When is Permission to Quote Necessary for Writers?
by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden Who doesn�t love a good quote? After all, why should we try to put into words something that someone else has eloquently said? As writers, we are always looking for and finding good quotes to strengthen our books and articles. Using someone else�s words brings credibility to our work. But when is it necessary to ask permission to use a sentence or two from someone else in our writing? Some of the top questions from writers on this subject are � �When do I need permission?� �I�m only quoting a little. Won�t that be good publicity for the other person?� �The person who originally said this is dead. So anyone can quote him or her without permission, right?� Great questions. There are several factors that enter into the answers. One of those is fair use. But who determines fair use? Unfortunately, fair use is determined on a case-by-case basis by the courts, which makes it somewhat of a gray area for writers. However, knowing a few guidelines will help us ...