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Everything a writer needs to know about the law.
This accessible, reader-friendly handbook will be an invaluable resource for authors, agents, and editors in navigating the legal landscape of the contemporary publishing industry. Drawing on a wealth of experience in legal scholarship and publishing, Jacqueline D. Lipton provides a useful legal guide for writers whatever their levels of expertise or categories of work (fiction, nonfiction, or academic). Through case studies and hypothetical examples, Law and Authors addresses issues of copyright law, including explanations of fair use and the public domain; trademark and branding concerns for those embarking on a publishing career; laws that impact the ways that authors might use social media and marketing promotions; and privacy and defamation questions that writers may face. Although the book focuses on American law, it highlights key areas where laws in other countries differ from those in the United States. Law and Authors will prepare every writer for the inevitable and the unexpected.
"An excellent resource for authors seeking to understand their legal rights and responsibilities. Jacqueline Lipton explains complicated legal doctrines in simple and clear language, using relatable real-world examples. Lawyers should add this book as recommended reading for their clients."—Lydia Pallas Loren, Professor of Law, Lewis and Clark Law School
"A comprehensive guide for anyone writing in today's market. This necessary resource will help writers navigate the legal intricacies of the publishing world. Lipton's down-to-earth examples make this handbook easily accessible to any reader. It will set the writer at ease, answering so many of the legal questions about the publishing process."—George Brown, Executive Director, Highlights Foundation
"An essential resource for writers. Lipton has a gift for distilling complex legal terms and concepts into language that not only enlightens, but empowers. Smart, entertaining, and extremely useful, this is a guide you will turn to time and again, whether you're writing your first book or publishing your seventh."—Bree Barton, author of the Heart of Thorns trilogy
"Lipton's comprehensive, clear, and eminently approachable handbook is essential reading for authors who want to navigate their rights and responsibilities as writers."—Brianna L. Schofield, Executive Director, Authors Alliance
"Exactly what every author needs—a clear and friendly guide through the wilds of publishing. Lipton explains complex legal concepts like copyright, contracts, and trademarks, mindful of authors' practical, real-world concerns. You'll want a copy of this book on your shelf."—Laurie Kincer, William N. Skirball Writers' Center, Cuyahoga County Public Library