The pen is mightier than the sword.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy
Everything you write is copyrighted automatically when you write it, writers. Just so you know.
Everything on A. Victoria Mixon, Editor is copyrighted. Because I’ve written it, now, haven’t I? That means it’s not okay to copy any of the posts and post them elsewhere without express written permission. (From me.) Not even just big chunks of posts.
Frankly, I’m pretty easy-going about letting you do this if you just ask permission. Here’s my email—drop me a line!
However, there is a little wiggle room in copyright law, and there’s a good reason for this:
1) It’s okay to re-post a sentence or two or even a paragraph or two of copyrighted material in a periodical without permission so long as:
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it’s not the most valuable material in the piece, and
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you’re not undermining the commercial value of it to the author, and/or
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you’re quoting it for “review purposes”
You can even express a negative opinion on it if it’s a review, as this loophole was originally designed to allow periodical book reviewers to spread the love without getting entangled in red tape. It works exactly the same way on the Internet so long as you cite it properly and include a link to the author’s site.
Although there are not as yet any legal precedents I know of, blogs are generally considered periodicals.
If you don’t include the citation and link, of course, it’s plagiarism—the very worst type of copyright violation—and you’ll get a Cease & Desist letter and possibly your ass sued by the rightful owner.
Personally, I like to know if you’re doing this so I can keep track of what’s out there. But it’s okay, either way, so long as you cite it properly as coming from me and include a link to http://victoriamixon.com.
2) IMPORTANT! This wiggle room does not work for your published works that are not periodicals
This means if you want to quote someone else in your book or novel, you or your publisher has to get their express written permission. Even for epigrams. Many authors—especially famous ones—charge for this privilege, because they and their publishers have a huge vested professional interest in making sure their works are not re-used by random authors latching onto their coattails.
This has to do with aspects of copyright law that determine the value of the quoted material compared to the value of the book or novel in which it is quoted. Do yourself a favor: don’t make the quoted author—or a copyright judge—go there. They can not only sue you but also hurt your feelings really badly.
Some major publishers have used excerpts in their books without jumping through all the loopholes, but this only works under very special circumstances and is only done by publishers with such big names and, possibly, relationships to the authors quoted that they’re absolutely certain the author will not sue (which is just another form of getting permission).
That’s not you.
It’s not me either.
Prentice Hall acquired permissions for the quotes and paid for the cartoons used in my book Children and the Internet: A Zen Guide for Parents and Educators.
3) Links are all goodness
I link to you guys, too. The Internet is one big ole snuggly interconnected network.
Every time you link appropriately to someone else’s blog, you’re making a friend.
Remember, everyone: copyright protects you as well as the authors you love. These laws apply to your own works, keeping the world of written words fair for everyone. It’s not a profession if you don’t get paid for your work.
And writers are professionals.
Besides, no one wants to get whacked upside the head with something even mightier than a sword.
If you wonder what can happen to a good-faith editor who happens to have been online for a long time, check out the Book Editing Associates Hall of Shame. Lynda Lotman has had a lot of her material lifted over the years by the named people and associations.
For more on copyright law, try the University of Texas at Austin (or here if you’re in the UK).
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