Many authors are inspired by other writer. So much so, that they often want to includes quotes from their favorite author in their own work. After all, isn’t the end goal of all writer to be quoted as having written something memorable??
Well, actually it may not be so simple. And it is NOT AT ALL like citing a source when you were writing high school or college research papers. (In school you needed to cite your source for all direct quotes, and even for where you got the idea you were writing about. You didn’t need permission to use a source, you just needed to give them credit. It is not quite the same for publishing.)
The copyright law in the United States treats quotes as a “work of art.” Basically, no one can copyright a word anymore than someone could copyright a color. However, put a few words together and you get a picture, just like a painter would create. It is the image created by the words, or specifically THE WORD ORDER this is copyrighted.
Let’s say you, the author, are wanting to quote Skillman Jones, the famous explorer and writer, when he said, “Life is like a bowl of cherries, except when it isn’t like it at all. Then it’s like a bear trap.” You have basically two options:
1. If you use the quote exactly as Skillman Jones said it, then you need to get permission to use his words – unless it falls under ‘fair-use.’ (More on that later). Use an exact quote or phrasing = get permission.
2. If you paraphrase his quote or idea, then you don’t need his permission at all. You are allowed to use the same words (same colors) as the other writer (artist), as long as it isn’t exactly the same. In fact, unlike a college paper, you don’t even need to report where you got the quote or who originally said it! You could even say,
“A famous explorer once compared life to a bowl of cherries. However, when it isn’t, then life is like a bear trap.”
No need to cite where you got it or give credit to Skillman Jones. (You could let him know you want to quote him anyway, but it would be up to you.) Paraphrase (or use someone’s idea but not their exact words) = you DON’T need to ask permission or even cite where you got it from. Ideas cannot be copyrighted.
Aren’t all writers eager for others to quote them?? Not at all. Most successful writers don’t honestly care it you quote them or not, they are simply ‘”indifferent” and may not take the time to reply one way or another to a request to use their quote. Some are very particular (and sensitive) about other “misquoting” them. These “sensitive” ones will often require anyone wishing to quote from them to demonstrate the context of the quote in detail. Other writers are trying to make a living from their words. To that end, they feel they should be compensated if anyone uses their phrases. These “pricey” authors will grant permission – for a fee.
Between the Sensitive authors, the Pricey authors, and the Indifferent authors, it may discourage new authors from trying to quote anyone else. However, there is another way to use quotes. It is called “Fair Use.” We’ll cover that on another blog post soon…..