How can I use quotes in my book? Please help me!?

Question

I was wondering about using quotes in my book I'm writing. I've heard about paying for quotes you use, or lyrics and plenty of other things, but if I used a common quote, and gave credit to it's author, do I need to get permission for that when I publish???? I'm so confused. Does anyone know anything about this, or a place that i can learn about it???

Answer 1

No, no, no. Please ignore the people with good intentions who are giving you misinformation.

It is NOT okay to quote another book in your book so long as you give credit, unless your book is a parody, commentary, or criticism of a copyrighted work.

"What If You Acknowledge the Source Material?

Some people mistakenly believe it's permissible to use a work (or portion of it) if an acknowledgment is provided. For example, they believe it's okay to use a photograph in a magazine as long as the name of the photographer is included. This is not true. Acknowledgment of the source material (such as citing the photographer) may be a consideration in a fair use determination, but it will not protect against a claim of infringement. In some cases, such as advertisements, acknowledgments can backfire and create additional legal claims, such as a violation of the right of publicity. When in doubt as to the right to use or acknowledge a source, the most prudent course may be to seek permission of the copyright owner." -- http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_an...

Answer 2

just put quotation marks and make sure under it you put who wrote it. because if you dont, it's a serious offense.  

Answer 3

You are talking about fair use and how it relates to copyright material. Basically, to use even a portion of someone else's words in a work of your own, you have to pass a four-step test.

       1. the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

       2. the nature of the copyrighted work;

       3. the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

       4. the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

Now,  you are talking about a book, which you presumably want to get paid for.The next questions deal with what yiu'll be using how much you'll be using, and whether your use might turn people off to enjoying the original material.

When I studied mass communication law decades ago, the workaround was to convey the idea without using the exac twords, or to place a ceiling on the  number of words at 17 words or less.

So your character might think, "It's like John Fogarty said, 'There's a bad moon on the rise.'"

Or, "She started humming Alanis Morrisette's 'Ironic."

Much beyond that, you are talking about seeking permission to use copyrighted material.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

     Provided you name the author of the quotes, as you say, then you're fine.  You do have to watch it if you copy great tracts of an author's work.  Then you do need permission, but a simple quote, no.

Good luck

Mike B