May I Have Your Permission, Please?

Once you realize (ok, admit) that you really do need to ask for permission to use someone else’s work in what you are writing, what do you do? No, don’t throw up your hands and give up!

There are several steps involved in asking for permission to use text or line art in your work. (I’m concentrating on text and line art because this is my specialty.) My goal is to provide a working blueprint so you can obtain simple permissions.

Am I worried about putting myself out of a job? Nope. Obtaining one or two, or even a half dozen permissions for that research paper or short article you are writing is usually a simple, straightforward procedure. I earn my bread and butter as a permissions editor by tracking down permissions for college textbooks; these projects usually have anywhere from 50 to 300 permissions needed, and the scope ranges from very simple to very complex. I perform many different jobs during the course of a single project, from data entry clerk to interpreter of legal contracts to negotiator, and my all-time favorite role, detective.

I hope that as the blog continues, readers will continue to ask questions. If I don’t know an answer I’ll try to steer you in the right direction for finding as answer. But by knowing what’s on your mind, I can do a better job of making this process easier for you.

© 2009 Anne Wallingford. All Rights Reserved.