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I have a question for everyone, regarding copyrights. Let's say I have an artist friend who I'm going to collaborate with. I write a story, she paints an image from the story. If I sold the story to a major publisher, and she sells the painting to wherever, is there any copyright snafus likely to arise?
I would be selling first print rights to a publisher, but that applies only to the written words, right? Not images?
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On a related note, if I am a professional artist who sells a novel, and I create artwork illustrating that novel and use it on the internet as part of self-promotion, would the novel's publisher object? Would they lose any commercial interest they might have had in the artwork?
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steffenwolf, I don't think there would be a problem with you selling rights to your own work and your artist friend selling her painting unless there are trademarks involved.
As you say, first print rights apply to the right the publisher has to be the first to print your written work.
Pyraxis, if you sold a novel, it would be in your interest to notify the publisher's publicist regarding any self-promotion you do on your own, just to make sure you aren't competing with whatever promotion the publisher may do. Publicists tend to be grateful for any self-promotion efforts on the part of an author because that means the publicist may not have to do as much (which can save the publisher money).
The publisher is not likely to be interested in the artwork anyway, unless you have submitted a portfolio and sold them other artwork independent of your novel, thereby having already established a relationship with the publisher as an artist.
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Pyraxis, it couldn't hurt, and because they know that you understand how their business works and that you behave professionally as an artist (so they know they're not working with an unknown quantity), they are more likely to give you a chance.
Your writing would have to sell itself, though, just as your artwork did.
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