A question about intellectual property-

[asdjrocky]

I was asked by a couple of people to put together content for a website and we had a verbal agreement that we would jointly own the site.

Now that I've written 90% of the content and sold most of the ad space they have offered me a commission deal on ad sales and have offered me nothing in compensation for my writing or my design. When we discussed the deal initially, the offer was quite different. (I picked the room names for the forum, wrote the about page, the front page and I did all of the work on the site, as far as editorial content goes.)

I feel a bit foolish and embarrassed to have trusted these people. Perhaps I've learned a lesson I had no interest in learning.

I don't know anything about intellectual property laws or copyright laws, but it is my understanding that if I write something, it's copyrighted. Am I wrong?

Can these guys really take my words, my work, just because they own the domain name? All I want are my words back, and I've been locked out of the site, and the words are all there, more than 12 hours after the partnership was dissolved.

Any ideas from other writers that have had this problem? Any advice?

The money isn't the issue, it's the theft. I feel like my words are being stolen.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I think you would do well to post this in GD...

There's a lot more traffic there, and a lot of folks have knowledge about this...

Good luck.

I think your words were stolen, but I have no idea on how to proceed.

[asdjrocky]

2. Thank you so much Peggy.

You always do what you can to help. Liked the poem for Spring, by the way.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I'm glad you liked it...

I hated to see you waste your time waiting for someone to help here...

It's a pretty quiet forum.

[asdjrocky]

4. I'm a reader these days.

I really should comment more than I do. As soon as I settle in to my new site, I'll actually have a little more time for over here.

As an aside, they've taken down my words and now the site is mostly blank and that makes me happy.

Have a good night!

[jotsy]

5. It was just such a situation that has since curbed any appetite I might develop for professional

endeavors.

During my last semester studying journalism, I designed and developed a bi monthly (six times a year) publication for consumers promoting the home improvement industry. It began as a class project and I spent the next couple of years fine tuning everything from ad rates to media kits to an editorial calendar. It was autumn of '96 when I decided the time proper to source some finances when an old client I had done some marketing work for suggested we go into business together. Six weeks in, she comes into the office on a Friday and says she's not having any fun and agreed to let me buy her interests out. She backpedaled over a holiday weekend and by Tuesday, she announced that she was 80% owner based on her investment as compared to mine and I could either act like a junior partner or take my toys and go. I was 35 years old and six months pregnant with my youngest, not in much of a position to fight. Given my dormant and gun shy nature now, I believe some of my spirit might have been left where I can make good use of it had I not let it go. I cringed for days when the first issue hit the streets and her premiere editorial told a lovely little lie of a tale as to where she got the idea to launch.

I'd love to say it was satisfying to find her working the make-up counter at Macy's a couple of years later but it just enraged me to know the credibility of my idea had been blown with her failed effort.

Please take into consideration that the advice you're getting here is from a less than objective traveler of this particular kind of bump in the road.

Good luck.

[asdjrocky]

7. Thanks for sharing your experience.

I'm glad it was only a couple of months of my time. But what a frustrating, grueling couple of months.

They've taken my work, almost all of it, off of the site and I'm satisfied.

Thanks again.

[jotsy]

10. Knowing of a win, steers my own faith in a more positive direction as well.

So thanks for sharing yours.

[lizziegrace]

6. I have family members and friends who have published music,

dissertations and articles for journals. I believe that legal clarification (like medical advice) isn't best found on an internet web site. Consult an attorney who deals with intellectual property.

That also would apply to the extensive discussion in GD about plagiarism.

[asdjrocky]

8. Good advice.

I stood up for myself and took care of it. It only costs me a couple of months time, I'm just glad I found out now.

[lizziegrace]

9. Glad it worked out for you

:)

[yellerpup]

11. Your words do belong to you

but, if you go to court over this you will need proof. A US copyright is the only instrument you'll need in court and you can copyright it at any time. For now, I'd send a copy to myself -- tell the post office what you are doing and they will seal and date-stamp it properly. Don't open it when it is delivered, just put it in a drawer. At the same time, get a copyright form online, print it out, fill it out, and send it in with a check and the copy you wrote. There is no reason to start legal proceedings at this early point, but if they start to make some real money from the website that's the time to "renegotiate." If they still don't want to cut you in at that point, sue their asses. Good luck!