“Can I base my fictional character on a convicted criminal?”
What liability would an author face basing a fictional character on a living politician who committed crimes…
legal
WritersWeekly.com Whispers and Warnings for 04/12/18
‘Boy Who Came Back From Heaven’ now sues publisher * “Pro Nazi” publisher sued in Poland * California lawmaker wants to trample free speech * WriterBeware threatened with legal action? * Internet Archives’ alleged copyright infringement
PUBLIC FIGURES AND LIBEL: “I want to write a tell-all book about a celebrity I once knew. Can a public figure sue me?”
Libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, stress, and LEGAL FEES. Is writing a tell-all book about a public figure financially (and morally) worth it in the end?
“I need my old book, published under my real name, removed from the Internet completely but it’s not happening! What can I do?”
I re-wrote my book under a pen name, and asked my publisher to have the old version removed from the Internet, but to no avail…
Has a Troll Falsely Accused You of Violating Their Trademark? Here’s What You Should Do – by Angela Hoy
I get very angry when I see people trying to bully others when it appears they have no legal standing on the issue.
Want to Get Sued by a Model? Put His/Her Stock Photo on the Cover of Your Controversial Book!
If someone purchases a photo from a reputable stock agency, they are NOT permitted to use that photo in any way they choose.
Can You Publish Other People’s Emails and Letters? by Harvey Randall, Esq.
[This article is for information purposes and it is not intended to serve as legal advice.] You have received and sent a lot of letters and e-mails over the years and are thinking of including some of them in your new book. Indeed, you may be considering using such correspondence in a biography relating your […]
“My Dad Abused Me, And May Have Killed My Mom. Everyone Tells Me I Need To Write A Book About My Life! Where Should I Begin?”
***There are millions of people with fascinating stories to tell. Unfortunately, many of these survival stories deal with abuse. I receive numerous emails like this one each year. The email below has been anonymized by me. The actual facts revealed in the email were horrific. ~~~ Hi Angela, I would love to be able to […]
“Can I Use Somebody Else’s Photo/Artwork if I Flip it Horizontally?”
I am still working to get my illustrations for my book. Can you advise on something I was told by my illustrator? She told me that most photos copied from the Internet can be flipped horizontally to alleviate concerns of copyright infringement. For example if a mountain appears on the left side of the photograph, flip the photo so the mountain is on the right side. I also wonder if applying artistic effects to a photo (pencil sketch, smooth pastel, etc.) would eliminate concern of issues. I was given five websites for Royalty Free photos and images that are free of charge. Do you have any recommendations for me?
My Child Wrote A Book!!! But, Can We Publish It? by Harvey Randall, Esq.
Your child has written a book and a number of friends who have read it have remarked that it is great, and should be published. Your child then tells you he or she has decided to become an author, and wants to have the book published. You quickly respond “okay,” and then, realizing what you said, you ask yourself a number of questions:
Can my child actually publish a book?