The Latest Posts

• Morality Clauses, #MeToo, and Publishing Contracts September 9, 2018
  Summer is over (sigh). Editing is done (woohoo). Back to blogging business. Morality clauses–you might have heard of these power-packed contract provisions. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, morality clauses have surged in publishing contracts. Or maybe morality clauses have always been there, but due to the recent wave of scandals rocking Hollywood and […]
  Matt Knight
• Gone Editing — Be Back Soon May 19, 2018
  Summer is here. Bring on the BBQ and beer. But only after I finish a two-month blog-holiday to edit my manuscript The Gene Pool. If you have questions, I’m still available to help. Send an email through the “ask a question” link on the website. I’ll respond as soon as I can. See you at […]
  Matt Knight
• Cocky: One Writer’s Adjective, Another Writer’s Trademark – For Now May 13, 2018
  Romance writers lit up social media last week over a recent trademark for the adjective “cocky.” As with any genre, romance novels have a specific set of conventions. Open any romance book and you will find a tone that ranges from mildly sensual to fully erotic, and flush with sexual innuendoes, euphemisms, and double entendres […]
  Matt Knight
• Using Music and Film Clips Without Violating Copyright Law May 5, 2018
  If you are creating book trailers, audiobooks, or online videos that include preexisting music or film clips, copyright law can be one of your biggest headaches. The first step to avoid copyright violations is to identify who owns the copyrights in the preexisting music or film clip. The second step is to license the rights […]
  Matt Knight
• Confessions, Trials, and Fiction April 29, 2018
  A writer this week asked about the use of confessions in the criminal trial process. A character in the writer’s plot has signed a confession admitting facts necessary for conviction of a crime. The writer wanted a short courtroom scene and a quick conviction. For that, the writer needs a plea bargain. Plea Bargains The […]
  Matt Knight
• Media Liability Insurance – Do Authors Need It? April 22, 2018
  Most manuscripts are not contentious enough to land an author in court. Some writers, however, do venture into highly controversial topics (like those found in memoirs or biographies). Or their fiction includes real people or characters based on real people. Or they create stories based on real-life events. For this subset of the writing world, […]
  Matt Knight
• Contests, Sweepstakes, And Giveaways – Is Yours Legally Compliant Or An Illegal Lottery? April 15, 2018
  In the book-marketing world, giveaways are popular among authors, especially when launching a new book. Giveaways are innovative tools for authors to promote awareness, engage readers, locate new readers, collect useful marketing data, and possibly increase earnings potential. Many authors, however, are unaware that giveaways are regulated by various federal and state laws that, if […]
  Matt Knight
• Serialization Rights April 7, 2018
  Over the last few years, serialized books have been a hot topic in the publishing world, whether via an app, author email newsletter or website, online magazine or newspaper, or a hard copy periodical. If you are unfamiliar with serialization rights, book serialization is the publication of an excerpt or several excerpts from a book, […]
  Matt Knight
• The Legal Risks Of Writing Memoirs April 1, 2018
  When it comes to writing memoirs and autobiographies, writers are often leery of being sued. It is a valid concern. Writing about facts and events of our own lives, whether a chronology of an entire life or one specific aspect of it, inevitably requires writing about the private lives of others intertwined in those stories. […]
  Matt Knight
• Negotiating Magazine and Newspaper Publishing Contracts March 24, 2018
  Many writers are keen on publishing in magazines and newspapers. These publications offer the perfect opportunity for name recognition, public exposure for a writer’s creative portfolio, and, depending on the publication, supplemental income. Regardless of the reason, if you want to publish your creative work in magazines or newspapers, whether in print or online, it […]
  Matt Knight