Copyright Handbook, The: What Every Writer Needs to Know

Product Description

If you work with words, you need this book
No writer likes to see their hard work or creativity copied by others―or to be accused of copying. Fortunately,The Copyright Handbook provides everything you need to protect yourself. Find information and forms to help you:

learn what copyright law protects and doesn’t
register your work with the Copyright Office
deal with infringers, online and off
transfer ownership of a copyright
get international copyright protection
understand the “fair use” rule
obtain permission to use copyrighted work, and
profit from your copyright.

The 14th edition is updated with key court decisions and emerging rules in order to provide the latest guidance on registering and protecting your work.
With Downloadable Forms: Essential forms and agreements including a Copyright Assignment, Work-Made-for-Hire Agreement, Collaboration Agreement, and Permission Agreement are available for download (details inside).

Review

“A thorough (and thoroughly enjoyable) discussion of the subject of copyright law as it applies to writers.” Writer’s Market “Presents a lucid, jargon-free explanation of copyright laws…” ”
The Copyright Handbook will be a hit with librarians, copyright researchers, and anyone who wants to protect their work.”
Cheryl LaGuardia, Library Journal

“Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights for its use and distribution. This is usually only for a limited time. The exclusive rights are not absolute but limited by limitations and exceptions to copyright law, including fair use. A major limitation on copyright is that copyright protects only the original expression of ideas, and not the underlying ideas themselves. Now in a fully updated thirteenth edition, “The Copyright Handbook: What Every Writer Needs to Know” fully lives up to its full title and provides writers with all the information needed to protect their work from infringement, plagiarism, counterfeiting, or unauthorized exploitation. Compiled, written, organized and presented by Stephen Fishman (who has dedicated his career as an attorney and author to writing useful, authoritative and recognized guides on taxes and business law for entrepreneurs, independent contractors, freelancers and other self-employed people, as well as books on copyright law and the public domain) shows writers how to: register literary work; maximize copyright protection; transfer ownership of copyright; avoid infringement; deal with infringers; understand the “fair use” rule; obtain permission to use copyrighted work; profit from copyright. Of special note is the inclusion of downloadable forms and that “The Copyright Handbook” comes with an invaluable web site enabling writers to keep current with legal updates on copyright law and access informative copyright podcasts. Simply stated, “The Copyright Handbook” is an essential, core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.” James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, The Midwest Book Review
“For anyone who creates written works…The Copyright Handbook is as essential as a dictionary.” Business Life

About the Author

Stephen Fishman is the author of many Nolo books, including
Deduct It! Lower Your Small Business Taxes, Every Landlord’s Tax Deduction Guide and
Home Business Tax Deductions: Keep What You Earn—plus many other legal and business books. He received his law degree from the University of Southern California and after time in government and private practice, became a full-time legal writer.