I’ve been away for a while. I had to reach 100 before my heart decided to attack me. I’ve followed the rules and now I’m pretty much back to normal with all my faculties, and I’m ready to take on my daily routine. I get questions all the time, “When is my borrowing from somebody else’s work the wrong thing to do?”
That depends on what you use, how much, and whether or not it has a tight copyright that requires special permission. It is a slippery slope, and all too often new writers do not know that they may be plagiarizing a copyrighted work. Even well-established writers make the same mistake without realizing it, so it always pays to check who owns the copyright. If the person holding the copyright is available, it is easy to check with them, and they will almost always give you permission to quote them, provided you ask. It doesn’t get you anything but trouble to assume.
When you are writing a bio of yourself or a member of your family, be especially careful. It is all too easy to say, “That’s part of my family. I know that for a fact.” Knowing something to be factual doesn’t mean you have carte blanche to do private conversations as though you owned them.
Writing about celebrities is a shade different. People in the spotlight do not have the same guarantees of privacy as a private person does. Politicians are always fair game, but when it comes to other types of celebrities, writers beware!
Now that I’m back riding the range for writers, I will be reporting weekly. I look forward to answering your questions as I always have. So sail on, oh ship of literature, sail on. Just sayin’.
