an American publisher, L.C. Page of Boston. Since I was unable to determine when the manuscript first reached them, I’ve picked an arbitrary date for author Lucy Maud Montgomery’s imaginary query letter. Also notice that Montgomery’s book was published using her initials, L.M. Montgomery, instead of her full name.)

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2 January 1908

L. C. Page & Company
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Dear Sir,

It is a day 11-year-old Anne Shirley has waited for her entire life, the day she finds a real home instead of the series of orphanages and uncaring foster homes that have been her lot since the early death of her parents. Dropped off at a railway station like a piece of luggage, she occupies herself with daydreams about the place where her new family awaits. The shy, elderly farmer who met her seems sympathetic, and the name of his house, Green Gables, sets her imagination soaring.

Soaring, that is, until she enters the house, to be met by the farmer’s spinster sister with the inquiry, “Where is the boy?” To which the farmer can only answer, “There wasn’t any boy. There was only her.”

Anne Shirley stands aghast as her dreams fall apart at the realization. They do not want her. They want a boy to help with the farm work. Now she is about the lose her longed-for home because the orphanage has sent the wrong child. It is the most tragical thing that had ever happened to her. If only there were some way Marilla Cuthbert, the spinster sister who rules the house for her bachelor brother, can be persuaded to let Anne stay on trial, she will do anything in her power to make Green Gables her home. Anything, that is, except renounce her daydreaming habit.

Anne has immersed herself in daydreams to escape the bitter realities of her life. But will her imagination be up to the challenge of Marilla Cuthbert’s no-nonsense, workaday attitude, world of Marilla Cuthbert? And will the Cuthberts, brother and sister, be able to open their long-closed hearts to a child’s winsomeness?

During my long career as a schoolteacher in rural Canadian towns, Mr. Page, I have met many Annes. As a variation on the traditional of orphan stories, I believe Anne of Green Gables, a novel firmly based on people and situations I have encountered, will appeal to all ages. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely yours,

L.M. Montgomery

Pitch a classic! Would you read this novel?

Years ago, I entered a last-minute query contest from the DFW Writers Conference, to pitch a query for a classic work of fiction. My choice was Tarzan of the Apes, which I had read, with all its sequels, when I was what would now be called a middle-grade reader. I loved the adventure then, turning a blind eye to the racism of the early 20^th century tale. However, I’m still sympathetic to author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ treatment of the “anthropoid ape” characters, finding them foils for all Burroughs believed was wrong in human societies, no matter what their race.

The DFW contest judges named me a winner in the query contest. Here’s my try at fitting that query into Annie Neugebauer’s query pitch framework from yesterday's post, followed by the original query. What should I change? What should I keep? 

Would this persuade you to read the classic story?

Query pitch for Tarzan of the Apes

Attention-grabber: Orphaned at birth, a scion of English aristocrats is raised by a pack of anthropoid ages, ignorant of his human origins.

Essential premise: Shortly before the birth of their first child, Lord and Lady Greystoke set out for a grand tour. Instead, their ship’s crew mutinies and maroons them on an unknown African shore. After the couple’s deaths, their infant son is saved when a she-ape bereaved of her own infant rears the strange orphaned child as her own.

Protagonist: Tarzan (the real Lord Greystoke)

Goal/motivation/obstacle/stakes: He falls in love with Jane Porter, and longs to be worthy of her, but she’s engaged to the antagonist. Revealing himself as the real Lord Greystoke would, Tarzan believes, destroy her chance for a successful marriage. 

Antagonist: William Cecil Clayton (presumptive Lord Greystoke)

Goal/motivation/stakes: He’s also in love with Jane and believes himself to be the true Lord Greystoke following the apparent death (without known heir) of the original Greystokes. Losing his standing would deprive both him and the woman he is engaged to of their social standing.

Supporting character: Jane Porter

Motivation: She’s too honorable to dump William, who she only agreed to marry to assure her elderly father’s wellbeing, but Tarzan is the man she truly loves. 

Closing hook: Once Tarzan has known love, will he be content to return to his ape companions?

***

“Celebrating the Classics” Query Contest entry:

April 1, 1912

Mr. Frank Munsey
The All-Story Magazine
New York City, New York

Dear Mr. Munsey:

I was delighted to hear about the enthusiastic response my story, “Under the Moons of Mars” received from readers of your magazine earlier this year.  I hope you and your readers will be equally delighted by a new tale with an exotic setting on planet Earth, my 86,000-word adventure story, “Tarzan of the Apes.”

The story begins more than twenty years ago, when the English Lord Greystoke and his wife set out for a tour of Africa, expecting it to be their last trip they would take together until after Lady Greystoke gave birth to their first child.  But before they reach their destination their ship’s crew mutinies, marooning the Greystokes on the darkest shores of the dark continent.

There John, Lord Greystoke, and Lady Alice, his wife, vanish from the eyes and from the knowledge of men.  They leave behind a hut with their few possessions and a young child, who would have been slain by jungle beasts but for the love of the she-ape Kala. Grieving for the death of her own infant, Kala rears the strange orphaned child as her own, naming him “Tarzan,” which means “white skin” in the language of the anthropoid apes.  Surrounded by Kala’s ape tribe, Tarzan grows to manhood derided by the apes for his strange appearance and ignorant of his human origins.  At last another ship arrives, marooned on the same shores as the parents Tarzan never knew.  And to the amazement of the young ape-man, it carries the lovely Jane Porter ashore, straight into the heart of Tarzan.

The ship also carries Jane Porter’s fiancé, the same man who has inherited the title and estate left vacant by the death of Tarzan’s unknown father, Lord Greystoke.  Among the tribe of anthropoid apes Tarzan belongs to, a male will fight all comers to gain a mate.  But is a fight to the death the way to win the heart of a civilized young woman such as Jane Porter?  And once Tarzan has known love, can he be content to return to his ape companions?

As you know from our previous acquaintance, Mr. Munsey, I have proved myself able to provide the kind of exciting adventures with a romantic twist that readers of “All-Story” demand.  My contact information is the same as that previously furnished.  I look forward to your response to this new story, “Tarzan of the Apes.”

Yours sincerely, 

Edgar Rice Burroughs

***

First, remember this query is written by me posing as ER Burroughs. Its first and last paragraphs reflect Burroughs’ familiarity with Frank Munsey, then the editor of “All-Story” magazine, which had previously published the story that would become “A Princess of Mars” and spawn Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars series. I’ve certainly spent a lot of space, possibly too much, dealing with the “attention-grabber” and “essential premise” portions of Annie Neugebauer’s pitch outline, and almost nothing on the antagonist.

In retrospect, I wonder if the real antagonist wasn’t Jane’s aristocratic fiancé, but her elderly and impractical father, who she felt obliged to provide financial support for. I should also point out that many modern-day agents dislike phrasing the closing hook as a rhetorical question. 

And those long paragraphs? Maybe they were OK a hundred years ago, but nowadays, consider breaking them up!