I read your script. Let me put this in a form that isn't insulting because I tend to be too direct - all my friends tell me that. The script's no good.
KeyNotes - THE Moving Finger Newsletter
About writing and editing for business, and words in general
November/December 2008
In this issue:
Who owns your copy?
If you commission copywriting or are contracted to write for an organisation, it’s as well to be clear where ownership of the work lies. Otherwise issues could arise over any proposed re-use beyond its original purpose.
Here we’re talking about copyright ownership – that’s the exclusive rights to produce copies of, or control, what’s been produced – and it has implications for both those who pay for the work and those that deliver it.
Let’s look at the buying position first.
You might think that if you’ve paid for a specific piece of copy then you, or your company, owns it. But that’s not necessarily the case.
If the copy was written in-house by an employee then you should be on safe ground. The copyright should belong to you. However it’s as well to define the employment contract and the job description carefully to cover this area and preclude any claim that the work was not created in the course of that employment (for example, on the company laptop but in an employee's own time). Unlikely, but you never know…
In instances where a freelance copywriter has been retained then copyright may remain with them. For the client to own the copyright it must be assigned to them in writing, preferably in advance and usually in a contract or agreement governing the work. Otherwise the copywriter could argue that the payment was for a specific period to create a specific project only, which therefore leaves the intellectual property in the content with them.
If copyright is not assigned then the client has a right to use the work, but not necessarily exclusively. This potentially allows the writer to license its use elsewhere, an option which should be made clear in their terms and conditions.
Copyright ownership remains a potentially valuable asset. So whether you commission copy, or write it, it’s good practice – even essential – to be clear about your position.
This article is for general information only and represents my understanding of copyright as it currently applies in the UK.
How to produce a customer newsletter - part 3: Finding content
Once you’ve published the first few issues of your newsletter, you may well hit the content ‘wall’ – what am I going to put in it?
So here are some useful pointers when you’re stuck for inspiration.
Start by checking what nuggets you may be generating in-house in the daily course of business and make sure colleagues keep a similar look out by reminding them at meetings, through emails or via notice boards. Get into the habit of thinking about how the newsletter could benefit from all the activities your company is engaged in.
For example, if your business has a customer service department, or regular dialogues about specific product or service queries, then these can be the basis of useful ‘How to’ features or a regular FAQs section.
Share information
Press announcements – your own, plus those you may receive from companies in associated fields – could form an industry digest where you collate information to share with your readers. These are all busy people and will appreciate you pulling together what they may have missed elsewhere.
Don’t forget market research. This doesn’t have to be of the formal big budget kind (although if it is, there should be highlights or trends you can use). Even for the small business, informal conversations with clients, or at networking meetings, may well highlight issues on which you can build a feature or two. This might be in relation to your business sector as a whole (what’s wrong with it, where it needs to go) to which you can write a response, or adapt your service.
Look out, too, for ideas generated by web forum discussions relevant to your business. Professional membership bodies are a good source and throw up all sorts of useful asides or commentaries.
Web libraries
If you’re still stuck, then there are many libraries on the web where you can source free-to-use articles on almost any subject. One of the biggest is www.ezines.com. Their conditions of use generally allow free reproduction provided the text remains unedited and the author's biography and credentials are included (their pay back for writing the article).
Finally, a word of warning. If an article you like is not available free, don’t assume you have a licence to reproduce it just because you credit the author. You will need permission either from the publication, website or the writer direct, depending on who owns the copyright.
What’s more, a fee may be involved.
