The book is not written by me. I do a reading of the complete book and record the audio. Can I sell this recording? Or give it away free? Can the author sue me or something? I am not selling the book itself, just the recording I myself made. Thanks
Yes, the author can sue, the text will have copyright protection. So the question is if the author (or more realistically the publisher) WILL sue. That will depend on the publisher, the age of the book, how popular the book is, and how much revenue they think you will earn from the book. Let's say the book is published by a NZ company and you're in India. You'll probably get away with some scary legal letters unless the book is a major hit (eg The Luminaries) or you're earning loads. But US versus India - expect proper legal action with real-world consequences India versus India - much simpler to pursue because it's only one legal system at play
Publishing anything you have not written yourself, or bought the rights to, can end badly. The recording you made could be sold IF the author of the book and the reader signed documents giving you rights to sell it. Otherwise the answer is no and if you do so could end badly for you.
It could depend on whether the book has a valid copyright or not. If the books are in public domain, you can basically do whatever you want without worrying about legal issues. For example, the KJV Bible has no copyright, while the NIV Bible has a copyright. You can sell recordings of the former without fear of legal action, while the only way to sell recordings of the latter is with explicit permission of the copyright owner.
One more thing to add: it may not be so hard, for some books, to get permission to read and sell your recording of it. Especially for older, less popular books, they might benefit from renewed interest in the actual book that may be caused by you recording it. Don't expect permission from JK Rowling, of course.
Another option, btw, would be to get permission from an author by agreeing to pay the author a small royalty on every sale you make. Might not be a huge cost. And if you could get the author to help you promote it with a testimonial, etc., it could be an interesting angle.
Yes its copyright and author can read the book and recognize his content and has the right to sue you .You can try to credit the author or contact him maybe he gives you permision to publish it
@jrbiz I thought about that, but with thousands of authors it will be very difficult to find good ones with good interesting books. Initially I was thinking about using the books I liked, ones I have already read. However, most of those are from very good writers, who may or may not have their own deals with audio publishers.
Hi Jeet, one question did you sign an agreement with the author/publisher? If so, I am sure what you can and cannot do with the what you are working on would be listed in there. If ever in doubt would ask for their permission first and foremost, if you are putting in the work and they are ok with it fine, but permission would be needed beforehand I would have thought.
@Harvey Wolf no I don't have a contract with the author or publishers. This was kind of a fun thing I wanted to do in my free time...
Hey Jeet, Appreciate you replying. Firstly being a fun thing I can totally understand, we all need some fun, otherwise we would all go cuckoo That said, I think it is always prudent to be safe rather than sorry, the worse thing is you start on good terms only to end up wishing you had never met each other! A little extreme I know, but think it's always best to have some sort of written agreement in place that way both parties know exactly where they stand before any commitments are made. In either case, hope you find a happy medium. All the best.
Yes, I agree with the others it's copyright. You need permission from the owners of the copyright who will own the Intellectual Property unless it is in the Public Domain. Even then there can be issues. Probably best to make up your own stories and not copy an existing one. AI is an interesting development causing all sorts of trouble at the moment with writers on strike. However AI will write a story for you. I've been dabbling with this with some interesting and good results. AI can also make some really good artwork. You should experiment with it.
Recording and distributing an audio version of a book, whether for sale or for free, typically infringes on the copyright held by the book's author or publisher. This is because you are creating and distributing a derivative work, which is covered under copyright law. The author or publisher could indeed take legal action against you for doing this without permission. Here are some key points to consider: 1. **Copyright Infringement**: By recording and distributing the book without permission, you're likely violating copyright law, which can result in legal consequences. 2. **Fair Use**: In some jurisdictions, there are exceptions under "fair use" or "fair dealing" provisions, but these are usually limited to certain types of uses (such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research) and typically do not cover the distribution of entire works. 3. **Public Domain**: If the book is in the public domain (meaning the copyright has expired), you are free to record and distribute it without needing permission. 4. **Licensing**: To legally distribute your recording, you would need to obtain a license from the copyright holder. To avoid any legal issues, you should consider: - **Contacting the Publisher**: Reach out to the publisher or the author to seek permission or a licensing agreement. - **Public Domain Works**: Focus on books that are in the public domain. - **Creative Commons Licenses**: Some authors release their works under Creative Commons licenses, which may allow for recording and distribution with certain conditions. It's advisable to consult with a legal professional specializing in intellectual property law to get specific advice tailored to your situation.
You should ask a lawyer but I would suggest looking into the concept of "derivative work" Was the original work copryrighted?