I'm wondering...

[CupofJoe]

... On the very rare occasion I run across an idea another writer tosses out that I love and want to use - and believe me, we throw ideas like snowballs around here - I just ask to use it. ...

I forget the way-round it went but something like that happened between Julian May and Anne McAffrey. One of them had a "great" idea but didn't have any use for it then and the other one asked to use it. The complications came up later when the original author/thinker decided to use part of it and then had to keep explaining [to other people] that it had been her idea first... apparently they used to joke about the confusion it caused for other people.

 

[Abbas-Al-Morim]

I don't mind it if people use the advice I give. It's good for my ego, actually. And of course, the reason I give advice is for people to use it. If you can't use someone's advice then it's entirely pointless to help each other out.

I'm not too fond of people using my stories as inspiration. Don't make carbon copy of my magic system or my plot or whatever. Of course it's perfectly fine if people write something more-or-less similar. But I don't like it when people start taking large parts of my story and transplant them into their setting. I know everything has been done before, but I like to think I'm being new and innovative. So it kind of depends on how much they start taking away from me. Legally, it might not be a copyright violation but I'd still be rather put off by it. Because I worked so hard to come up with all that lore and then if someone were to just copy large parts of it, it would drive me insane!

 

[BWFoster78]

I've kind of had wonderings along the lines that the OP expressed, such as:

Beta reader looks over the novel and says, "This line works better here:..."

I use beta reader's line.

Does beta reader have any legal right to compensation?

 

[Abbas-Al-Morim]

I've kind of had wonderings along the lines that the OP expressed, such as:

Beta reader looks over the novel and says, "This line works better here:..."

I use beta reader's line.

Does beta reader have any legal right to compensation?

Unless he/she has a patent on the English language, no.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Grief if beta readers could do that imagine how wealthy editors would become on their royalties!!! But no, the reality is that a few lines here and there are not a novel, and by and large beta readers and editors don't completely rewrite your novel. So whatever changes they might suggest and which you might use would be an insignificant proportion of the work.

Besides which you asked for help and they volunteered. If they were going to start saying gimme a bit of your royalties, they should have said it upfront - at which point you would have said no. In essence you have an implied contract of their work for your gratitude - or whatever your arrangement is.

But again - should point out that I'm not a lawyer.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

My crit partner is getting a cheesecake out of the deal if I can get into submission by Spring - does that count?

Swiss Alps Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake - English Cheesecake Company