The Copyright Guide: A Friendly Handbook for Protecting and Profiting from Copyrights [Paperback]

Lee Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003 | ISBN-10: 1581153147 | ISBN-13: 978-1581153149 | Edition: 3

The definitive handbook for anyone looking to understand and benefit from copyrights in the Information Age! Veteran attorney Lee Wilson engagingly teaches the ins and outs of copyrights in a logical fashion, making a complex subject easy to understand. Now completely updated and expanded to reflect important changes in copyright law and the impact of the Internet on copyrights, this new 3rd edition discusses what can and cannot be protected under current law, how to avoid infringement, what to do if you suspect infringement, how to turn copyrights into income, and more. Plus it includes dozens of real-life case histories, as well as ready-to-use model agreements and sample forms.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A copyright is a set of rights granted by the federal government to the creators of literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic, pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and audio-visual works and sound recordings. Copyright law rewards creators by grating them the exclusive right to exploit and control their creations. Creators reap the profits from their works for the duration of copyright protection by limiting access to creative works to those who pay for the privilege of using them. The Copyright Guide is written for everyone who creates, acquires, or exploits copyrights. The Copyright Guide is an easy-to-understand handbook that provides a complete and up-to-date explanation of the law for anyone who wants to understand and benefit from copyrights. The Copyright Guide offers a definitive and informative source of answers to the most commonly asked questions by business and individuals, including information about what can and cannot be protected, the duration and scope of protection, notice and registration, how to avoid and evaluate infringement, obtaining permissions, how copyrights are used and exploited in the marketplace, and current copyright issues on the World Wide Web. An extensive appendix contains sample forms and agreements with detailed instructions of how they are used, and a glossary clearly explains the most frequently used terms in copyright law. The Copyright Guide is an invaluable resource for protecting revenues and learning how to avoid costly mistakes. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Lee Wilson is a writer and intellectual property lawyer. In private practice in Nashville since 1984, she has served on the board of the Sinking Creek Film Celebration and as president of the nonprofit organization that published the scholarly Cumberland Poetry Review, was founding president of the Tennessee Writers Alliance, and is a frequent speaker to arts groups. Wilson has written six books on intellectual-property law topics published by Allworth Press. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; 3 edition (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581153147
• ISBN-13: 978-1581153149
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,158,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Good overview of Copyright Law, January 21, 2012

By 

Mr. J. Murdock - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Copyright Guide: A Friendly Handbook for Protecting and Profiting from Copyrights (Paperback)

This is the second time I read The Copyright Guide and felt it was a smartly written, concise guide into understanding Copyright Law. Many visual artists, musicians, actors and people who work in the creative field have a hard time understanding Copyright Law but this book does a pretty good of breaking things down in an easy to understand format. Although not the most exciting book this is essential reading for anyone who wants to make money in the creative field and exploit their creation and make as much money as they possibly can off of their work.

Wilson covers everything there is to know about Copyrights: Copyright Duration, the Public Domain, Registration, Infringement, Non-exclusive and Exclusive Licenses, the differences between Copyright, Trademark and Patent, Lawsuits over Infringements, Work for Hire Agreements, Caching, Linking, Framing and The Digital Millenium Copyright Act. Wilson also does a good job of discussing work for hire agreements and why freelancers are critical of it. In a work for hire, the person doing the hiring has all the rights, the artist does not even have the right to credit for his own work! A "Poor Man's" Copyright was a decent explanation but could have been better. The Guide also features helpful appendices such as examples of Form Permission Request Letter, Form Nonexclusive License of Copyright, Work-For-Hire Agreements, and many more! If you work in the creative field, read this book.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Copyright Guide, November 2, 2010

By 

Roberto Chavez (Arvada, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Copyright Guide: A Friendly Handbook for Protecting and Profiting from Copyrights (Paperback)

I had used the book at the library and found that I needed a permanent copy of my own. Just what I needed.