title: The Copyright Permission and Libel Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers
author:  Lloyd J. Jassin 
description: Any writer or editor not concerned about copyright and libel ought to be. While the laws governing copyright are more straightforward than those regarding libel, disregarding either can land a writer or publication in a lot of hot water. Very hot. While the authors of <i>The Copyright Permission and Libel Handbook</i> state outright that their guide should not take the place of an attorney, they explain copyright and libel issues in great detail, so that, at the very least, you'll know when to be on the alert. Copyright is relatively simple. "If you intend to use someone's copyrighted work," say Jassin and Schechter, "unless the use is considered a fair use, you must obtain that person's written permission." Of course, "fair use" gets tricky. One court determined that the Moral Majority's reproduction of a full ad from <i>Hustler</i> magazine was a fair use, while another ruled that <i>The Nation</i>'s reproduction of 300 words from President Ford's 20,000-word unpublished memoirs was not.
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  Copyright © 2014 Laura Dunbar
  
  As Sound Advice
  
  Copyright © 2020 Laura Dunbar
  
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