There are a number of things that cause my blood to boil.
- Radio or TV ads with ten seconds of legalese read at triple speed at the end
- Coffee mugs in church services
- Cell phone ringing during a meeting and the person answers it
- Cell phone ringing in a church service and the person answers it.
- All political advertising
- Bicyclists who never obey a single traffic law, ever.
- Leaky home plumbing.
- Inaccurate road signs.
- Parking garages with no space available.
- Fans at basketball games who think the opponent commits a foul on every trip down the court, but their team never does anything wrong.
- TV panel discussions where four people talk at once, yelling at each other.
Come to think of it, as I read my own list, I might need some counseling.
Professionally speaking, I have another list of issues. Tops on that list is when a publisher or author steals someone else’s successful creative or brand to make their own.
T-shirt companies who steal trademarked phrases and logos for their own use. “Jesus, the real thing” in a Coke logotype. Lovely. Let’s show people our righteousness by stealing legally protected trademarks and copyright.
The original offender in all this was the church choir director who photocopied sheet music rather than buying copies for everyone. Of course, God can use anything to speak to a world. I heard he used a talking donkey once.
This is not about following a successful genre in fiction or looking at something through the lens of what the market trends are saying. I think authors and publishers should spend more time examining the market and addressing needs.
I am talking about blatant theft of creativity. (wow, someone got out on the wrong side of the bed this morning)
Seriously, folks.
Let E.L. James own any books that begin with “Fifty Shades of…”
Let Rick Warren own the “The (blank) Driven (blank)” books.
Forget taking on the pseudonym of “J. K. Dowling”
There is no “Prayer of Natchez” in the Bible, so forget about it.
Be your own creative, not someone else’s.
A number of years ago I recall asking a prominent Christian counselor if there were times in their work where a patient was looking for deep insight to their issues and was willing to pay handsomely for it, when really they simply need to go to a baseball game, buy a hotdog, some messy nachos and a drink and chill out for an afternoon. He admitted there were such times.
Baseball season is right around the corner. I feel better already. Thanks for listening.
