Yesterday we discussed defamation. Today we’ll cover two related concepts that can also expose a writer to liability, as well as some defensive strategies that writers may wish to adopt. “Right to Privacy” simply refers to the right of an individual to be left alone in her personal affairs. As with defamation, privacy laws vary…
Category: General Interest
A Study in Scarlett (Or: Can I Be Sued For Writing That?) Part 1 of 2 . . . By Chuck Greaves
You’ve heard the horror stories. Scarlett Johansson sues acclaimed French author Grégoire Delacourt for invoking her name in describing a fictional character. A jury awards Jesse Ventura $1.8 million against the estate of American Sniper author Chris Kyle over Kyle’s account of an alleged barroom brawl. Novelist Haywood Smith suffers a $100,000 jury verdict for…
We sing because we have a song
This week I wrote, “The End.” It’s a rare treat–for me, that is. Some prolific writers (Marie Force comes to mind, and Nora Roberts) can write a full-length novel in 60 days or less. My speed is more like one book a year. Please indulge me as I savor it. The book: Crimson Secret. Book…
Writers and Public Speaking
A couple of weeks ago, some RMFW author friends and I were discussing book promotion, and the topic of public speaking came up. Public speaking. As in one of the most fearsome activities a person can do. These brave souls are willing to think about taking heart and book in hand to stand up in…
Lessons From Ten Years of Writing
Yes, the lessons I’ve learned in ten years of writing. This is not to be confused with David Morrell’s excellent book, Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing. So on my own personal blog, I’ve been meditating on the last ten years. In January of 2006, I joined an RMFW Critique Group in Evergreen (with Jan…