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  • From: Ivo Gonçalves <ice.saoshyant AT clix.pt>
  • To: cc-licenses AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [cc-licenses] What's the best way to apply a CC license for a writer's work?
  • Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 17:15:42 +0000

Greetings,

Hopefully I've chose the right mailing list to ask this question.

I'm a fiction writer (wannabe), and I've been writing a long story for the past 3 years. Recently, a friend told me of Cory Doctorow and how he releases his own work both in commercial print format, and in free electronic format under a CC license.

I went and looked for everything I could find on this gentleman's past and work. I've read some of his speeches and, sincerely, I've been touched by his words. As such, I have decided I would publish my work in the same way, but some big questions have popped in--questions that I've not yet been able to find a clear answer.

For starters, do the publishing houses out there accept an author to release his/her work under a CC license, and will they still accept to publish this same author on the market?

More explictly: I finish my novel, I license it under a CC license, then publish it for free under my website allowing my readers to spread it across cyberspace, while I make a contract with a publishing house that will release my work in printing form--but commercial--for those readers out there who have no computer, or simply prefer to read the good-old way.

Would this work? If yes, how many publishing houses out there does one reckon would accept this?

My research shows that I would own the copyright for the novel, so I assume I can choose how it's available, while being free to have the work published commercially in print form.

How flawed is my argument, I wonder.

I also assume that the different CC license combinations would affect the outcome, wouldn't they? At first I thought of choosing a Non-commercial, Attribution, Derative Works license, but now I'm not so sure at all.

I also have no idea how many countries out there would allow me to do what I have suggested above. I certainly would like my work to be avaialble to as many people as possible across the world, but maybe I'm just being naive.

I am sorry for the long post. Please, if somoene on the list can explain me what I can do (or not), or what I should do instead in my specific case, I would appreciate very very much your help.

Sincerely,
Ivo Gonçalves



  • [cc-licenses] What's the best way to apply a CC license for a writer's work?, Ivo Gonçalves, 01/22/2006

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