Looking for info on writing with a fake name

[Alex756]

Hey who better to stear me in the right direction.

Now everything I write here is under a fake name (gasp! no a fake name on lit!)

But I am not sure about what to do in the case of copywrite and such. Now since -I- Am not -really- Alexandra Brier, and I will not being going copywrite 2005 <insert real name> is there anything to be done to protect copy write?

I am actually considering doing ALL my fictional writing under this name. Thus it may actually become an issue. Anyone ahve any good links out there? There has to be a way to register a pseudonym, right?

-Alex

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Hey who better to stear me in the right direction.

Now everything I write here is under a fake name (gasp! no a fake name on lit!)

But I am not sure about what to do in the case of copywrite and such. Now since -I- Am not -really- Alexandra Brier, and I will not being going copywrite 2005 <insert real name> is there anything to be done to protect copy write?

I am actually considering doing ALL my fictional writing under this name. Thus it may actually become an issue. Anyone ahve any good links out there? There has to be a way to register a pseudonym, right?

-Alex

PM Impressive. I think she publishes under a psueonym

 

[oggbashan]

You do not need to 'register' copyright. That copyright is yours in any original work. Protecting it is a different matter.

If you are going to use a pseudonym or nom-de-plume it is a good idea to google it first to see if there is anyone else using it.

However the copyright is yours under whatever name you use. Click on almost any of my stories in my sigline and you will see the notice I put on my stories.

'oggbashan' is unique. Og, King of Bashan is a character in the Bible and therefore several people have used it.

Og

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Og is right. As soon as you put the words on the screen, they're yours.

If you deal with a publisher, they'll have a "(Your real name) of (your real address) writing under the name of ________" line in there. Your checks will be made out to the name you specify.

One thing that seems to be happening more frequently is that artista are copyrighting their names, and even catch phrases they're associated with. Billy Joel copyrighted his name, and Brent Mussburger the sports announcer tried to copyright the expression ?March Madness" as applied to the NCAA basketball tournament.

Emeril Lagassi, the Food Network chef, also tried to copyright his signature "Bam!", but I don't see how he could do that.

 

[oggbashan]

One thing that seems to be happening more frequently is that artista are copyrighting their names, and even catch phrases they're associated with. Billy Joel copyrighted his name, and Brent Mussburger the sports announcer tried to copyright the expression ?March Madness" as applied to the NCAA basketball tournament.

Emeril Lagassi, the Food Network chef, also tried to copyright his signature "Bam!", but I don't see how he could do that.

Copyrighting signatures and expressions can be done if they are considered as trade names. They can only have limited application e.g. "Bam!" when applied to food products. Breaking such a copyright or using it in a different field e.g. automotive products is easy if you have reasonable lawyers and can afford the costs.

Og

 

[impressive]

Your publisher will require your legal name but will keep it confidential upon request. The only other time you need disclose your name is when formally registering a copyright (which is unnecessary). You're protected under the law without doing so -- so I view it as just another expense (and more red tape).

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Your publisher will require your legal name but will keep it confidential upon request. The only other time you need disclose your name is when formally registering a copyright (which is unnecessary). You're protected under the law without doing so -- so I view it as just another expense (and more red tape).

Ta-da!

Imp always knows. But, in consideration for the future, might I suggest you going ahead and copyrighting your work anyway? If I recall, it is more than possible to copyright more than one work under one notice, meaning to copyright three stories as one work, eventhough they are published separately, which you, as copyright holder, are capable of doing. I was under the impression that, in order to defend your copyright, it had to be registered with the offices. I might be wrong, though. If nothing else, it would make things easier.

BTW, the Richard Bachman penname came under public scrutiny when one of the novels published under this name was accidentally marked with a "c. 19-- Stephen King" on the copyright page. Dunno if he filed those copyrights or not, so it may very well be possible to place a notice of a filed copyright under a pseudonym.

Q_C

 

[fifty5]

"I am not a lawyer", but I believe that, at least in the UK, "your name" is anything by which you are known and recognised. Thus, "Alex756" IS your name.

If the above is so, then you can open a bank account as Alex756, give the bank a matching signature, use that sig to sign contracts, etc. and so on.

That just leaves the issue of being prepared to stand up in court, or wherever, and admit to being the person known as Alex756 (of whatever address)... The bottom line is that you assert that Alex756 is YOU, thus exposing to anyone who knows you by a different name that the both of the names refer to you. Following from that, copyright belongs to the person, not to the name.

Hope that helps,

 

[oggbashan]

Geneva Convention on Copyright

The Geneva Convention covers copyright without you needing to claim it.

A simple explanation (for Web Designers) is here

If you google "copyright convention" ,with the quotes, you will get far more.

Og

 

[china-doll]

Ta-da!

Imp always knows.

Between Imp, Colly, Doc M, Ogg and Rump, I think just about any question that could possible come up can be answered.

 

[shannon_est]

Now everything I write here is under a fake name (gasp! no a fake name on lit!)

-Alex

OMG! You mean my name isn't Shannon? Funny thing, I was working one night with a crew I normally don't work with. The supervisor said "Shannon come here, I've got a question for you." I actually STOPPED what I was doing, looked up over the shelf of books I was counting, almost replied and then thought to myself 'WTF... my name's not Shannon!' It was late, I was tired and obviously had been spending too much time on Lit! lol

Edit to add:

I meant to also say great thread. Something I had been wondering about myself and thanks to everyone for the info.

 

[Guest]

 

[cantdog]

Between Imp, Colly, Doc M, Ogg and Rump, I think just about any question that could possible come up can be answered.

Goddam straight. I have the lock, too.