Writers and Editors

Updated October 15, 2024

 

$9 Million Is Paid to Freelance Writers in 17-Year-Old Copyright Suit (Authors Guild, 4-30-18) The class-action suit grew out of an earlier action brought by Jonathan Tasini and several other writers, which led to the Supreme Court ruling in the freelancers’ favor.
• Late Justice — the $2,935 Check I Received for Content I Wrote Twenty Years Ago (Lee Foster, Bay Area Independent Publishers Association, 5-23-18) A good explanation of the underlying dynamics, of publishers deciding it wasn't worth the time it would take to assess what they really owed freelance writers, and of writers deciding to stick up for their rights. It only took 17 years for the writers to get some compensation. That writers whose stories were published in many different places got paid only for the first re-use, in the settlement--well...so it was not a perfect settlement, but it was something.
• Electronic Database Copyright Class Action Settlement (Anne Bucher, Top Class Actions, 3-10-14) This settlement is now closed!
• Freelance Settlement Update (Authors Guild , 9-17-17 updated 12-6-17) Case history, plan of allocation, and other important background information.
• Copyright Infringement and Remedies (Chapter 5, Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17))  Read More 

(Updated 6-5-18) The following may help freelancers figure out what health insurance freelance writers and editors can get under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) under Trump as well as from various creative freelance and writers organizations. According to the Authors Guild:
• "Assistance for premium costs: For those with incomes under specified thresholds, federal tax credits will be available to help cover the costs of premiums.
• "Choices will vary by states Read More