It’s August already (!), and a new academic year is fast approaching. In that spirit we are featuring three educational books that have recently come to our attention here at Authors Alliance. Whether you’re spending the last days and weeks of summer reading poolside in Philadelphia or bundled up against the fog in San Francisco, we recommend these new “how-to” resources for authors:
Reclaiming Fair Use: How to Put Balance Back in Copyright by Patricia Aufderheide and Peter Jaszi (2nd edition, University of Chicago Press)
The first edition of this book (originally published in 2011) traced the history of fair use, its “decline and rise” in legal opinions and in practice, and the confusion that often arises about what fair use is and how to apply it correctly. It also described Aufderheide’s and Jaszi’s work to create various codes of best practices for fair use tailored for the needs of different communities, such as documentary filmmakers, poets, and librarians. (In fact, the success of these codes in clarifying fair use according to different needs inspired us to create our own Authors Alliance Guide to Fair Use for Nonfiction Authors.) The new edition features an additional chapter on the reach and successful adaptation of these codes of best practices, and clearly explains the issues at stake in making fair use.
The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman (University of Chicago Press)
When authors approach us with specific questions about how to be a successful writer in today’s marketplace (such as how to self-publish a book or how to find an agent), we often refer them to this excellent reference book and to Jane Friedman’s website. Friedman’s experience as a writer and consultant informs a wealth of pragmatic advice on everything from manuscript queries to marketing to starting a freelance career.
Copyright: What Everyone Needs to Know by Neil Weinstock Netanel (Oxford University Press)
This brand-new reference book by IP expert Neil Weinstock Netanel of the UCLA School of Law promises to become an essential primer on copyright. Among other salient topics, it covers copyright terminology, the history of copyright controversies, fair use, international copyright matters, and proposals for copyright reform. Current issues affecting online content creators and consumers are detailed as well. Explanations are concise yet substantial, and the book is presented in an accessible Q&A format.