Romance novels are very popular, making billions of dollars every year. More and more often, these novels are getting self-published. Companies like Amazon make it very easy for people to upload their books, covers and other information, giving them the freedom to publish whatever they want -- that fits within the guidelines -- and market it as they see fit.
New bill would create 'small claims' copyright options
A lot of artists worry that their work will get stolen when they post it online. Not only do they worry that consumers will take the work for free, but they also worry that major corporations will simply steal their work and profit off of it, assuming that the artists will not have the money, time or knowledge to go after them in court.
Key online piracy statistics
Online piracy really rose into the public view back when Napster took over the online music scene. The site, which was shut down back in 2001, was still in the relatively early days of the internet, but it showed just how easy it was for people to essentially steal digital files.
Can you transfer a copyright?
Say you create some sort of artistic work, like a novel or a book of poems, and then you decide that you do not want to have full control of it anymore. Perhaps someone else came up to you and made an offer to buy it if they would then be allowed to use it and sell it.
Steps you can consider when you find plagiarized work
You spent years or even decades working on your art. Maybe you write novels, make videos or paint pictures. Maybe you're a photographer or a graphic artist. Exactly what you do is not important; the key is that you invested a lot of your time, energy and talent into that work.
What's the difference between trademarks, patents and copyrights?
There are many different ways to protect intellectual property. Three of the most common are patents, trademarks and copyrights.
What is a 'poor man's copyright?'
Have you heard someone say that they took out a "poor man's copyright?" Have you wondered exactly what they meant and whether or not it is a good idea?
The big question in art: homage or plagiarism?
In a lot of cases, plagiarism is clear and may violate a copyright. If someone steals a text entirely and tries to pass it off as their own, that's plagiarism. They stole the content. When you compare the two, they look identical.
Publication rights: Tips for writers
Once you've written your great American novel, you may be understandably excited to publish it.
What damages can I recover in a copyright lawsuit?
The Copyright Act allows the owners of copyright-protected material to pursue financial damages in the event that another party pilfers and profits from their intellectual property. The damages that the copyright holder can pursue in these cases is the actual amount of damages caused by the infringement in addition to the profits earned by the violator of the copyright.
