Full Description

“No writer will want to be without this book.” -Jean M. Auel, author of The Clan of the Cave Bear and other books in The Earth’s Children series.


Writing is your passion. Making a living with your words is your dream. Taking charge of your business is the key to having it all.

The Law (In Plain English)® for Writers describes how to take advantage of your skills and profit from your work. It looks at the business of being a writer and explains how to succeed in every area affecting a writer’s livelihood. Learn all the essential details of:

Submissions
Permissions
Freedom of Information Requests
Book and Magazine Contracts
Taxes
Royalties
Copyright Ownership
Dispute Resolution

The ability to work with others is another crucial component in a writer’s business. Agents, collaborators and editors can take your work to the next level—discover how to make these relationships work. Designers, illustrators and photographers may be critical to making your writing come alive—use employment and copyright laws to protect yourself. Vanity presses, print-on-demand presses and self-publishing may be your ticket to bigger and better projects—find what you need to know about these alternatives.

For every writer—
whether first-time author, seasoned freelancer or professional journalist—
The Law (In Plain English)® for Writers unveils the mysteries of getting published.

Table of Contents

Foreword -
Introduction -

Section I: The Writer’s Words
Chapter 1: The Freedom to Write -
Political Speech
Judicial Proceedings
Commercial Speech
Pornography
Time, Place, and Manner Restrictions

Chapter 2: Privacy, Defamation, and Other Content Issues -
Privacy Rights
Defamation
Negligence

Chapter 3: Copyright -
What is Copyright?
Ownership
What Can Be Copyrighted?
Trademark Issues

Chapter 4: Copyright Protection -
Creation of Copyrights
Transferring Copyrights
Duration of Copyright
Copyright Duration Chart
Copyright Notice
Registration of Copyrights

Chapter 5: Copyright Infringement -
Infringement
Fair Use

Chapter 6: Access to Information -
The Freedom of Information Act Request
State Public Information Laws
Access to People and Places
Recording Interviews
Seeking Help

Section II: The Writer’s Relationships
Chapter 7: Publishers -
Protocol
Legal Aspects of Submissions
Misappropriation
Dealing with Common Issues

Chapter 8: Literary Agents -
Fees
The Duties between Agent and Client
Liability for the Acts of an Agent
Termination of Agency
Agent Contracts

Chapter 9: Alternatives to Mainstream Publishers -
Vanity and Print-on-Demand Presses
Self-Publishing
E-Book Publishers

Chapter 10: Working with Other People -
Scope of the Agreement
Warranty and Indemnification
Term of Agreement
Ownership of Rights
Manuscript Issues
Expenses
Compensation
Use of Material
Termination
Death or Incapacity
Dispute Resolution
Boilerplate Terms

Chapter 11: Contracts -
Offers
Acceptance
Consideration
Form of Contracts
Capacity to Contract
Acceptable Form for Written Contracts
Illegal Contracts and Literary Profits Laws
Unconscionability
Remedies

Chapter 12: Book Contracts -
Advances
Royalties
Format and Content of the Manuscript
Alterations
Publication
Revisions
Copyright
Subsidiary Rights
Warranty and Indemnity
Covenants Not to Compete
Termination and Reversion
Option Clause
Multiple-Book Contracts
Author’s Manuscript
Arbitration
Authorship Credit, Free Copies, and Writer Purchases
Agency Clause
Boilerplate Provisions

Chapter 13: Magazine Contracts -
One-Time Publication
Serial Rights
Time Period for Publication
Republication or Adaptation of a Work
Kill Fees
Other Clauses

Chapter 14: The World Wide Web -
Increased Magnitude for Problems
Opportunities
Using the Web to Evaluate Publishers, Agents, and Editorial Services

Section III: The Writer’s Business
Chapter 15: Writing as a Business -
Sole Proprietorship
Partnerships and Other Collaborations
Unintended Partners
The Limited Partnership
The Corporation
The Limited Liability Company
The Limited Liability Partnership
Precautions for Minority Owners
Formalities
Consulting an Attorney

Chapter 16: Keeping Taxes Low -
Qualifying for Business Deductions
The Home Office Deduction
Other Business Expenses
Charitable Deductions
Grants, Prizes, and Awards
Deferring and Spreading Income

Chapter 17: The Writer’s Estate -
The Will
Distributing Property Outside the Will
Estate Taxes
Professional Estate Planning

Chapter 18: Avoiding and Resolving Disputes -
Prudence and Common Sense
Preventive Law
Resolving Disputes in General
Going to Court
Selecting an Attorney

Glossary
Appendix: Internet Resources
Index -
About the Authors

Excerpt

Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews: