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You are conducting original research for a fiction or nonfiction work. Part of your research involves interviewing real people about their life situations and you intend to use their stories and, possibly, direct quotes from these interviews.

Of course, you know that you need a release, which is a fancy word for a permission slip. But did you know that it must cover all the various uses you (or your licensee) make of that story or quote at all times in the future? Otherwise, your interviewee has only consented to your using their comments in the very specific way set out in the release. Some of the less common literary licensing rights are outlined below.

Subsidiary Rights include the your right to publish their comments incorporated into your work in video, anthologies, foreign translations, audio and other formats. Internet Rights may include the your rights to publish this in an electronic newsletter, web blog, Facebook or other social media, or webpage. Electronic Rights include the right to publish via DVD or, possibly, in video streaming. Most common literary contracts would give the you the legal ability to abridge, edit, or quote from the interviewee’s comments in your own discretion.

In order to properly protect yourself and your work, make sure that the release you use not only spells out your right to edit the interviewee’s comments and/or story in your sole discretion, but also that your rights are broad and cover future distribution and media as yet undiscovered. Finally, be sure to have the interviewee’s signature on the release witnessed by someone other than you or a person associated with you.

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Nothing contained on this page should be construed as providing legal advice or creating an attorney-client relationship. All information herein is intended as educational only. For advice specific to your situation, please contact an attorney of your choice.