Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg
First of all, the great majority of books are out of print at time of author's death. So we are just talking here about the few authors who are highly successful.
In that case, I would want my wife to have the royalty payments if she outlives me. But I think that my children would be better off earning their bread from their own efforts rather than knowing their job is financially less meaningful due to that stream of royalty checks.
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Agreed, I'd say 30-50 years after an author's death or maybe a 100 year copyright would be fine to allow it to be fully used by those most connected to the creator. Simply being related to someone who's work was successful isn't a right to easy street sponging off their works for decades.
Would it be 'sad' if a relative of someone who's work turns into a great hit but doesn't get part of it, a little but at that point (x years after the copyright expires) they shouldn't be expecting to cash in on it. If it didn't make money during the copyright period there shouldn't be an expectation of it making future heirs money, that is just 'bad luck'.