Most writers don’t become authors because they enjoy reading legal Copyright Is Every Author’s Business Most writers don’t become authors because they enjoy reading legal documents.

But sooner or later, nearly every writer asks questions like these:

Can I quote song lyrics?

Can I use that photograph I found online?

If I give credit, is that enough?

The answers are often more complicated than most people expect.

Today we’re launching “Can I Do That?”, a new four-part series on the Current Words Publishing Substack. Together, we’ll explore copyright, fair use, permissions, and some of the most common legal misconceptions authors encounter. The goal isn’t to turn anyone into a lawyer. It’s simply to help writers recognize when they should slow down, do a little research and avoid mistakes that could become expensive later.

We’ll also explore something that has nothing to do with the law and everything to do with writing. Sometimes we become convinced that someone else has already found the perfect words. Maybe it’s a lyric by Taylor Swift. Maybe it’s a Beatles song. Maybe it’s a line from your favorite novel. But one of the greatest challenges, and greatest rewards, of being a writer is discovering that you can write something just as meaningful in your own voice.

In this series, we’ll explore:

• Part One: Every Author Should Know Just Enough Copyright Law to Stay Out of Trouble
• Part Two: Fair Use Isn’t a Magic Phrase
• Part Three: Please Stop Quoting Song Lyrics
• Part Four: Protect Your Own Copyright, Too

If that sounds useful, I’d love to have you join us on the Current Words Publishing Substack. Part One is available now, and I hope you’ll come along for the rest of the series.

Join our Substack chat to ask your questions.