Invasion of Privacy: Tricks and Traps of Writing About Real People, Part III by Helen Sedwick explains how to balance honest exploration with protecting confidences when your work will involve writing about other people and their secrets.
Legal Issues
What is Defamation?
What is Defamation? by Helen Sedwick looks at look at the elements of defamation and what writers need to know to protect themselves.
Tricks and Traps of Using Real People in Your Writing, Part 2: What is Defamation?
What is Defamation? by Helen Sedwick looks at look at the elements of defamation and what writers need to know to protect themselves.
Tricks and Traps of Using Real People in Your Writing, Part 1: The Right of Publicity
Tricks and Traps of Using Real People in Your Writing, Part 1: The Right of Publicity by Helen Sedwick explains if and when writers can model characters after real people and name names without getting sued.
Should Writers Incorporate?
Should Writers Incorporate? by Helen Sedwick explains whether writers should incorporate or form an LLC (short for limited liability company) for their writing, blogging, and self-publishing businesses, and why.
How to Spot a Rights Grab
Writers see the warnings all the time. Watch out for rights grabs, those contracts that transfer all rights to the writer’s work to some less-than-reputable publisher or self-publishing company. Without realizing it, the writer has given away the right to publish his or her book in print, ebook, audio, app, and all future formats, in […]
How to Spot a Rights Grab
How to Spot a Rights Grab by Helen Sedwick gives examples of danger words hidden in contracts and explains how writers can spot rights grabs to protect the rights to their work.
How to Use Lyrics Without Paying a Fortune or a Lawyer
How to Use Lyrics Without Paying a Fortune or a Lawyer by Helen Sedwick explains why writers need permission to use lyrics, and how to get permission to use lyrics.
Stop Thief! Writers and Plagiarism
Stop thief! Writers and Plagiarism by Corina Koch MacLeod and Carla Douglas defines plagiarism and explains how to prevent it and recognize it.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Dealing with Content Theft
A Step-by-Step Guide to Dealing with Content Theft by Helen Sedwick explains the various options available to writers and bloggers when dealing with the theft of their content, without the involvement of an attorney.
