The literal translation of “nom de plume” is “the name of the pen,” which we more commonly refer to as a “pen name” or “pseudonym.” Why write under a pen name? Perhaps your shortsighted human resources director, in Googling™ your name, would not favor the advancement of your career upon realizing that your gothic vampire horror fiction is selling successfully on Amazon. Perhaps your name is “William Gates” and you don’t want your work to be confused with the nonfiction … Read More »

Co-writing with a friend, relative or colleague can be a wonderful experience. Remember, though, that when you intend to create a joint work by blending your individual contributions (such as a novel or memoir) and you do actually create it, you have entered the Twilight Zone of joint copyright ownership. If the other person loses interest after contributing only for awhile and you finish the work, the two of you still jointly own the entire copyright. If the other person … Read More »

“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact” – Sherlock Holmes, “The Boscombe Valley Mystery” Most writers know that they may use works in the public domain without asking copyright permission or paying a licensing fee. Sorting out copyright expiration dates can be a tricky proposition, so wise writers consult the excellent (and free) brochure about public domain published on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website at copyright. (PDF Download) But what happens when the time span of a fictional … Read More »