Legal Aspects of Writing
The list of what you may and you may not do in your writing.
The following things are some Legal Aspects of Writing I learn during my writing lesson:
1. Pay Attention to Copyright
Copyright is the exclusive right to use an original work, usually owned by the creator of the work until he or she sells it to another party. If you copy another’s work without permission, you can be sued for doing so. There is no copyright in titles, idea, themes or basic plot.
2. Avoid Plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting another writers’ idea as your own. However if you rework and idea and add your own research, it is not a plagiarism.
3. Don’t Do a Libel
Libel is a defamatory statement about a person in writing. If you must use public figures such us film stars, athletes or politicians be sure that you don’t write something offensive, derogatory or untrue.
4. Be Sure that Your Fact is Correct
In review writing you are allowed to point out errors of facts as long as your fact is correct but you cannot say anything derogatory about the author.
5. Read Your Contracts Carefully
Pay attention if there is a clear definition of payment times, royalty, license, advance payment, publishers’ terms and condition, completion date, copyright.
6. Check Public Lending Right
This is the payment based on the number of times your book is borrowed from public libraries.
7. Pseudonym
You may use a pseudonym but don’t forget to provide your real name for payment matter.
Liked it
Tags: contract, Copyright, legal, lending right, libel, payment, Plagiarism, pseudonym, royalty. license
Click the icon to the left to subscribe to Writinghood with your favorite RSS reader.
- Just a Love Note
- Toddlers on Triond: Take Time to Make Your Comments
- Triond is Online Writing with Training Wheels
- I'm Sorry Triond...but There's Someone Else
- Addicted to Triond?
- Poetry Challenge: Reflections in The Mirror Update
- A Writing Sabbatical
- Triond Facts of Life
- Another Problem with Triond
- My Triond Writing Experience
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:20 am
Useful information for online writers, both old and new!
January 2nd, 2009 at 11:29 am
Good information everyone needs to know.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Very informative!
January 2nd, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Useful info and good advice
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Very good article – nice work!
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
January 3rd, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Helpful, thanks, Eunice. Brian
January 19th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
This is excellent information, well organized and interesting. Nicely done!
February 11th, 2009 at 12:30 am
Very informative! Thank you.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Very good points! Thanks!
March 25th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Only one more thing that you should have added is how many years after death the copyright lasts. I know that it does last a certain number of years but can’t recall right offhand how many it is.
Still an excellent article!
Johnny Yuma
June 6th, 2011 at 2:21 am
Great tips for writers. Thanks!
August 10th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Good tips, but, unfortunately, there are many people not following them, although they are easy and logical. Thanks for the share
December 5th, 2011 at 6:16 am
hun very well written