Instant Protection is the Biggest Lie in Copyright That might be a bit strong. Perhaps it’s not a lie, but it is misleading. And the idea that there is instant protection in copyright is misleading writers and artists smack into problems.…
Appropriation Art, Richard Prince and Copyright
Every time Richard Prince pushes the fair use envelope using someone else’s work, I struggle with what it means for other artists. Does copyright protection have any meaning when Richard Prince takes what he pleases and keeps the change? How…
How to Use Song Lyrics in Your Story
mu’sic (mŭ’zĭk), n., any art over which the Muses presided, esp. music, lyric poetry set and sung to music, fr. mousikos belonging to the Muses or fine arts. Webster’s New International Dictionary, 2nd Edition, 1954. For many writers music is…
Copyright and Estate Planning for Creative Professionals
The copyright in a creative work out lives the creator, generally by 70 years — which means that the work can continue to generate income long after the artist is gone. The business idea behind copyright is that a single…
Does Your Business Need to Register Its Trademark?
Part of building a successful business is knowing when to invest in trademark registration to create protection for your brand. I wrote a guest post that appeared on Renegade Planner about when to invest in trademark protection for your growing…