What do editors need to know about copyright infringement?

Editors of any content to be published need to have a firm grasp on

• what copyright infringement is,
• how to avoid copyright infringement,
• what the consequences of infringement can be, and
• where to go for help if they aren’t absolutely certain of the answers to the first three aspects.

Ask yourself if either of the following describes your situation. Either way, it’s in everyone’s best interest to avoid breaking copyright laws.

• You suspect there are copyright problems in content you are editing, but you are not certain.
• You are fairly certain there are copyright violations, but you don’t know how to counsel your writer about obtaining the rights to use the content in their work.

This realization may be what prompted you to click to this webpage. Congratulations, you found the copyright expertise you need! There are three ways that we frequently assist editors with copyright issues:

• Copyright Clearance for Creatives: A guide for independent publishers and their support providers is an essential reference guide every editor needs to own. The same holds true for a lot of their clients. We offer a substantial discount to editors who wish to purchase five or more copies of Copyright Clearance for Creatives to give to their clients. Contact Us for more details.
• Consulting services are provided on an hourly “as needed” basis to clarify copyright issues and propose courses of action. With editors we usually start the process with a free 15-minute consultation, during which we will discuss your potential copyright issues.
• Copyright Clearance – The editor refers their client to us to get assistance in obtaining permission to use copyrighted content and/or to identify alternatives that are not under copyright protection.