So during my reference shift, this girl comes to the desk to search for a book that should be available but is apparently no where to be found. After searching high and low, we determined the book to be missing, so I went over to the new book section (where she was browsing) to tell her.
She had already found another book to read and had it in hand when I approached. I told her we'd notify her when the errant book was found, to which she replied that she had already found something to read. What book, you ask? Well, I'm so glad you did.
The book she had selected to check out was my book, which had been on display along with other new acquisitions. She's interested in British literature, so she thought the book sounded really perfect for her. I couldn't help myself. I had to tell her that I had written it. She thought that was pretty cool. I told her that I just hoped the book didn't disappoint.
It was such an amazing moment. It was everything I could do not to do a little happy dance right there in the middle of the library. This may be one of the coolest things that's ever happened in my life. Love it :)
Showing posts with label the book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the book. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
fair use, or, a matter of principle
A very long time ago, when I was still working on The Book, I made the acquaintance of E, who is the president of a Database Company (DC) that produces a Nineteenth Century Product (NCP). The NCP was one of many, and I do mean many, resources discussed in said book (roughly 300 in the book proper and another 130 in the appendix). Since making our initial acquaintance, E and I have had several discussions about nineteenth century research and the like. Recently E and I had the following exchange via e-mail (this is excerpted only):
E: "... How can we get access to the book? [Employee] can put a blurb about it at [website], which gets a good deal of hits, insofar as it speaks favorably (I hope) about our [NCP]..."
Me: "The book is available from the publisher and places like Amazon. [links inserted here] ... Thanks for the offer to put a blurb about the book on [DC's] support site. I really appreciate that."
E: "No problem. Is it possible to get an e-version of all/part of the [NCP] content? That’s our lead, then we’ll add the link to Scarecrow and Amazon…"
Me: "Well, there is an e-version of the book that could be purchased, but I can’t send a virtual copy of all or part of the book. I don’t want to violate the terms of the contract by posting sections online. I’m sure you understand."
E: "I understand, but a snipper is fair use, no? E.G. IF I wanted to cite a paragraph for a article I’m writing on 19th Stuides [sic], that’d fall into fair use. What think? FYI, we can discuss on Wed. at 11 am your time, which is good for me, if for you."
OK - we now return to our regularly scheduled blog post.
So there are a few thoughts I have about this exchange.
1. I feel like he wants to use sections of my book just to promote his product. I get that he's a businessman, but I feel like what he's suggesting devalues all of the time and effort I put in to writing a 321 page book. Yes, his product is mentioned, but it's not intended as a "review" per se. It is intended to explain what the product is and how scholars can use it, not serve as a promotional tool.
2. If he wanted to purchase a copy of said book and quote a few sentences related to NCP, I would have no problem with that as long as he provided attribution. That would fall under fair use, which I'm completely fine with. What irks me is his assumption that I would, should, and could just send him the paragraphs and pages that are about his product.
3. I feel like by a "snipper" (what the heck type of term is that anyway?) he means large sections of text not just a sentence or two. This may be somewhat unrelated to the first sentence, but him claiming "fair use" irritates me too since fair use (as I understand it) is largely in relation to academic use. According to the U.S. Copyright office, "Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports." I'm not sure if his purposes strictly fit the definition although I suppose one could argue that it would be "news reporting" of sorts.
So while I do hold the copyright for the intellectual contents of the book, there is this lovely little statement on the publication details page that says:
"All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review."
So from that I take it to mean that quotation is fine but reproducing the content is not. Seems simple enough. Even if I was not having qualms about what he's asking, I don't think I have the right to just send him a digital version. Besides, I don't even have a digital version of the final, printed book. I have a digital version of the page proofs, but those are 1) not the final version and 2) not intended for distribution.
I think it's cheap and lazy of him not to just purchase the book and find the relevant content on his own. I'd rather not encourage such behavior. I don't want him to take content and make it seem like I'm specifically endorsing his product when his was just one of many resources covered in the book. I suppose he thinks he's doing me some sort of favor by mentioning the book on his company's website, but the book will sell just fine without his extra plug for it. The publisher is responsible for promoting the book, and I think they're doing a fine job of it.
So am I unnecessarily irritated by the whole situation? Should I not so stubbornly refuse to send him the content he wants? What think you?
E: "... How can we get access to the book? [Employee] can put a blurb about it at [website], which gets a good deal of hits, insofar as it speaks favorably (I hope) about our [NCP]..."
Me: "The book is available from the publisher and places like Amazon. [links inserted here] ... Thanks for the offer to put a blurb about the book on [DC's] support site. I really appreciate that."
E: "No problem. Is it possible to get an e-version of all/part of the [NCP] content? That’s our lead, then we’ll add the link to Scarecrow and Amazon…"
Me: "Well, there is an e-version of the book that could be purchased, but I can’t send a virtual copy of all or part of the book. I don’t want to violate the terms of the contract by posting sections online. I’m sure you understand."
E: "I understand, but a snipper is fair use, no? E.G. IF I wanted to cite a paragraph for a article I’m writing on 19th Stuides [sic], that’d fall into fair use. What think? FYI, we can discuss on Wed. at 11 am your time, which is good for me, if for you."
OK - we now return to our regularly scheduled blog post.
So there are a few thoughts I have about this exchange.
1. I feel like he wants to use sections of my book just to promote his product. I get that he's a businessman, but I feel like what he's suggesting devalues all of the time and effort I put in to writing a 321 page book. Yes, his product is mentioned, but it's not intended as a "review" per se. It is intended to explain what the product is and how scholars can use it, not serve as a promotional tool.
2. If he wanted to purchase a copy of said book and quote a few sentences related to NCP, I would have no problem with that as long as he provided attribution. That would fall under fair use, which I'm completely fine with. What irks me is his assumption that I would, should, and could just send him the paragraphs and pages that are about his product.
3. I feel like by a "snipper" (what the heck type of term is that anyway?) he means large sections of text not just a sentence or two. This may be somewhat unrelated to the first sentence, but him claiming "fair use" irritates me too since fair use (as I understand it) is largely in relation to academic use. According to the U.S. Copyright office, "Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports." I'm not sure if his purposes strictly fit the definition although I suppose one could argue that it would be "news reporting" of sorts.
So while I do hold the copyright for the intellectual contents of the book, there is this lovely little statement on the publication details page that says:
"All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review."
So from that I take it to mean that quotation is fine but reproducing the content is not. Seems simple enough. Even if I was not having qualms about what he's asking, I don't think I have the right to just send him a digital version. Besides, I don't even have a digital version of the final, printed book. I have a digital version of the page proofs, but those are 1) not the final version and 2) not intended for distribution.
I think it's cheap and lazy of him not to just purchase the book and find the relevant content on his own. I'd rather not encourage such behavior. I don't want him to take content and make it seem like I'm specifically endorsing his product when his was just one of many resources covered in the book. I suppose he thinks he's doing me some sort of favor by mentioning the book on his company's website, but the book will sell just fine without his extra plug for it. The publisher is responsible for promoting the book, and I think they're doing a fine job of it.
So am I unnecessarily irritated by the whole situation? Should I not so stubbornly refuse to send him the content he wants? What think you?
Thursday, December 02, 2010
really real
Today when I got home from work, a box rested on my doorstep. A different package, one I had been expecting, had been delivered over the lunch hour, so I wasn't really anticipating anything more. As soon as I stooped to pick it up, I realized what it contained.
My author copies of the book finally arrived. Five, pristine copies, hot off the press, are all mine. It's. It finally exists. People will read it, and libraries will buy it.
Even though I've been expecting my book to arrive in the mail any day, I'm still in shock. I burst into tears when I took the first copy from the box and held it in my time. It was all really overwhelming. I can't even say why I cried, but it was the only thing I really could do at the moment.
As I type, the shock is fading into relief with some inklings of joy. It has been such a long journey, and I'm just so glad to finally see the finished product at the end of it all.
My author copies of the book finally arrived. Five, pristine copies, hot off the press, are all mine. It's. It finally exists. People will read it, and libraries will buy it.
Even though I've been expecting my book to arrive in the mail any day, I'm still in shock. I burst into tears when I took the first copy from the box and held it in my time. It was all really overwhelming. I can't even say why I cried, but it was the only thing I really could do at the moment.
As I type, the shock is fading into relief with some inklings of joy. It has been such a long journey, and I'm just so glad to finally see the finished product at the end of it all.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
thoughts on writing a book
It's been a while since my last post, I know. Between then and now I revised my book manuscript twice, and I guess I just really wanted to finish and have been focusing on that. I haven't written much about the book-writing process over the last couple years even though many of you have heard periodic updates about my progress.
On Tuesday earlier this week, I e-mailed the final revised chapters and accompanying materials to my editors. They've gone through the entire manuscript twice, and now it's in the hands of the editor above them. He may have some feedback, in which case my editors will pass that on to me. If not, it goes straight to production from there. The production phase could take up to 6 months, so my best estimate is that the book will be published and available for sale sometime this fall.
It feels amazing to have finished what I set out to accomplish. Even though there is still some work yet to be done, most of what remains is on the publisher's end. I may have a few minor revisions to make here and there, and I definitely will have to review the page proofs when they're ready. For all intents and purposes, however, I've done my part.
When I submitted the proposal in March 2008, I felt confident that I could write this book. I felt I knew enough about Victorian literature and library research to teach others how to research it as well. I don't think that I had an overly-inflated view of my own knowledge and skills, but looking back, I'm amazed at how much I didn't know when this project began. I have learned so much about research and writing and literature, and now I can say that I wrote the book on researching Victorian literature. How cool is that? I wish that I had known what I know now back when I was working on my MA. How much more would I have gotten out of my classes?
I feel like this is something I can really be proud of. Because Victorian literature is so heavily researched, I felt a lot of pressure to do this right. I imagined my two Victorian literature professors--Emily Haddad (USD) and Jen Hill (UNR)--reading the book and using it in their classes. All of their writing advice bounced around in my head throughout the writing process. I hope that they're pleased with the outcome.
So far the feedback I've gotten from my editors has been really great. They said it "is a wonderful volume" and that they enjoyed reading it. I can't wait to see the page proofs and to hold the printed volume and to read the first reviews (although that part scares me a bit).
Anyway, thanks for bearing with me through this process :) I know it has been a very long ride.
On Tuesday earlier this week, I e-mailed the final revised chapters and accompanying materials to my editors. They've gone through the entire manuscript twice, and now it's in the hands of the editor above them. He may have some feedback, in which case my editors will pass that on to me. If not, it goes straight to production from there. The production phase could take up to 6 months, so my best estimate is that the book will be published and available for sale sometime this fall.
It feels amazing to have finished what I set out to accomplish. Even though there is still some work yet to be done, most of what remains is on the publisher's end. I may have a few minor revisions to make here and there, and I definitely will have to review the page proofs when they're ready. For all intents and purposes, however, I've done my part.
When I submitted the proposal in March 2008, I felt confident that I could write this book. I felt I knew enough about Victorian literature and library research to teach others how to research it as well. I don't think that I had an overly-inflated view of my own knowledge and skills, but looking back, I'm amazed at how much I didn't know when this project began. I have learned so much about research and writing and literature, and now I can say that I wrote the book on researching Victorian literature. How cool is that? I wish that I had known what I know now back when I was working on my MA. How much more would I have gotten out of my classes?
I feel like this is something I can really be proud of. Because Victorian literature is so heavily researched, I felt a lot of pressure to do this right. I imagined my two Victorian literature professors--Emily Haddad (USD) and Jen Hill (UNR)--reading the book and using it in their classes. All of their writing advice bounced around in my head throughout the writing process. I hope that they're pleased with the outcome.
So far the feedback I've gotten from my editors has been really great. They said it "is a wonderful volume" and that they enjoyed reading it. I can't wait to see the page proofs and to hold the printed volume and to read the first reviews (although that part scares me a bit).
Anyway, thanks for bearing with me through this process :) I know it has been a very long ride.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)