The Latest Posts

• Using Photographs of Copyright or Trademark-Protected Content June 12, 2021
  Most authors, at some point in their careers, use photographs with their creative work. Maybe to bring a story to life. Maybe to create a book cover. Maybe as an aesthetic enhancement to a blog or newsletter. Depending on the content in the photograph, the image might include someone else’s copyright or trademark-protected work. For […]
  Matt Knight
• Reduce the Sting of Warranty and Indemnity Clauses in Publishing Contracts May 30, 2021
  Every book contract, whether traditionally published or self-published through Amazon, contains warranty and indemnity clauses. Authors tend to see the demands made in these provisions as grossly unfair and unreasonable. And for good reason. Warranty and indemnity clauses have the potential to deplete an author’s entire net worth. Warranty Clauses Before publishing, a publisher requires certain […]
  Matt Knight
• Reference Week May 8, 2021
  I love sharing great references. This week, here are two worth checking out. 1. The Model Book Contract Fellow writer and lawyer, Jennifer Klepper, recently posted an excellent link on the Women’s Fiction Writers Association Facebook page. The post referenced a model book contract from the Authors Guild which covers a wide range of clauses like the […]
  Matt Knight
• Legal Protection For Fictional Characters – What can writers protect and what can others use? April 24, 2021
  The Short Answer Copyright laws protect fictional characters provided the characters are sufficiently unique and distinctive. Legal protection for fictional characters is separate from the legal protection extended to the underlying creative work like the book or movie. Some characters also are well known enough to receive trademark protection too. Writers may only use copyright […]
  Matt Knight
• Eleven Topics Writers Should Consider When Evaluating Potential Publishers April 10, 2021
  For over a decade, the ever-evolving publishing industry has blossomed with publishing paths for writers. Now, in addition to traditional publishers who typically pay advances, we have small presses who tend to avoid advances, assisted and hybrid publishers where authors pay to publish, and Indie/Self-publishers who manage every part of the publication and distribution processes […]
  Matt Knight
• Happy Egg Hunting April 4, 2021
  ERROR: 404 — Blog Post Not Found     We would have a blog post if we weren’t so busy hiding chocolate eggs in our stomachs. See you next week, happier but heavier. Happy Easter! – The Sidebar Saturdays Team Note to self: order treadmill Photo Credit: Sister72 | VisualHunt   The post Happy Egg Hunting […]
  Matt Knight
• How To Copyright A Book March 20, 2021
  You’ve written a book. You decided to publish. You researched the benefits of registering your creative work with the copyright office and now you want to protect your intellectual property. So, how do you register your work? Simple. Follow these three easy steps. Complete the application; Pay the registration fee; and Submit your book to […]
  Matt Knight
• Non-Disclosure Agreements—Do You Need One? March 7, 2021
  Writers often fear someone will steal their ideas. I understand. Writers work hard and feel the need to protect their creative sparks. Especially if the idea has commercial value. Enter the non-disclosure agreement, or NDA. But are NDAs right for you? What is a non-disclosure agreement? An NDA is a formal contract that obligates the […]
  Matt Knight
• Objection! That Courtroom Scene Sucks! February 13, 2021
  Most of us have seen a courtroom trial, either as a juror in the box or a visitor in the gallery. So we have a good understanding that the majority of what happens during a trial is relatively boring. Why then, if written effectively, are courtroom scenes in books or on the screen so entertaining? Because the courtroom is a crucible […]
  Matt Knight
• The Curious Copyright Infringement Case of Sherlock Holmes in Enola Holmes January 17, 2021
  The Netflix movie Enola Holmes is based on a series of young adult novels by Nancy Springer, The Enola Holmes Mysteries, published between 2006-2010 by Penguin Random House. The series centers on Sherlock’s teenage sister Enola, a newly created character by Springer. In June 2020, just months before Enola Holmes premiered, the Estate of Sir Arthur […]
  Matt Knight