May I quote excerpts from a book in my own work?
July 10, 2024 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Verena Friedendahl
Dear copyright lawyer,
My name is Sophia Schlattmann and I am currently working on my own book project. I would like to quote some excerpts from another book to support my arguments and clarify my thoughts. However, I am unsure if this is legally allowed and if I may potentially be committing copyright infringement.
At present, I have already included some passages from the book I wish to quote in my draft. However, I am uncertain whether I can keep them as they are or if I need to remove these passages to avoid legal consequences.
My concerns stem from not knowing exactly how much I am allowed to quote from the book without violating copyright law. I do not want to break any laws and I want to execute my book project in a clean and legal manner. Therefore, I would like to know from you what options there are for quoting excerpts from a book in my own work without running into legal issues.
Could you please explain to me what the legal situation is regarding the use of quotes from books and what rules I need to follow to stay on the safe side? Are there specific guidelines or limits that I must adhere to? I would greatly appreciate your professional advice and support on this matter.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Sophia Schlattmann
Dear Mrs. Schlattmann,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the use of quotes from books in your own book project. It is understandable that you are concerned about possible copyright violations and want to ensure that your work is legally and ethically implemented.
In general, it is allowed to quote passages from other works as long as certain rules and guidelines are followed. The right to quote is regulated in copyright law and allows the use of quotes for scientific or artistic purposes, to illustrate one's own thoughts, or for criticism. It is important that the quoted passages are embedded in their own context and not simply copied.
The amount of quoted text passages should be appropriate and in proportion to your own text. For example, it is common to use short quotes or excerpts to support your own argumentation. However, it is not allowed to quote large parts or the entire work of another author, as this is considered plagiarism and a copyright violation.
It is advisable to correctly indicate the sources of the quoted passages to respect the authorship of the original author. This not only serves legal protection, but also acknowledges the author's work.
In your case, if you have already inserted passages from the book into your draft, you should check whether the quoted texts are appropriately and correctly marked. If you are unsure if you have quoted too much from the book, it would be advisable to revise or shorten the relevant passages.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the importance of adhering to the legal framework regarding the right to quote in order to avoid possible copyright violations. If you have any further questions or need assistance, I am happy to help.
Sincerely,
Verena Friedendahl
Copyright Lawyer
