The Nine Month Class is Officially a Go!!!
We have enough writers signed up that I am now excited about doing the class even more than I was. Still room for more to sign-up, but we have enough now to really have fun. So take a look at the class, listen to my video a few posts back, and jump in.
And I have been doing a bunch of research about Cave Creek over the last few days, just to double and triple check that I won’t be stepping on toes by inventing a brand new town and history in a made-up valley.
There is a Cave Creek, Arizona, a small historical mining town, and there is a Cave Creek small valley in Nevada way up North and to the east that once had a post office that was moved in 1933. But that’s it. I am sure just about every state has a Cave Creek (something) in its past. But making up this one is clear for here, near Las Vegas.
In the class I will talk about what you need to do on this topic, no worry, when you are doing a made-up town that you want to feel real. A few cautions.
Why the cat in the logo? Because Mountain Lions are all through the mountains and deserts around Las Vegas.
And a few people asked if I was going to trademark Cave Creek and the catch line. I just laughed, but if you don’t know trademark, I suppose that is a valid question. I will discuss more on shared worlds and trademarks in the class, of course. (It is 9 month class after all.)
But the question’s answer should be clear just from the first three chapters of the trademark book I have put on this blog so far. “Of course not.” is the answer… First off, nothing to protect, second, a very, very weak trademark name. And third, I have no business interests in it yet.
But will I license it?
Now that is the important question, and the answer is yes. And that will be a large part of the class along with how to build a shared world, write in one, and make money from one, and so on.
Damn is this going to be fun. And as I said, still room to jump in.
Dean have you considered doing a field trip to out in the mountains to us out-of-towners? We could all go and see what it looks like and feels like and smells like. Take note of the natural environment, etc. Or maybe you can suggest a place or two to go, just for consistency. I made it out of town my lat 2 times, just going out on dune buggies, but with a guide who was aware of my goal. I got to stop and take pictures, or just stop and observe. The desert is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced and its dust tastes sweet because its alkaline. Stuff like that really adds to sensory depth for me. If any other people who do Cave Creek will be at, for instance, the Licensing Expo, we could even plan our flights around taking half a day for a little excursion.
That I will have to give some thought. (grin)