Can I Use Materials in My Book, without Permission, for “Educational Purposes?”
Online, I found two polls and a graph I want to use in my book. I believe that since it is for educational purposes, the fair use doctrine would apply. Is that right?
legal
Help! I Can’t Find The Copyright Owner Of This Piece But I Need To Use It!
I want to write a book and it would feature an old story from a 1956 periodical. I have been trying to get a copyright permission to include this short story. However, the publisher was bought out a couple times. The new company put me on hold while they searched their records further, and told me that the “rightful owners” are a completely different firm in New York. I cannot find them on the Internet to contact them to get the needed copyright permission so that I can proceed with my book.
Publisher Won’t Show Me Their Contract! Arrrggghhh!!!
I am very interested in using a particular POD publisher for my book. But, I can’t find a link to their contract anywhere on their site. When I ask them for a copy, they just send more advertising mumbo jumbo. What should I do?
Can I Use Well-Known Fictional Characters / Places, Or Real Products / People In My Fiction? By Angela Hoy
I am currently starting a third novel, and was wondering if legally if I could mention (fictional) characters from other works by name. Would I be able to mention (a very famous cartoon character) that my main character idolizes or would I need written permission from the companies that own those characters?
What Might Get You Sued? Using Real People On The Cover Of Your Book, Regardless Of The Source! By Angela Hoy
Now, I have nothing against erotica but I do know I wouldn’t want the most romantic moment of my life splashed on the cover of a book containing phrases like “out comes his stone pillar of a (part of the male anatomy)” and “my quivering flesh, open and available.” You get the picture, right?
Do I Need Permission To Quote Others In My Book?
If I reference a book and/or the authors of that book, do I have to get written permission from them? Is it enough just to list them in my reference section?
My Novel is Based on a True Story. Can I Be Sued?
I want to publish my novel with BookLocker (it’s my nature) about liability, as the novel is based on a true story. I’ve read your articles, as well as many others, about this issue, but am hesitant to proceed even after doing the obvious–changing characters’ names, appearances, and facts, so they don’t resemble the real people or exact events. Some of the principles of the true story are deceased, but at least one that I know of is still living. I think you mentioned that a lawyer should vet a novel, but I can’t afford that. My question: Am I worrying needlessly?
When “Industry Experts” Give Out ILLEGAL Advice! Stealing/Altering Others’ Images and Text on Pinterest (and Elsewhere) is NOT Okay!! By Cheryl Pickett and Angela Hoy
Has someone recently told you it’s okay to grab, alter, and republish someone else’s material from Pinterest or another website? If so, you should be very wary of that individual’s ethics and so-called expertise…
Writers Beware: Are You Using Stolen Art Without Knowing It? By Tiana Bodine
When pulling art or photography from the Internet, most authors know to be careful about copyright protection. Most of the work found online cannot be copied without the expectation of a DMAC take-down notice from an artist’s attorney, so most writers focus their searches on stock photo sites instead. These sites, usually owned by massive multimedia conglomerates, sell licenses to photographs and vector artwork at reasonable prices. Professional and DIY cover designers alike rely on stock sites as a source of affordable, safe art. Unfortunately, not all stock art is trustworthy…
Who Gets Your Book(s) When You Die? – Yet Another Case of Heirs Fighting Over an Author’s Copyrights
Ug! It happened again! We were contacted last week by a woman claiming to be the daughter of one of our authors. After logging into his author account, she posted a note, saying he’d died last month and she wanted his future royalty checks mailed to her. I checked the author’s contract and – UH OH. In the beneficiary clause, the author had assigned his copyrights, control of his author account, and all future royalties to someone else (a female friend / associate), not to his daughter.