is it still possible to be author?

[2wordsperminute]

You wound't give money to a random stranger, right?

*wouldn't

 

[Deleted member 1244]

Oh man...
I am sitting on a god-tier relevant meme too....

 

[Pixytokisaki14]

Everyone who can write can be an author. A successful one tho, well thats another thing.

 

[IanWhite2105]

That's not the definition of author though... neither is it by a legal standard.

Let me rephrase, it is the general and common opinion of the world that an author is someone who has had their works published and/or acknowledge by a reputable organization. Legally, someone cannot be called an author of a work unless it has been copyrighted. Posting something on a website does not copyright. The only websites that I know of which do copyright books for a writer would be accredited Ebook retailers like Amazon but that is only in regards to contracted writer. That is why most people who post on sites like Webnovel, Scribblehub, and Royal Road etc… can have any of their works copied and posted on websites like Ranobes without legal repercussion. Even the most protective of general copyright laws only protects against taking claim of the work and not the reposting said work. Many countries don’t even do that so anyone can take your work and say they wrote it themselves without repercussions.


By every definition and legality regarding being an Author, posting works on this websites, and others like it, does not make you an author.

Just because someone posts skits online that does not make them an actor. Just how someone who cooks a lot is not a chef, a person who tutors people is not a professor, someone who fixes their own car is not a mechanic, people who posts reviews on yelp is not a critic, a blogger is not a journalist, someone who cuts their friends hair is not a hair stylist, etc…

 

[prognastat]

Let me rephrase, it is the general and common opinion of the world that an author is someone who has had their works published and/or acknowledge by a reputable organization. Legally, someone cannot be called an author of a work unless it has been copyrighted. Posting something on a website does not copyright. The only websites that I know of which do copyright books for a writer would be accredited Ebook retailers like Amazon but that is only in regards to contracted writer. That is why most people who post on sites like Webnovel, Scribblehub, and Royal Road etc… can have any of their works copied and posted on websites like Ranobes without legal repercussion. Even the most protective of general copyright laws only protects against taking claim of the work and not the reposting said work. Many countries don’t even do that so anyone can take your work and say they wrote it themselves without repercussions.


By every definition and legality regarding being an Author, posting works on this websites, and others like it, does not make you an author.

Just because someone posts skits online that does not make them an actor. Just how someone who cooks a lot is not a chef, a person who tutors people is not a professor, someone who fixes their own car is not a mechanic, people who posts reviews on yelp is not a critic, a blogger is not a journalist, someone who cuts their friends hair is not a hair stylist, etc…

You must not be in the US, because in the US you don't need to submit your work for it to be copyrighted although doing so is beneficial since it would be an easy proof of it being copyrighted at a specific date. If you don't it's your responsibility for proving you are the one that created the work.

Also just because the works tend to be posted on other sites the same goes for actual published works. It's called piracy. Also yes you could pursue a legal case or have a lawyer send a cease and desist and sue over it. It just isn't financially beneficial to do so for just about any writer on these websites as they make less than the lawyer would cost simply to send a cease and desist let alone for an actual lawsuit even if they won. Just because most don't pursue legal action doesn't mean that they don't own those rights or that they are technically being violated.

I question your knowledge on any of these topics with how wrong you are regarding the things I am familiar with. You might be speaking regarding somewhere outside the US where things might be different, however the largest percentage of users of these sites are in the US so I would say the US is the most reasonable one to use for reference.

This is also the case for the UK. I'm not familiar with how it works in non-English speaking countries, but I'm sure for a lot of the EU it's probably going to to be similar simply due to the influence the US has over the EU.

 

[IanWhite2105]

You must not be in the US, because in the US you don't need to submit your work for it to be copyrighted although doing so is beneficial since it would be an easy proof of it being copyrighted at a specific date. If you don't it's your responsibility for proving you are the one that created the work.

Also just because the works tend to be posted on other sites the same goes for actual published works. It's called piracy. Also yes you could pursue a legal case or have a lawyer send a cease and desist and sue over it. It just isn't financially beneficial to do so for just about any writer on these websites as they make less than the lawyer would cost simply to send a cease and desist let alone for an actual lawsuit even if they won. Just because most don't pursue legal action doesn't mean that they don't own those rights or that they are technically being violated.

I question your knowledge on any of these topics with how wrong you are regarding the things I am familiar with. You might be speaking regarding somewhere outside the US where things might be different, however the largest percentage of users of these sites are in the US so I would say the US is the most reasonable one to use for reference.

This is also the case for the UK. I'm not familiar with how it works in non-English speaking countries, but I'm sure for a lot of the EU it's probably going to to be similar simply due to the influence the US has over the EU.

You must not be in the US, because in the US you don't need to submit your work for it to be copyrighted although doing so is beneficial since it would be an easy proof of it being copyrighted at a specific date. If you don't it's your responsibility for proving you are the one that created the work.

Also just because the works tend to be posted on other sites the same goes for actual published works. It's called piracy. Also yes you could pursue a legal case or have a lawyer send a cease and desist and sue over it. It just isn't financially beneficial to do so for just about any writer on these websites as they make less than the lawyer would cost simply to send a cease and desist let alone for an actual lawsuit even if they won. Just because most don't pursue legal action doesn't mean that they don't own those rights or that they are technically being violated.

I question your knowledge on any of these topics with how wrong you are regarding the things I am familiar with. You might be speaking regarding somewhere outside the US where things might be different, however the largest percentage of users of these sites are in the US so I would say the US is the most reasonable one to use for reference.

This is also the case for the UK. I'm not familiar with how it works in non-English speaking countries, but I'm sure for a lot of the EU it's probably going to to be similar simply due to the influence the US has over the EU.

I was referring to open access websites that people commonly post their works on. Posting something to Scribblehub does not give any legal protection to you or the works you have posted. If you would to post it on a website like Patreon (one that requires you to pay for access to the work), a social media website like Twitter or Instagram, or a comic website like Webtoon, then you would have legal protection under US copyright law, but most websites do not offer or constitute any protection against people re-posting your works. Courts in North America, Australasia, and the EU do not consider reposting non-copyrighted works as piracy.

Just last May I had to speak with one of our writers regarding this very issue and our “law expert”(someone with a law degree and a few years of experience but with the reputation she has here expert is a bit generous) pointed out the exact US law which says they had no legal ground to stand. A cease and desist order could go through but any pushback and that order goes away. Laws regarding webnovels or internet novels are almost non-existent with the only cases you could refer to are those regarding journalism but that is a very loose connection.

If you are unsure of whether or not posting something online would give tou legal protection then read the terms of agreement, privacy policy, user agreement, etc…. of the website in question. Scribblehub doesn’t have anything in its policy stating the works posted on it have protection so any further discourse is purely opinionated.

 

[prognastat]

I was referring to open access websites that people commonly post their works on. Posting something to Scribblehub does not give any legal protection to you or the works you have posted. If you would to post it on a website like Patreon (one that requires you to pay for access to the work), a social media website like Twitter or Instagram, or a comic website like Webtoon, then you would have legal protection under US copyright law, but most websites do not offer or constitute any protection against people re-posting your works. Courts in North America, Australasia, and the EU do not consider reposting non-copyrighted works as piracy.

Just last May I had to speak with one of our writers regarding this very issue and our “law expert”(someone with a law degree and a few years of experience but with the reputation she has here expert is a bit generous) pointed out the exact US law which says they had no legal ground to stand. A cease and desist order could go through but any pushback and that order goes away. Laws regarding webnovels or internet novels are almost non-existent with the only cases you could refer to are those regarding journalism but that is a very loose connection.

If you are unsure of whether or not posting something online would give tou legal protection then read the terms of agreement, privacy policy, user agreement, etc…. of the website in question. Scribblehub doesn’t have anything in its policy stating the works posted on it have protection so any further discourse is purely opinionated.

https://www.copyright.gov/engage/writers/#:~:text=For copyright purposes, a piece,transferring ownership of the copies.

"Second, you should know that copyright protection exists from the moment an original work is “fixed” in a tangible medium. For writers, fixation occurs when your ideas are written down on paper or typed using a computer, for example. You don’t need to do anything else for your work to be protected by copyright."

The government itself disagrees with this take you've provided. That doesn't mean from a legal perspective that it isn't very smart to register the copyright of a work you produce, but the name already implies it. You register it. By US law you already hold the copyright legally you are just getting it officially recognised when you register it. Now any lawyer would tell you to register it since you would have a much stronger standing legally to prove you are the original copyright holder, but that doesn't mean that legally without doing so you don't already own the copyright.

I could write a story in a word document on my computer and never show it to anyone or print it and I would legally hold the copyright. The problem comes in when proving that I wrote it before anyone else that might steal it comes in and would be much more expensive and possibly even fail. Just because the law might fail to uphold my rightful copyright doesn't mean I don't actually own the copyright and that losing the case would be a failing of the legal system just like how some innocent people are currently sitting in prison despite being legally innocent and the legal system failing them.

 

[ExpertReader101]

Now, everyone is an author. Is it over over-saturated now?

In fact this is also a good thing and perhaps an opportunity. I hope to see more Xianxia Originals or English Light Novels.
But I also agree with some comments here, quality has been dropping.

 

[IanWhite2105]

https://www.copyright.gov/engage/writers/#:~:text=For copyright purposes, a piece,transferring ownership of the copies.

"Second, you should know that copyright protection exists from the moment an original work is “fixed” in a tangible medium. For writers, fixation occurs when your ideas are written down on paper or typed using a computer, for example. You don’t need to do anything else for your work to be protected by copyright."

The government itself disagrees with this take you've provided. That doesn't mean from a legal perspective that it isn't very smart to register the copyright of a work you produce, but the name already implies it. You register it. By US law you already hold the copyright legally you are just getting it officially recognised when you register it. Now any lawyer would tell you to register it since you would have a much stronger standing legally to prove you are the original copyright holder, but that doesn't mean that legally without doing so you don't already own the copyright.

I could write a story in a word document on my computer and never show it to anyone or print it and I would legally hold the copyright. The problem comes in when proving that I wrote it before anyone else that might steal it comes in and would be much more expensive and possibly even fail. Just because the law might fail to uphold my rightful copyright doesn't mean I don't actually own the copyright and that losing the case would be a failing of the legal system just like how some innocent people are currently sitting in prison despite being legally innocent and the legal system failing them.

I think I should try to be as simple and explicit with my points as possible. All of the following statements regarding US Copyright Law is factual according to the US Copyright Office.

Firstly: Although the act of writing your work may make it “copyrighted”, that copyright protects you and your work from very few cases.

Secondly: Posting your work online implies that the viewing, debating, commenting, downloading, sharing, re-posting, critiquing, etc… of the work is accepted. To prevent any of the previously listed actions from taking place another form of copyright, aside from general copyrights, IS required.

Thirdly; So long as the work is not being profited from, taken credit of, the original intention and message is unchanged, the owner of the copyright (original poster) is not being impeded in their use of the work, as well as credit is given to the original creator or owner, then secondary uses of the work are permissible under general copyright. Only when these stipulations are explicitly broken is the use of a work under general copyright not acceptable.

———————————————————
The following statements are true but not proven by the US Copyright Office.
———————————————————

Fourthly: Scribblehub has no form of copyright protection for the works aside from general copyright (which is applicable regardless). The only action Scribblehub takes is giving you the option to state which form of copyright you have applied to your work when you are posting it. Checking those boxes does NOT mean those protections are actually applied.

Fifthly: Certain websites may have clauses which protect the work from being used in certain ways. Reputable website like Patreon, Buy Me A Coffee, Webtoon, Instagram, Twitter, Amazon Kindle, Youtube, Apple Ebooks, Google Ebooks, etc… often have these clauses in the user agreements.

Lastly: You should check the user agreements of any websites you are posting on to be sure of the protections that are applicable without further action on the part of the owner of the work.



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I have genuinely forgot what the original reason for us discoursing like this was, I think it was something along the line of what classifies as an author. Regarding that topic, I work in a company that does publishing, editing, translating, and pretty much anything and everything regarding writing aside from printing and news. From working in this industry I have learned that the general standard for most of the world is someone that has been published or acknowledged by an accredited association, be it moderate to higher educational institution, recognized writers “guilds”, etc... The amount of effort people will put into, time spent, education levels reached, works created, and overall sacrifice that people make to get even a single chance of being published or acknowledged by one of these associations let alone seeing actual success is often heart wrenching. To them the title of Author is one of the greatest achievements they could ever reach so watching so many people who write average or even low quality works call themselves such is frankly insulting. I hope that the points that I made before this little note is understood was I am getting tired of going back and forth regarding a very benign point of discussion that people will never be able to fix. Either way posting works online ultimately does nothing to harm writers as the people who are reading their works for free, pirated or not, will probably never actually pay to read them. If anything it helps them more as it brings a larger audience that could decide to support the creator which would never do so if they disn’t have easy access to the work.

 

[DaisukeHanashi]

Are you k.akash because you're an author? Or are you an author because you're k.akash?