CockyGate Update: One Writer’s Adjective, Another Writer’s Short-Lived Trademark
Last spring (2018), romance writers lit up social media over a trademark for the adjective cocky. As you can expect, the descriptive word can be found in countless numbers of romance novels, whether on the page, in the title, or...
Copyright Basics For Writers
Writers frequently ask me at Sidebar Saturdays about copyright issues. The topic is a tad confusing but it is also one of the most important concepts a writer should understand. Why? Because copyright law provides legal...
How To Use Copyright Protected Images (and not violate copyright laws)
A picture is worth a thousand words, but is it worth a copyright infringement lawsuit? Using images found on-line has become common practice. Photos, graphics, book covers, illustrations, charts — people constantly use images on...
Pre-publication Legal Review Of Manuscripts — Six Things To Consider
One of the most essential steps an author must take prior to publication is to review their manuscript for risk of liability and legally sensitive material, otherwise know as “vetting” the manuscript. Not all books require...
Contests, Giveaways, And Freebies – Make Sure Yours Are GDPR Compliant
Contests and giveaways are one of the ultimate methods authors use to build their email lists. The process is straightforward: provide people with the opportunity to win or receive for free something of value like a signed book,...