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What writers need to know about copyr...

January 25, 2021 Written by Dan Miller
What writers need to know about copyright

DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney. This article does not offer legal advice. It offers some practical insights from someone who assists writers in identifying and resolving copyright issues. US copyright law is complex and often confusing. This article highlights some of the basics of US copyright law that every writer should understand, preferably BEFORE […]

copyright, derivative work, derivatives, fair use, Rights, trademark
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Public Domain Bonanza

January 1, 2019 Written by The Copyright Detective
Public Domain Bonanza

January 1, 2019 marks a significant date in US copyright law. On this “Public Domain Day 2019” thousands of works from 1923 previously protected under US copyright laws became public domain. Duke Law’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain reviews “Public Domain Day 2019” and has similar archives going back to 2010. You may […]

Uncategorized
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New Circulars from Copyright Office

October 11, 2017 Written by The Copyright Detective
New Circulars from Copyright Office

In September 2017 the US Copyright Office began releasing a new series of copyright circulars that provide simple explanations of US copyright law on specific topics. These circulars are divided into seven categories: Foundations of Copyright (10 Circulars, including two in Spanish) Office Practices and Procedures (17 Circulars, including one in Spanish) Copyright Concepts (10 […]

copyright, news
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Songwriters sue the DOJ

September 16, 2016 Written by The Copyright Detective
Songwriters sue the DOJ

Songwriters sue the DOJ A new ruling by the Department of Justice (DOJ) will affect the process involved with clearing rights for copyrighted song lyrics. In response, the recently created (2015) Songwriters of North America (SONA) that represents songwriters sue the DOJ for depriving their members of their property without due process of law. This organization has among its members […]

Uncategorized
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Format Matters with Permissions Reque...

September 8, 2016 Written by The Copyright Detective
Format Matters with Permissions Requests

Copyright—How Format Matters Format rules your permission requests, not your ownership protection. You own your content in any tangible form. Finished your work? You may want to federally register it in order to give yourself the benefit of being able to sue in federal court. You may think that since your work is in several formats […]

Uncategorized
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Animal Copyrights cont.

August 3, 2016 Written by The Copyright Detective
Animal Copyrights cont.

Naruto is not monkeying around folks! The saga of the monkey Naruto’s copyright battle continues. This blog is about more than animal copyrights, however. Regardless of the outcome, there is an obvious lesson for all publishers in Naruto’s case and its appeal regarding the copyrights to the photos taken by the monkey. This case, (discussed below) […]

animal rights, infringement, news
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Timely copyright registration is esse...

July 7, 2016 Written by The Copyright Detective
Timely copyright registration is essential.

 Timely Copyright Registration is Essential Timely copyright registration is essential. All of us, whether authors, bloggers, or companies with a web presence, can let an important step in publishing fall through the cracks. No one may be aware of a problem until they are slammed into the brick wall of infringement-without-an-expedient–means-to-address-it.   Often companies and bloggers with […]

copyright registration, infringement
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Wikipedia a springboard, not a crutch

April 21, 2016 Written by The Copyright Detective
Wikipedia a springboard, not a crutch

We often encounter client work that, in our eyes, relies too heavily on Wikipedia. Some “borrowers” copy Wikipedia content into their work without understanding the responsibilities and the consequences of such heavy borrowing. Authors, bloggers, and contributors to articles, books, and blogs are responsible for the intellectual property in their work. It is important to be aware of […]

derivative works, fair use, primary sources
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Graffiti Copyright Battles

November 14, 2015 Written by The Copyright Detective
Graffiti Copyright Battles

I recently acquired copyright permission for a client to use a photograph of a mural painted on the wall of a restaurant. On first consideration, my client didn’t even factor into his publication plan what action might be required for the legal use of the mural. At the time the painting was conceived and created, […]

art, derivative works, graffiti, images, infringement, news, permission
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Boomers Beware of Copyright Infringem...

November 7, 2015 Written by The Copyright Detective
Boomers Beware of Copyright Infringement!

We often help Baby Boomers with copyright clearance issues as they come close to realizing a long-held goal of getting their memoirs written and published. Avoiding accidental copyright infringement is a frequent discussion topic. Baby Boomers want to write their memoirs for various reasons.  They may suddenly be compelled to take that step of authorship because they have such […]

images, infringement, song lyrics
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Older Entries

Quick links to recent blog posts

  • What writers need to know about copyright
  • Public Domain Bonanza
  • New Circulars from Copyright Office
  • Songwriters sue the DOJ
  • Format Matters with Permissions Requests
  • Animal Copyrights cont.
  • Timely copyright registration is essential.
  • Wikipedia a springboard, not a crutch

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