Copyright and Licensing

[KeepingMine4Now (imported)]

I've been thinking of sharing some contributions, and am researching what is involved.

So far I haven't found any place in the story contribution process where any statement is made regarding copyright and licensing of contributed material.

Have I missed something?

[plix (imported)]

I'm not 100% sure what you are asking. Are you asking what happens to the rights to a story you contribute?

The EA retains all rights to the version of the story published on the EA. The author retains all other rights.

We are working on updating the story submission section to include information on the story guidelines for the many authors who do not visit the boards and information on what happens with the rights to the story.

If that is not what you are asking, please clarify and I will be happy to give you an answer

[KeepingMine4Now (imported)]

Yeah, that's basically what I'm asking.

[Old Greebo (imported)]

So when I post a story on the Archive I'm giving up all rights to it, eh?

Unless, say, I amend the name Charlie to Charles, in which case I retain all rights to the amended story?

Hmm.

But as EA claims all rights to my original story, does it also have the right to reissue the story with the name changed from Charlie to Charles?

Do all erotic story websites claim rights like this? Should I therefore stop putting my stories on free-access websites, in case I decide later on that I want to try and publish my works elsewhere for profit?

[kristoff]

I would refer to the posting linked here. Posted by Bboy, our founder, who was also an attorney well versed in the topic.

http://www.eunuch.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=4083

[Old Greebo (imported)]

OK, I've cut-and-pasted the text from the link. It's after midnight here, and I have a lady waiting upstairs for me! I'll look at it in detail tomorrow. Perhaps.

I'll admit I'm worried. Thought I was just giving a bit of fun to a wide audience by posting the two stories I put on EA a while ago, but it seems I've given away more than I intended.

Perhaps I have to put it down to experience, and keep the rest of my creativity to myself until I can hire an editor, and an agent, and all that stuff.

Oh well. At least it's creativity, not testicles!

[kb57z (imported)]

What I understand the intention behind the legalese to be is that in submitting a story you are entering into a contract which does not allow you to decide later that you don't want the story on the archive; you have agreed to give away the right to demand its removal. This is to give the archive a measure of protection against predatory lawyers - the archive needs to have specific permission to use the story.

This won't prevent you doing other things with the story; the only thing it does do is prevent you giving away (or selling) rights to your story that conflict with your contract with the EA. In particular if you were to sell the story to a publisher they would also not be able to demand that the archive remove the story, because you cannot legitimately pass that right on. (In any case, having allowed the story to appear on a public website is effectively prior publication and failing to the a prospective publisher this would be deceitful.)

[BossTamsin (imported)]

So when I post a story on the Archive I'm giving up all rights to it, eh?

No, you retain any and all rights to submit it anywhere else, or do anything else you want with the story. The only thing you cannot do is turn around and ask us to remove it.

It's your story, you own it. Once you submit it here, we own the copy you've given us*, and we ain't gonna take it down no matter who asks.

* - No, you don't give us the right to go submit your story elsewhere, sell your story commercially, or anything like that.