You can lock your doors and windows to keep thieves out, but how do you protect your ideas or written works? Literary property theft happens every day. Written by a writer, for writers, Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Story will help you protect yourself against plagiarists and anyone else who might infringe your right of sole ownership. What if you wrote a script and later saw an eerily similar plot in a famous movie? Find out why Eric Ryder went to court against James Cameron over Avatar, and how you can avoid a similar battle. What should you do if you're writing with a partner? Find out what happened to one deal that went sour. Do you have to register your work? Use a copyright symbol? What about other countries? Find out the steps you need to take, and hear how the author avoided a messy lawsuit. Can you copyright an idea? Are you afraid even to talk to someone about your great idea or work-in-progress? Find out what could happen, and how to protect yourself. Can you use a character invented by another author? What about a title? A plot? Read about some famous examples of plagiarism that went to court. Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Story will show you how to avoid inadvertently plagiarizing someone else's work. What if Hollywood comes calling? Learn how to safeguard your idea, script, or story when a buyer or agent wants to option or purchase your work in order to turn it into a movie or television production. You may think you have a strong knowledge of copyright, but if you're a writer in any field, Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Story is a book you can't afford NOT to have. Don't Let Anyone Steal Your Story is a stripped-down readable summary of copyright, full of entertaining anecdotes and real-life examples. Read about the true horror stories that clearly show you what you need to do to avoid the misfortune of having your literary material stolen. Find out: * How to take simple inexpensive steps to protect yourself, before, during, and after you write your literary work. * How copyright law applies to writers of literary works. * How literary works enter public domain, and how you can use it to your advantage. * What aspects of literary works are protected by copyright, and what aspects are not protected. * How to create documentation that will prove your copyright entitlement in the event of an infringement on your rights. * How you can protect yourself if you are contracted to write for television. You'll also get a FREE sample of an Option and Purchase Agreement used in the acquisition of rights in a literary property-a contract that you and your lawyer can customize for your property. Barry Pearson is a published author, and a writer/producer in the film and television business. His producer credits include the 2009 movie Iron Road, an international co-production with China, starring Peter O'Toole and Sam Neill. In addition to his writer credits on eight feature films, he has produced over 300 episodes of series television. His awards include: Best Screenplay, Best Picture, International Film & Television Festival of New York, Best Screenplay, Feature Film, 12th International Film Festival in Sitges, Spain, Special Jury Award, Feature Film, at the San Francisco International Film Festival.