top of page

Setting the record straight

Photographers are taking a picture of a
Photographers are taking a picture of a

Where did the idea for

'A Dancer Dies Twice' originate?

I was writing a manuscript for a romance novel, & any writer will tell you, book titles are a nightmare, I had a long list of book titles, but I wanted something original.

 

It was a Sunday afternoon in 2015, & I was looking for inspiration for my storyline & I came across an online article about ballet dancers.

 

'a dancer dies twice', my book title, was born, which was also an idea for a film.

​

And, no, 'a dancer dies twice' was not being used as a 'title' in that article, it was mentioned in the very 'last paragraph' & 'last sentence' of the article, that the ballet industry has a saying,

'a dancer dies twice'

​

​

famous woman posing in front of paparazz
famous woman posing in front of paparazz

Are you trying to own the saying

'a dancer dies twice'?

So let's set the record straight.

​

'a dancer dies twice' was an unknown saying in the ballet industry, a saying, from what I now understand, by Martha Graham, a modern American dancer, born in 1894.

​

In 2015,  Google searches brought up no references, no links to 'a dancer dies twice' there was no published books, no articles, films, T.V drama, documentary, there was nothing for 'a dancer dies twice', not even for Martha Graham, or on the BBC's website, NOTHING, and which only appeared after I started to use the saying for my book title on my author's website.

​

No one was interested in the saying until I decided to use it as a book title & created my website.

​

Fact, reality, the truth, and nothing but!

Red umbrella fly out from crowds of blac
Red umbrella fly out from crowds of blac

So, who are all the other's out there, calling themselves 'a dancer dies twice'?

I was thinking outside the box & came up with a unique idea for a book title & film, something new, something never done before.

​

​Since my website went live in 2017, certain individuals started to copy my ideas, using my book title for their own end game.

​

This included students, dancers, editors for magazine articles 'all over the world', 'rogue writers' writing fan/flash fiction, FaceBook, Twitter, talent agencies, & BBC radio 4.

​

If they wanted to use 'a dancer dies twice' as a title for whatever purpose, then why wait until AFTER my website went live?

 

​

I was sending out my manuscript titled 'A Dancer Dies Twice' to literary agents & publishers in 2016, long before everyone else.

 

​

​

Beautiful women in evening dresses playi
Beautiful women in evening dresses playi

Why Trademark 'A Dancer Dies Twice'?

In 2017, I created my author's website, using the domain name 'A Dancer Dies Twice'

​

This exposed me to jealous rivalry who thought it was okay to copy my ideas from my website, including my book title & later, creating a website using the same name, but this was removed due to copyright infringement.

​

As a writer myself, I would never copy another author's book title, even if copyright laws allows it, not only does this show no originality, but no creativity, no imagination in the author.

​

As a writer who respects the work of other writers, it hurt me deeply, it was a sense of betrayal, like false friends at a party.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Girl in long gown performing on stage. t
Girl in long gown performing on stage. t

So you can own all legal rights to book titles?

The simple answer is yes, as a 'series of books'  you can.

​

Trademark laws allows all legal ownership to your book title, it stops other writers using the same title, it brands the title as your work alone, & anyone using it must ask permission or risk a 'law suit'

​

So there is light at the end of the tunnel.

​

To use the 'R' symbol you need to register your book title with a governing body, like the 'Intellectual Property Office' to make it legal.

​

Trademark is law, its legal, it means, (like it or lump it)

I am the author of 'A Dancer Dies Twice'

​

And I own all legal rights to the title.

​

​

​

​

​

Ballerina - black swan.jpg
Ballerina - black swan.jpg

Are you a dancer?

No, I'm not, but do I need to be a dancer to write about a ballet dancer?

 

I'm a fiction writer, & as a little girl I always wanted to be a dancer, & I always wanted to learn how to pirouette, but my dreams to be on the stage was not my fate.

 

So now, I'm writing about it, but I'm also writing about my love of history, archaeology, my experience with jealousy, grief, bullying & PTSD.

​

 

​

 

​

Elegant Woman Hiding Her Face From Papar
Elegant Woman Hiding Her Face From Papar

'A Dancer Dies Twice'

​


​I won't be bullied by the media trying to steal my name, my idea, something I created.

​

'A Dancer Dies Twice' is now a famous saying, & it's all down to the author, Rosanna.

​

Martha Graham, has many 'unused' quotes.

​

So, I have a question for you!

 

Why not think outside the box, (like I did), & stop copying my ideas & find a new title for your projects?

​

bottom of page