From authors to editors, literary agents to journalists, anyone who works with words confronts an astonishing variety of legal puzzles and perils. This easy-to-use guide to writers’ rights and responsibilities will help users navigate this legal maze and work more profitably. Part legal dictionary, part publishing encyclopedia and chock-full of helpful how-to advice, Author Law A to Z addresses key concepts in the publishing field. Styled as a series of alphabetical entries, this reference book makes it easy for readers to locate answers to specific questions, get help with a particular problem, or simply browse an array of fascinating entries for greater professional knowledge. Topics include all the major legal issues related to the business of writing and publishing. Entries are extensively cross-referenced for maximum usefulness and most are supplemented with charts, checklists, sidebars, boxes, tips, profiles, case summaries, sample letters, contracts, forms, and other illustrative material.

Sallie Randolph is a senior partner with Randolph Law Offices and concentrates on copyright and publishing law. During a distinguished career as a freelance journalist she wrote hundreds of articles for magazines and major newspapers and authored six books. Ms. Randolph holds a bachelors degree from Michigan State University and is a cum laude graduate of State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. She teaches publishing law as an adjunct professor at her alma mater, where she established a copyright clearance program and served as the program’s initial director. She is a frequent speaker and consultant on publishing and copyright law at writers’ conferences and educational institutions. Ms. Randolph is chair of the Legal Resources Committee of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), former chair of the Intellectual Property Committee of the Bar Association of Erie County, New York and a member of the New York State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, ASJA and the Authors Guild. She lives in Buffalo, NY.

Karen Dustman received her Juris Doctor degree from U.C.L.A., where she served on two law reviews and worked as an extern for a Federal District Court judge. Admitted in the courts of California and Nevada, she combines the practice of law with a successful freelance writing career, as the author of three books and more than a hundred articles.

Stacy Davis, is a lawyer, editor and author. Admitted to the courts of New York, she has practiced in the areas of publishing and immigration law. She has worked as a staff editor for a major legal publisher and as a freelance editor for a several clients.

Anthony Elia is litigator with a New York firm. He is admitted to practice in New York courts and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a registered patent attorney. His work in the field of intellectual property law includes counsel, litigation, and negotiation on behalf of authors and writers’organizations.

"'Author Law A-Z: A Desktop Guide To Writers' Rights And Responsibilities' by Sallie Randolph is a superbly organized single volume compendium of the basic legal aspects of professional writing and publication....Replete with all of the key concepts and legal issues relating to the business of writing and publishing. Enhanced with usefully practical tips, anecdotal experiences, sound advice, illustrative examples, case notes, and so much more, 'Author Law A-Z' should be readily available and on the personal reference shelf of all aspiring authors who seek to establish themselves professionally and financial through their writing..."

"This guide will help users navigate the legal maze and work more profitably. Part legal dictionary, part publishing encyclopedia, and chock-full of helpful how-to-advice."

"Chock-full of helpful how-to advice (organized alphabetically and extensively cross-referenced). Discussions of key concepts and legal issues related to the business of writing and publishing – supplemented with useful tips and advice."

"Must Read."

"A resource to guide authors safely through the legal minefields that plague every writer, editor and agent that functions within the publishing industry."

"This encyclopedia-like reference informs writers and those in the literary world about laws as they apply to a range of topics relating to writing and publishing. Entry lengths range from a paragraph definition to a few pages of explanation, with some including cases, tips, advice, stories, and sample forms. Examples of topics listed are advances, imprint, kill fee, lyrics, query, and trademark."

"Chock-full of expert advice, it provides legal definitions and the kind of information one needs to know when dealing with various publishing situations. This is about the real business of writing and, if you fit that description, you need this book."
  -- Alan Caruba, Bookviews.com, November 2005

"'Author Law A-Z: A Desktop Guide To Writers' Rights And Responsibilities' packs the collective wisdom of author-lawyers Sallie Randolph, Stacy Davis, Anthony Elia and Karen Dustman into plain terms for lay readers - and writers!....Enthusiastically recommended for spot research or simple cover-to-cover reading in order to grasp valuable basic lessons of the writing and publishing business."

"This guide to writers’ rights and responsibilities will help users navigate the legal maze and work more profitably. Part legal dictionary, part publishing encyclopedia with helpful how-to advice, 'Author Law A-Z' addresses key concepts in the publishing field. Discussions of legal issues related to the business of writing and publishing are supplemented with useful tips, author experiences, practical advice, examples, case notes, and more....'Author Law A-Z' written by savvy lawyers, is a useful and easy-to-follow guide, chock-full of helpful advice, organized alphabetically and extensively cross-referenced."

"A superbly organized single volume compendium of the basic legal aspects of professional writing and publication. Author A-Z is replete with all of the key concepts and legal issues relating to the business of writing and publishing. Enhanced with usefully practical tips, anecdotal experiences, sound advice, illustrative examples, case notes, and so much more, Author A-Z should be readily available and on the personal reference shelf of all aspiring authors who seek to establish themselves professionally and financial through their writing, as well as in the reference collections of independent publishers needing to deal with the whole spectrum of author issues and contractual rights when publishing their work." --- Midwest Book Review, February 2006

"Finally, a comprehensive, accessible book that the non-lawerly minded can turn to for guidance on how to protect and market one's creative work. The authors bring light and clarity to the often arcane world of copyright and publishing. This book is highly recommend for legal practitioners, creative folk, and students of the law alike. An important and remarkable accomplishment!"
--Shubha Ghosh, Professor of Law, Intellectual Property Program, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law

This guide will help users navigate the legal maze and work more profitably; Part legal dictionary, part publishing encyclopedia, and chock-full of helpful how-to advice. Topics include all the major legal issues related to the business of writing and publishing: Negotiating an acceptable advance; copyright in cyberspace; working with your editor; Print-On-Demand; termination of contract; and Writers Guild of America, to name just a few. -- Writer's Journal, Feb. 2006

"This resource is meant to serve as a basic and up-to-date legal guide for writers and, therefore, does not contain legal jargon or complex interpretations of the law. It is well suited for writers as well as laypeople interested in learning about authors' legal rights."--American Reference Books Annual