Comments on: Publishers brace for authors to reclaim book rights in 2013

By: Will Yatscoff

Will Yatscoff — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:01:52 +0000

I think this is really great for authors. Imagine the new companies that will spring up based on this. Rights distribution companies and independent rights managers. I could see some old books gaining new legs since they find new marketers.

Should be really interesting. Thanks for the article.

By: flamingrainbowwoman

flamingrainbowwoman — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 18:41:43 +0000

The paradigm of the industry is shifting — some good and some bad will come of it. This seems to even out the playing field a bit. At the same time, I want actual book publishing to be part of our future.

By: Lois

Lois — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 06:17:52 +0000

You do realise that you are making all the assumptions he mentioned, right? That we would automatically know Congress is American, the authors are American, the Copyright Act is American. Do you know every single act passed by every country? Do you know the names of all the governmental bodies in every country? Do you know the nationality of every author? He obviously has a point – there’s no good reason for you to expect everyone to know these things are American, but you do expect it. A simple one-word contextualisation of the story to locate it geographically (good practice in any case) would have been helpful.

By: Carolina_Valdez

Carolina_Valdez — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:32:20 +0000

At least to this American, your comments make you look like a grouch, Mr. van der Horst.

By: Susan Halley

Susan Halley — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:58:00 +0000

WOW! Those are some amazing titles, and I’m sure there are many more not listed.

By: Fred Courtright

Fred Courtright — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:44:50 +0000

The biggest problems won’t be in book publishing but in other areas like music publishing, which has long had a far bigger problem of artist exploitation to overcome. And rights being returned are only as good as those rights are resalable. What would be the point of getting rights back on a book if there is little new money to be made?

I suspect what this will do is cause some publishers to offer renegotiated contracts with some authors, which is a win-win (except, of course, for the copyright lawyers who will be out fees from needless reversion work).

By: Mari Lynch

Mari Lynch — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 07:43:22 +0000

Another example of why Authors Guild deserves our support.

By: davidasposted

davidasposted — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:45:42 +0000

Ridiculous indeed!

If after reading the article you “have no clue what jurisdiction this is about” you’ve deliberately ignored the context clues. The New York Times–publisher of its bestseller list–is based in what country? Which country’s legislature passed a law called the Copyright Act, which went into effect in 1978?

No need for willful ignorance, Albert.

By: davidasposted

davidasposted — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:41:54 +0000

How many legislatures in countries other than the U.S. passed a law in 1978 called the Copyright Act?

By: Sabeletodo

Sabeletodo — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:29:35 +0000

Not much on picking it up from context, huh?