Need A Speaker for Your Event?
Flint Hills Publishing President Thea Rademacher, JD enjoys sharing her knowledge about publishing and the law in a candid and entertaining manner.
Topics include:
All the Legal-Smeagle Stuff Writers Need to Know!
Led by a lawyer-turned-publisher, this entertaining and informative session highlights critical legal issues all authors should know. Authors will learn relevant information about intellectual property law- including AI, best practices to avoid lawsuits arising from the content of their work, and other business issues such as hiring outside help and taxes. The session will conclude with an in-depth explanation of the various types of publishing contracts.
It is much easier to avoid a legal mess than to clean up after there’s a problem. In this fast-paced presentation taught by using a story designed to entertain while covering what some might see as dry topics, authors will learn:
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Intellectual property law: defining and creating a copyright; original content requirement; the Fair Use Doctrine; copyright and book titles; book series; trademarks; parody; the use of commercial images; registering a copyright; the Mandatory Deposit Rule; the evolution in our thinking about copyright law including Creative Commons licensing. Up-to-date information about the emerging issues of AI and copyright are addressed.
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Legal issues related to the business of being an author: best practices in work for hire arrangements; licensing of hired work; estate planning for authors.
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Avoiding lawsuits: defamation; invasion of privacy; recording interviews and obtaining written releases.
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Avoiding predatory publishing situations: an explanation of the evolution of the publishing industry and what that means for authors; best practices in hiring outside help with editing, formatting, and book covers; best practices in hybrid publishing contracts; best practices in traditional publishing contracts. Authors will learn “insider-information” about the true costs of on-demand publishing so they can make informed decisions.
"A Publisher’s Advice to the Self-Publisher"
Publisher of nearly 80 books, Flint Hills President Thea Rademacher, JD, offers authors professional advice on how to take a project from a messy Word document to a beautiful book. Starting with the pros and cons of various publishing options, authors will learn practical information needed to create print and ebooks, sharing insider tips about best practices in creating a professional-looking book. Topics covered include:
What Publishing Options Does an Author Have? Authors will learn about agents, cold calls, approaching large and small publishing houses (traditional, for hire, hybrid), and self-publishing. The pros and cons of each option will be discussed.
Busting the Myth that Self-Publishing is a Bummer. The advent of “print on demand” technology created a revolution in the publishing industry as well as a lot of opportunities for predatory practices. But with the right information, authors can learn to create a professional product.
A Sure Way to Get Your Work into the World. Attendees are guided through the technical requirements of publishing a print and ebook on Amazon KDP and a print book on IngramSpark and more.
What People Have to Say About Thea's presentations:
"Your workshop, "A Publisher's Advice to the Self-Publisher"...was described by a friend of mine as a "mini college course." We three writers who attended the festival together felt you shared very valuable information. I know I took notes like a crazy woman. Thank you for your generosity..."
Jeanne Rogers
"Call it 'legal-smeagle,' but it was very helpful! Especially the info about AI and royalty contract provisions."
Della Brown,
author The Bad Penny Mysteries
"I took your 'All the Legal-Smeagle Stuff a Writer Needs to Know' breakout session at the DFW Writers Conference last weekend. It was a very useful class, and I enjoyed it very much.
Ariana Weberg