Question, Question

BevVincent

Here's a silly question:



Can there be any possibility that KH be picked up by other TV stations namely the cables i.e. HBO for a second season or do they have to buy the whole rights of the series from ABC before that can be accomplished?



???

BevVincent

Apparently there are rights issues that make this a complicated issue. This has been suggested by people on King's message board and the motherator's response is that it is unlikely to happen.

sunny99

Bev,



Concerning rights issues, technically what books or stories from years past are now in the public domain?



Is there a limit to the year, for example like something published before the year 19?? or is it subject to the copyright being renewed or not by said writer or his or her subsequent trustee??



Thought you'd know since you are publishing the RTDT

and have published various short stories and all.



And one more thing, is it relevant for a beginning writer to know everything regarding the copyright laws and do the laws from one country differ from another? Say like someone from Asia whose work is accepted for publication in the U.S, then which copyright law is the work subjected to??



Thanks ;D

BevVincent

Copyright extends 75 years after a person dies. Nothing of King's will be in the public domain for most of the 21st century.



Understanding copyright is certainly important, especially if you make reference to the works of other people in your own. All you need to know about your own copyright is that it is yours during your lifetime unless you specifically sign it away. For example, some scientific articles I have published are no longer "mine" because I had to transfer copyright to the periodical that published them. That doesn't occur in fiction...or it shouldn't. You sell specific rights to reproduce your material, but copyright remains with you.

sunny99

So this means that a work one has written and published will automatically be copyrighted to that person? You don't have to register or patent it or anything like for new inventions or products for example?



And what about referring to people's work like you pointed out. For example SK likes to start off his chapters with epitaphs that of other writer's works as well as songs like in Christine which is the most apt example and they are noted in the copyright pages as used by permission of so and so or the publishing company that owns the copyright. How do you go around getting these permissions. Is it one's publisher, one's agent or does one have to write a specific letter asking for permission?



And as for the copyright law of one country and another, does it differ significantly?



Sorry for turning this into a copyright law discussion but I have always been of the notion that to be a writer one has to get to know a lawyer and bring him along to meetings with editors and agents. But I don't think any writer do this when they are starting out. It just isn't practical and illogical. Which brings to mind what do the writers have to know to protect themselves.



If this will make it easier on your time, any books regarding this subject that can be suggested for reading?



Thanks.

BevVincent

sunny99 wrote: So this means that a work one has written and published will automatically be copyrighted to that person? You don't have to register or patent it or anything like for new inventions or products for example?



And what about referring to people's work like you pointed out. For example SK likes to start off his chapters with epitaphs that of other writer's works as well as songs like in Christine which is the most apt example and they are noted in the copyright pages as used by permission of so and so or the publishing company that owns the copyright. How do you go around getting these permissions. Is it one's publisher, one's agent or does one have to write a specific letter asking for permission?



And as for the copyright law of one country and another, does it differ significantly?



Sorry for turning this into a copyright law discussion but I have always been of the notion that to be a writer one has to get to know a lawyer and bring him along to meetings with editors and agents. But I don't think any writer do this when they are starting out. It just isn't practical and illogical. Which brings to mind what do the writers have to know to protect themselves.

You don't even have to publish something for it to be copyrighted. The minute you write it down, it is protected by copyright. Registering something with the copyright office only provides you with an extra level of protection because it is easier to prove.



If you want to quote someone else's work, you either fall under the fair use doctrine (e.g. book reviewers can quote from books in their reviews) or you have to request permission. Music lyrics are a common instance. The owners of the rights to lyrics usually sell the right to use their lyrics--even a single line--and they aren't always cheap about it. Also, it's not always easy to track down who really has the rights.



With The Road to the Dark Tower, I had to get letters of permission from anyone I quoted. That was probably overkill, as some of it might have fallen under fair use, but if you are producing a work-for-profit, fair use isn't much help.



I'm sure copyright laws vary from country to country, though there are some basic international laws as well. I'm no expert, however. I just know the stuff that comes up regularly among the publishing community.

sunny99

Thanks Bev.