The Copyright Handbook: How to Protect Use Written Works (Copyright Handbook, 4th ed)

Writers, publishers, journalists, editors, librarians and anyone who works with words needs to understand copyright law. The Copyright Handbook provides step-by-step instructions and all the forms necessary to protect all kinds of written expression under U.S. and international copyright law.

Copyright law is a complex field, and it's crucial for writers to understand what's entailed. Stephen Fishman covers what a copyright is, how it's created and protected, limitations and transfer of ownership, how long it lasts, and what copyright infringement is all about. There are chapters on copyright registration, copyright notice, and how to deal with errors or omissions. Fishman also wades into the issues of derivative works and compilations, works for hire, and jointly authored works. He also tackles the confusion of copyrights in the online world of electronic publishing; the book is worth its price for this chapter alone. The appendix contains a variety of sample forms and blank forms and a PC-formatted disk of the same material.