McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Is it appropriate?

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Aminar:
I'm writing a short story for Writers of the future.  It's Urban Fantasy about a social worker looking for a few kids who have gone missing.  There's magic involved.  Can I use the line "What would Harry Dresden do?"  Because I really really want to.

gatordave96:
Ouch.  Copyright and intellectual property issues.  No easy answer here. 

Aminar:
See, i'm a little worried about that, but it's more a pop culture reference.  I mean, harry calls the X-men by name. Jedi and Sith are copywritten.  Anybody know the exact definition of what's allowed and when it becomes theft?

Dresdenus Prime:
I'm reading a book right now called Libriomancer by Jim Hines. Fantastic read. It's about a guy who can reach into books and pull out objects into reality. In the book he mentions several books that actually exist, talks about vampires who sparkle that have come out of Stephanie Meyers book, and even mentions Charlaine Harris. Now the grey area is whether he's gone out to all these authors and gotten permission before using them in his book.

However early on in the book he pulls out a gun which is very similar to a phaser and talks about a book which is oddly similar to Star Trek, but purposely calls it something else, which I'm guessing he does to avoid copyright issues. But Star Trek isn't just a literary phenomenon, it's movies, books, toys, etc.

Aminar:
Pat Rothfuss recommended that one.  Ill be checking it out soonish.  For now I think Ill just go with it.  I mean, its not like Im trying to profit off Jim's work.  However was the phaser from The Starship Intrepid? Because that's a reference to Scalzi's Red Shirts.  A move I can see being made.

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