A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: 📚 Incorporating Information from Other Sources (When to paraphrase, when to pay)
Authors, especially first-time authors of non-fiction books, must and should rely on available, already published information. The question is how to handle the use of it in your own work. Yes, of course, there are guides on how to cite something (APA Manual, Chicago Manual of Style, etc.), but what you can cite is something else. How do you avoid violating copyright law and finding yourself in a big unhealthy pile of muck and perhaps even having to take your book off the shelf? Here are some basic guidelines. 1. Lyrics & Poetry Even a single line of song lyrics or poetry is usually protected. Publishers almost always require permission and payment for reproduction. Safer route: paraphrase the sentiment or describe the effect instead of quoting. 2. Books & Prose Short quotations (a few lines) may fall under fair use , especially for commentary, criticism, or scholarship. Extended excerpts (e.g., 100+ lines) almost always require permission . Rule of thumb: i...