Sewing Tipsters Follow Up: Q & A

First off, thank you for the fabulous naming ideas. We’ve been throwing them around all morning. Choosing is going to be difficult. Please keep them coming!

I’m writing this follow up post to answer a couple of big questions that came up in the comments:

1. Kathy, can the tips be from another source and still count? For example, I’m currently using some tips that I got from other sources that are really helpful and I would like to submit those.

I think the most important thing is that the tip is something that you do yourself and it’s written using your own words describing exactly how you do it. Twists you may have added or a unique take on a traditional technique.

Most of the things we’ve each learned about sewing come from another source be it a grandmother, sewing friend, reference book, online source, or a blog.

On a legal front, copyright does not extend to techniques or ideas. It does apply to the words people have written to describe or teach something. This is a really big distinction to make. How you thread a needle or tie a knot is not protected by copyright. It’s a sewing technique. The write up you did of that technique or the video you made is copyright protected. That is your original work. Your copyright protection begins the second you publish your work.

You absolutely can not begin with someone else’s words and change it slightly to ‘make it yours’. That would be considered a derivative work and the original copyright holder is the only one who can make derivatives of their original work. This is probably the biggest thing I see going on in the blog world right now. Published tutorials being taken, slightly re-worked and then re-published by somebody else as their own original work. You just can’t do that.

I’m not going to go on a big public rant about that issue but buy me a drink the next time you see me and I’ll give you an earful!

The one concern I have about the tipster idea is getting into an issue where someone feels their work was taken by another. I will most definitely take those complaints seriously and address them if they come up.

2. I usually post my tips in my blog, is it okay to send you something we’ve already posted?

Absolutely. In fact, it indicates you probably have a very nice picture to go with the tip which makes my job a LOT easier.

3. Is this so you can write a book that we don’t get credit for?

The question was posted by Anonymous which disappoints me. I try and be transparent here and I would definitely take that type of question straight up, no need to ask covertly. It’s a bit snarky too but I’m in a very good mood today so I can hopefully answer it in a thoughtful way.

As I stated in my last post: I’m paying $25 and giving the tipster credit along with a link to their shop/blog/website. The tips will be published in a weekly Pink Chalk Fabrics newsletter and here on the blog.

I thought the sewing tips idea was a very good deal for both sides. I’ve had the idea of doing a weekly sewing tips post for years. I’ve been dragging my feet on starting because I knew I couldn’t personally come up with one a week and produce it to the level required to share it with the world. It then occurred to me that I could hire someone to do the weekly tips. And that led to the idea of making the opportunity available to anyone in the world.

As a business owner I feel I have a responsibility to pay a fair price for content that comes from other sources. I also feel very strongly about making sure people get credit for their work. I think my offer is fair. Only the market response will tell me whether it is or not.

I hadn’t thought about a book (I’m still trying to figure out if I’ll have enough tips to get the first month’s worth of newsletters out!) I think a book is a great idea though. If people are concerned about future use of their tips I can promise this: I would get permission from contributors before re-purposing content for a use beyond what I’ve stated.

And in case anyone is wondering: I’m hoping that my business can grow and thrive to a point where I can step back and write my own book. So to answer the question posed by Anonymous: I don’t need other people’s content to publish a book, I have enough of my own original ideas thank you very much.

More questions? Leave them in the comments. I can take it. Really. I’ll update this post as needed.

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