Copyright Law

[Garmard]

Being a first time writer, i wonder if any of you A B'er's will know this little headbanger.
if you are writing e.g...Say a character is driving a Ford Anglia in your story; Is stating the car is a "Ford Anglia" breaking copyright law? Would i need to aquire permission if i wanted to include that car because of it being A Ford??

[AB Editor]

No. Don't worry about it.

[Garmard]

Thankyou Ed... and may i add, that if my story does get published can i credit the A'B'er's and AB for valuable time used?

[bookbinder]

I'm not a copyright lawyer, but it seems to me that you might be worrying unnecessarily about details. The Ford motor company, if they bothered at all, would surely be pleased to get a mention. After all, if your character drives his car along Marylebone High Street, I don't think that the local authority would want a fee from you just for mentioning a road name. You can rest easy on this one, I think.

[Garmard]

Thankyou bookbinder.

[bookbinder]

Glad I could help.

[AB Editor]

We'd love it Garmard.

Have you got a deal lined up? Or are you thinking self-published E-book?

If it is the latter a friend of mine gathers a small trickle of income through an e-book he wrote and published through Lulu.com - although you may want an editor before the end if you're heading down this route.

Let us know how you get on.

All the best,

Spare Ed

[AB Editor]

PS. Good planning tool for writing narratives: Scrivener. The beta is free on windows at the moment.

Good "force you to write" tool: Write or die, worth the £8 (or similar) they charge for the desktop version too. Although the online one is entirely free.

Spare.

[Garmard]

The Harper Collins website Authonomy Ed. With a bit of luck, paperback and hardcover if an agent snaps me up!

[tamborine]

dont for to pay congestion charge

[tamborine]

^forget

[RATTER15]

But if the Ford Anglia was constantly breaking down in this story, (believe me they did break down a lot) could he be dragged over the coals for giving Ford a bad name?

[Garmard]

It was beaten but not broke RATTER...LOL!

[twix123]

What model Ford Anglia, 'sit up and beg', 100E, 105E?

[Garmard]

105E twix.

[Postdog]

Or as my mate used to say (the same one who reckoned Princess Di was killed by MFI when he meant MI5) a Ford Angular.....

[Buenchico]

To answer all of the OTHER questions which you might want to ask in the future . . .
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/copy.htm

Chris

[joko]

as a film maker, we have tp acquire permission to picture or mention branded products...sometimes you have to pay.

most give permission and are happy to have a bit of publicity ...but...if your subject is a taboo one you may find they could have a case to have it removed...

we used a brand of whiskey in a scene where the character tried to kill himself, and the company refused outright to allow it...