PERMISSIONS - PART 24

When telling someone else’s story If you do an article in which you tell someone else’s story, the publisher may ask for a signed permission slip from the subject giving permission for the story to be published. Such a slip should say something similar to the following: “I, ______, do permit the following story to be published (include title of article if available). To my knowledge the story is true and accurate in all details.” It should be dated and include spaces for name address, phone, and signature. You should then verify the story discreetly and attach the permission slip to the manuscript when you submit it. When including anecdotes/case studies of individuals in a larger work Send a release form that says something like this (adapt to particular situation): “I have read that portion of your (book/article), entitled __________, in which you mention my name and relate my experiences. I hereby give you permission to use my name and this information in this context.” It should be dated and include spaces for name address, phone, and signature.

PERMISSION FORMAT - BOOK -PART 23

Format for a General Permissions Letter - For book Although you can buy pre-printed permissions forms in triplicate at an office supply store, you may simply use a business-letter format that includes the following information: 1. Date 2. Name and address of author or publisher the form is submitted to. 3. Tentative title for your book; publisher’s name; publication date. 4. Whether book will be hardcover or paperback. 5. The exact material you wish to quote (either copied into letter if short, or attached). Identify where material came from, i.e., Page 16, paragraph two through page 18, paragraph 5. 6. Indicate what rights you are requesting. Be sure to make the request broad enough so you do not have to come back and ask for additional rights later. Usually it is for non-exclusive world rights in all languages, for this and all subsequent printings of your book. Also assure them that the granting of these rights will in no way restrict their use of the material or prevent them from granting similar rights to others. 7. Ask that if they do not control the rights to this material, that they will let you know who does, including name and address of that person/publisher. 8. Let them know what credit line you plan to use in the book for this quote (giving them the opportunity to amend it if desired). 9. Generally it is not necessary to mention the possibility of your paying them to use this quote. It is better to work under the assumption they will grant permission for free. If you do include anything, say something like: “Please let me know if a fee is required, so we can decide whether to include it in the above-named book.” 10. Include appropriate lines at the bottom where they may date and sign permission, plus include the name, title, and address of the permission grantor. 11. Send two copies of the letter, telling them to keep one for their records and return the other to you.

WHEN TO ASK PERMISSION - PART 22

Note to Book Author: It is best to wait for acceptance of your manuscript, before writing for permissions. Your publisher then will be able to give you the information to include in your request letter: title of your book, prospective date of publication, price, size of book, and number of copies in the first printing.

Note to Periodical Writers: When writing for periodicals, it us usually best to get these permissions before submitting your article.

Note to All Authors: Anytime your material is heavily dependent on a particular quotation, poem, or line from a song, you may want to ascertain whether you can get the required permission and if there is a reasonable charge, before you get too far into your project.

WHAT REQUIRES PERMISSION - PART 21

Material Requiring Permission:

        Authors are responsible to know the source of any previously printed material they wish to quote in their manuscripts. This includes indirectly quoted material from another publication that is a unique, original idea or highly selective and unusual information. It also includes material to be used extensively or as the basis of your manuscript. Such sources must be given with the manuscript, in footnotes, end-of-the-chapter notes, acknowledgments, or in a special note to the editor.

        Permission must be obtained to reprint lengthy quotes—ranging from approximately 250 words and upward. This is a total number including all quotations taken from one source. The total allowed is affected by the length of the source; for instance, 250 words might be allowed without permission from a source of 35,000 words, but 100 words from a source of 1,000 words might require permission. This, of course, applies only to material still under copyright.

        Notice of copyright is found on the title page, or page immediately following, in a book. In periodicals, it is on the masthead or first page of the text. 

        If the material is taken from a source older than 75 years, check for credit lines in footnotes, notes, acknowledgments, etc., for the copyright date for that particular item. A book’s copyright does not cover material that was taken from some other printed source. That printed source would have its own copyright date.

How to Request Permission:

        Authors are to write directly to the copyright holder. If that is the publisher, the address will be given on the title page or copyright page. If the holder is the author, or someone else, and no address is given, write your request to the holder and mail it to the publisher with instructions to forward it to the copyright holder. This applies to both books and periodicals.

QUOTING FROM POETRY & MUSIC - PART 20

Quotations of Poetry: Never quote more than one or two lines of a copyrighted poem without securing written permission from the copyright owner. Always give proper credit. In quoting poetry from a secondary source (book, magazine, or anthology), secure permission from the copyright owner of the poem.

Note: This rule also applies to hymns and music texts, unless the hymnal (or the specific hymn used) is in public domain. Always write to the owner of the copyright (if one is listed with the hymn) to secure permission to use all or part of a hymn. The title of a song or hymn may be used without permission. Also ask permission if you want to put new words to a familiar tune, arrange someone else’s music for a special application, or anything that casts their work into a new product.

COPYRIGHT - EXCEPTIONS - PART 19

Exceptions:

If a book contains a statement on the copyright page that explicitly requires written permissions, write for permission for quotations of any length.

1. Quoting 100 words in a short article is inappropriate. Proportion is sometimes more important than actual length of a quotation. Follow The Chicago Manual of Style in its suggestions about “fair use.”
2. Always write for permission to quote from any of the writings of Bruce Larson, Keith Miller, or C. S. Lewis.
3. Although Zondervan is the publisher of Streams in the Desert, they are unable to grant permission to quote from that book. Since the author got permission for only one-time use of each quote contained in the book, permission to quote the quotes must come from the original authors or publishers, not from Zondervan. This may be true of other quotation books as well.
4. Write for permission if the author’s phraseology has come to be closely identified with the author’s unique way of stating an issue or an idea.

WHAT DOES CR OWNER NEED TO KNOW? - PART 18

     * Send a written request to the attention of the “Permissions Administrator” or “Permissions Department.” Since the name of this department or desk varies from company to company, it is best to call ahead and ask who to direct permissions requests to.

 

1. Indicate exactly which paragraphs or pages you plan to use or duplicate.
2. If making copies (for a handout, for example), tell how many copies you plan to make.
3. Tell how you plan to distribute the material: in a book, for commercial sale , non-profit, handout, giveaway, etc.
4. If the material is to be used in a publication (such as a magazine, newspaper or newsletter), tell how many pages there are in the publication, and what the selling price will be.

Note: See format for permission’s letter in next posting.