Hi Writer Friends!

I have a basic question. I'm now in the process of writing permission to use the work of other authors.

For instance, I'm asking Sela Ward (or rather, her publisher) for permission. How should the letter be addressed?

Dear Ms. Ward (not really going to her)
or, specifically to someone at the publishing house?

Your suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I think if you sent a letter to Ms Ward's agent that the agent could help you take care of getting permission to use a portion of her writing.

Now, how to find out who her agent is. Hmmmm.

Don't know if this is true but might be worth a phone call...Sela is supposed to be represented by Wm. Morris Agency in LA...310-274-7451

When I'm contacted for permission, it's my publisher who contacts me. I believe you have to go through the publisher if it's a quote, etc. from a book.

Thanks for the feedback.

Okay, based on all the comments, I should write Sela Ward via the publisher. Then, the publisher will turn around and ask Sela for her permission?

Thanks for the help.

I has posted this under a different topic and didn't get any responses. Do you mind answering another copyright question?

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I've finished with my first draft and am now trying to determine who I need to obtain permission from?

Basically, I've cited numerous authors and their work. From what I can tell it's a very gray area. I've looked at other books (similar to mine) and see that most don't get "official" permission from every author they cite), but sometimes they do. I know it's important to obtain permission for musical lyrics.

Prill Boyle cited information obtained from a website on the subject:

(ii) Prose: (a) Either a complete article, story or essay of less than 2,500 words, or (b) an excerpt from any prose work of not more than 1,000 words or 10% of the work, whichever is less, but in any event a minimum of 500 words.

Prill also shared additional information which basically claimed that "there is no fixed rule here and so therefore don't assume any use of words is 'fair'". And, yet another sentence claims that you can't set apart copyrighted material (such as an epigram, on the cover or in any way that gives the copyrighted work greater prominence).

This is interesting to me because it appears to me that most people "don't" seem to obtain permission on the ones that are isolated quotes and stand apart from the text.

Yikes!

Your thoughts and interpretations greatly appreciated!

My (limited) understanding on this matter is that you have to go to the publisher of the book from which you wish to draw the material. I will be in that boat myself if a magazine wants to publish an essay I wrote in which I use quotes from several diferent books.

I get confused a lot of times about this type of legal stuff we writers must deal with. Found a link to a book that looks like it might be helpful, called The Literary Law Guide for Authors:
http://fyosentertainmentllc.goemerchant2.com/

I haven't purchased it yet but probably will do so soon.

Let us know what you find out.

Kelly

Another resource I forgot to mention is an organization called Amer. Society for Journalists and Authors. There is an application process and one must have had minimum of 6 PAID publications in order to join, but I think they provide information about contracts and things of this nature to their members. www.asja.org

Kelly

The Writer's Guild might also be helpful. And you might just pick up the phone and call the editor of your local newspaper. He or she might have an answer.

If you ever find out, I hope you'll let us all know.
smile

Queenme, you're a member of NAWW, right? One of their services is corresponding with a law firm for free. I've done it and they were very helpful. Go to www.naww.org. Surf around and I'm sure you'll find it. All you do is e-mail your question and they get back to you within a few days.