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Rights and Copyright

I sing this song for you. For free.

January 23, 2011 Rights and Copyright

Composer Jason Robert Brown is flattered young singers like his work, but wishes they wouldn’t pirate his sheet music.

When is it okay to write for free?

November 2, 2010 Film Industry, QandA, Rights and Copyright

Any work you’re not getting paid for should be yours and yours alone. That’s why aspiring screenwriters write spec scripts. That’s what you should focus on writing. Still, there may be situations in which it makes sense to write a script for someone else without getting paid.

Do novelists get more for successful adaptations?

July 15, 2010 Big Fish, Film Industry, QandA, Rights and Copyright

When a novel is adapted into a film or television series, how does compensation to the writer of the original novel work?

Can I base a character on a real asshole?

February 24, 2010 Psych 101, QandA, Rights and Copyright, Story and Plot

You’re naturally going to be drawn towards real-life people who are fascinating. That’s a good thing. Observe behavior. Figure out motivations and pathology. Then forget the real person.

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