Questions about registering copyrights

gor

gor

Ancient Mariner
Ok, as I have nearly completed my 100th reread and corrected of my english/greek lyric translation and greek commentary book, I am finally thinking about registering it and starting the effort of issuing it (in Greece). Nevertheless, I have many, many questions about the process. Here they are, stupid as they might be:

1. Do the copyrights have an expiration date? I see so many sites mentioning "Copyright 1997-2005" for example. What is that about?

2. Can I change anything (like a paragraph for example) in the text after the copyright without the text losing the copyrights protection? Will the new paragraph be protected?

3. Can I copyright my translation of the english song lyrics (that belong mostly to Zomba)?

4. I have filled my text with images taken randomly from sites through google. Do I have to take permission to use every one of them? Is it a trivilal matter, since I will have taken only a pic or two from each source? For example a portrait of Vlad Tepes, the book cover of "Lord Of The Flies" or a picture of a politician. How do I take permision? what if I don't? Aren't the chances of them finding me small and chasing me even smaller?

5. The whole text is in .doc format, made in Word. I have heard that publishers don't want text to be in Word because of the sloppy paging or something. Can I easily transfer the document in other text processors? Which one would you recomend?

6. What about the song lyrics of covers, that are not owned by Zomba or originals that are co-owned by Zomba. Should I track down every single publisher? Is tracking down the publisher my job or my publishing company's job (supposing I close an agreement with one)?

If I think of any other questions I will strike again! Cheers...
 
I'm sort of wondering what exactly is this thing you want to publish... [!--emo&:blink:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]


The only answer I can give you concerns the copyright of original texts. You can translate them in as many languages as you like, the rights belong to the original author. For example, if I were to publish a French translation of Mick Wall's Run To The Hills on the IMC, Sanctuary would have every right to sue my arse, as they own the original text (I asked the bastards some 2 years ago if I could do it officially and they answered that the French-speaking market wasn't large enough... but they published that translation -- by someone else -- about a month ago!).

The texts are usually protected for a period of 50 years, meaning that you can publish translations of Shakespeare's works (although it's already been done), but not Frank Herbert's, for instance.

That's about all I know...
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Maverick+Jul 3 2005, 04:03 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Maverick @ Jul 3 2005, 04:03 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]I'm sort of wondering what exactly is this thing you want to publish...  [!--emo&:blink:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/blink.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'blink.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
The only answer I can give you concerns the copyright of original texts. You can translate them in as many languages as you like, the rights belong to the original author. For example, if I were to publish a French translation of Mick Wall's Run To The Hills on the IMC, Sanctuary would have every right to sue my arse, as they own the original text (I asked the bastards some 2 years ago if I could do it officially and they answered that the French-speaking market wasn't large enough... but they published that translation -- by someone else -- about a month ago!).

The texts are usually protected for a period of 50 years, meaning that you can publish translations of Shakespeare's works (although it's already been done), but not Frank Herbert's, for instance.

That's about all I know...
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It's the book Ive been working on for about half a decade. All lyrics in english and in greek translation, plus commentaries I have composed on each song in greek. Plus, some extra chapters, like biographies of past and present Maiden members, Maiden Family Tree in greek, the list of all recordings Ive posted on the Maiden Chat forum on this site etc.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with Sanctuary! It's a damn shame that they treat real fans like that.... I'd also love to handle the greek translation of the bio but I think it would be day dreaming.

Cheers for the help Mav!
 
All the lyrics are owned by Maiden. You'd need their permission to publish those, definitely. I'd say your best bet would be to talk to a lawyer.
 
The length of a copyright varies from one country to the next. In the US, it's good for 75 years. Assuming that you'll copyright your book in Greece, you'll have to check Greek laws to find out how long it lasts there.

It's likely that most of the images you pulled off the web are copyrighted. To be 100% legal, you'd have to find the copyright owners and get their permission. But this issue can be tricky. For example, the drawing of Vlad - if it's old enough, the drawing itself probably isn't under copyright. But a photograph of that drawing may be under copyright to the photographer.

When a website says "copyright 1997-2005", it means all content created between 1997 and 2005 is under copyright. It says nothing about the copyright's expiration date. It also works under a principle available in most countries that anything you create is technically copyrighted the minute it's created, as long as you can prove you created it. That's what a formal copyright registration is really all about - establishing proof of authorship.

For example, my songs on my website are protected by copyright even though I've made no explicit claim. If someone stole one of my songs and I could prove their recording was made after the date I posted my song, then I could take them to court and win.
 
1. Do the copyrights have an expiration date? I see so many sites mentioning "Copyright 1997-2005" for example. What is that about?
Patents on inventions, such as Coca-Cola, Microchips, Space vehicles, etc, last for 25 years under International agreements. Copyrights are for intellectual property and do not expire until a long time after you're dead. (Look up the legal info on Project Gutenburg for an example). SO as long as you're alive, you don't need to worry. The 1997-2005 thing means that it was copyrighted in 1997 and the final change/most recent printing/anything else was made in 2005.

2. Can I change anything (like a paragraph for example) in the text after the copyright without the text losing the copyrights protection? Will the new paragraph be protected?
ANYTHING you do is automatically protected by copyrights if you are clear that you wish it to be. There's no governing body that you need to register changes with.

3. Can I copyright my translation of the english song lyrics (that belong mostly to Zomba)?
From what I understand, you need to to obtain permission from the owner (Iron Maiden) for direct translations of lyrics/books/poetry. I think there's currently a case right now in which a British publisher is sueing the Chinese publishers of an unauthorized translation of one of their books. In short: Obtain permission first.

4. I have filled my text with images taken randomly from sites through google. Do I have to take permission to use every one of them? Is it a trivilal matter, since I will have taken only a pic or two from each source? For example a portrait of Vlad Tepes, the book cover of "Lord Of The Flies" or a picture of a politician. How do I take permision? what if I don't? Aren't the chances of them finding me small and chasing me even smaller?
Yes. Anything you didn't produce yourself is the intellectual property of someone else and you need permission to use it. If you can't find the owner, you're S.O.L.

5. The whole text is in .doc format, made in Word. I have heard that publishers don't want text to be in Word because of the sloppy paging or something. Can I easily transfer the document in other text processors? Which one would you recomend?
Use Notepad or Wordpad. The reason publishers don't like MS Word is because it does not come standard on every computer in the world, and therefore is not universally compatible. There are also issues of backwards compatibility as well. Most publishers still want a paper copy anyway.

6. What about the song lyrics of covers, that are not owned by Zomba or originals that are co-owned by Zomba. Should I track down every single publisher? Is tracking down the publisher my job or my publishing company's job (supposing I close an agreement with one)?
If it's not your work, you need permission to use it.



Some general advice: These are all things an author should not need to look to. They are the responsibility of an editor. Your job is to write and think; the editor's job is to look to these details. Most publishers won't even bother to look at your manuscript if it doesn't come from an editor.
Don't be frustrated if the first few dozen publishers turn you down - it's part of the business and don't take it personally. If they offer constructive advice, heed it.
Once a publisher is found, your editor (and his staff) will look to the layout and obtaining copyright permissions. If they can't find the owner of an image it won't get used and they'll find a different one. That's part of the game.

In summary:
1. If you didn't do it yourself, you need permission to use it.
2. Find an editor.

Hope this helps!
 
it helps a great deal as a matter of fact. Thanks alot IronDuke. one question. what do you mean by S.O.L.?
 
also, in what form do I need any permission to use images / lyrics / translations of lyrics? Can it just be an email reassurance or does it have to be in paper?
 
S.O.L.= 'Shit outta luck', a Canadian English colloquialism meaning "beyond help"

I would get permission in writing, just to be safe. Email would probably be sufficient, but paper is still the medium of the legal and publishing industries.
 
If you want to be on the really safe side, print out a copy of your text and get it notarized. I do not know how that works in Greece, but I cannot imagine it much different from Germany. If you get it notarized, you have absolutely safe proof that it is yours.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-IronDuke+Jul 4 2005, 06:07 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(IronDuke @ Jul 4 2005, 06:07 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]Copyrights are for intellectual property and do not expire until a long time after you're dead.
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Ah yes, the Duke is right. When I said US copyrights are good for 75 years, I was wrong. The expiration date is actually 75 years after the death of the author. And even then, whatever legal entity has control of the author's estate may be able to renew the copyright.
 
[!--QuoteBegin-Perun+Jul 4 2005, 10:07 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Jul 4 2005, 10:07 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]If you want to be on the really safe side, print out a copy of your text and get it notarized. I do not know how that works in Greece, but I cannot imagine it much different from Germany. If you get it notarized, you have absolutely safe proof that it is yours.
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notarized? what is that? I have never heard of this action, can you please be more specific?
 
I think a different word is "certify"... Maybe some of our British/Canadian/US-American colleagues can help with the term.
 
"Notarized" is when you get a lawyer, Justice of the Peace, Judge, or another officer of the court to sign a declaration swearing to the truth of something.

For instance, in your case you'd have a lawyer look at your book and you'd prove to him that you wrote it yourself. He'd then sign a piece of paper saying that it was your own work. (he might put a stamp on the original copy of the book too)

The Oxford dictionary defines notarize as To have (a document) certified, legalized, or validated by a notary; (of a notary) to validate or certify (a document).

Oxford's retarded American cousin, Merriam-Webster, defines the term as to acknowledge or attest as a notary public. It further defines a notary public as a public officer who attests or certifies writings (as a deed) to make them authentic and takes affidavits, depositions, and protests of negotiable paper

In other words, to have something notarized is to have a person trusted by the court swear to the existence of it
 
cool! 'cause my gf's mother is pretty much that person, a lawyer... Thanks for all your help guys, it has made a difference. [!--emo&:rock:--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/headbang.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'headbang.gif\' /][!--endemo--]
 
Actually, in the US, being a notary public has nothing to do with being a lawyer, judge, etc. Anyone can do it. In fact, many court clerks are notaries because so many legal documents need to be notarized and the real lawyers can't be bothered with it. Likewise, you can't assume that any and every lawyer is a notary. Many are, but many are not.
 
Definately true, SMX. But 9 times out of 10, anyone involved in the court system is a notary.

In fact, every member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is one as well, to avoid backlogs of paperwork. So are senior officers of most local police forces. I think my own father is too, due to his work in the insurance industry, but I'm not sure.
 
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