Carryover from Story Feedback

[estragon]

A recent thread on the SF BB lamented the death of an author before s/he had finished a series that was well-received. One commentator suggested that someone else complete the series. sr71plt rightly interjected that anyone doing so without permission from the copyright holder(s), presumably the heirs of the deceased author, was at risk of a lawsuit.

I noted that the copyright holder(s) might not even know he/she/they were copyright holders. In fact, there has recently been proposed legislation to deal with "lost copyright holders", persons who own valid copyrights but who cannot be located, but the legislation is in limbo somewhere.

I know a lot of authors who post to Lit and other sites don't want it to be known, especially by those who would be their heirs, that they are posting here, and what they are posting here.

But please, authors, let some trusted person know, and let them know whom to tell in a worst case scenario. Your work may have a value even if you don't think so.

 

[lovecraft68]

My wife makes more than enough money on her own to need any of my royalties and as for my kids? I'm worth more dead than alive, how much more do they need from me?

Yeesh, even dead people want something from you.

 

[estragon]

LC68, then bequeath your copyrights to the charity of your choice, and let them know, even by means of an envelope to be opened only after your death, that they have the copyrights, whatever they may be worth.

 

[sr71plt]

Of course you have to actually file for formal copyright to be doing anything with it. And about three people out of a thousand actually do that for erotica (if that many). Let's get real.

Basically, I think it's unethical to muck around with someone else's work without their knowledge/permission. Write your own.

 

[estragon]

Of course you have to actually file for formal copyright to be doing anything with it. And about three people out of a thousand actually do that for erotica (if that many). Let's get real.

Basically, I think it's unethical to muck around with someone else's work without their knowledge/permission. Write your own.

You have to file (register) to enforce. See 17USC§411(a). That said, it's still unethical to muck around with someone else's work without their permission. The problem to which I referred at the head of this thread is finding out who can give permission.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

That said, it's still unethical to muck around with someone else's work without their permission. The problem to which I referred at the head of this thread is finding out who can give permission.

Someone in romance did this (is doing this?) with a long-abandoned story, Amy's Smile. The original, by jfinn (also known for the gm story The Human Condition), has been dormant for eight years, so a new author decided to write a multi-part ending.

I haven't read the parts by either jfinn or the new person, but I did read the note at the beginning where the new author explained his/her motivation.

Honestly, I see little difference between this and fanfic.

 

[lovecraft68]

Of course you have to actually file for formal copyright to be doing anything with it. And about three people out of a thousand actually do that for erotica (if that many). Let's get real.

Basically, I think it's unethical to muck around with someone else's work without their knowledge/permission. Write your own.

Well then I have to go find the other two. I have two series copyrighted.