Margaret Atwood's new work will not be published until 2114

[gmw]

Originally Posted by John F

George R.R. Martin is the second, with the last book of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Will it be finished in time?

[DiapDealer]

So could some of these works concievably enter into public domain before 2114 in some countries? Or will they be a bit of a Schroedinger's Cat until they're published--at which point they would immediately enter the public domain (depending on the age of the author and the Life+ xx-ness of copyright length in various countries of course)?

Are they just considered personal documents until 2114? Or are they books with guaranteed publishing contracts before they go in the vault?

[fjtorres]

They're just personal documents until they are actually published so the copyright clock doesn't start running until 2114 and won't run out till 2184. That is assuming it gets published at all.

If it does, it'll be like this novelty:
http://www.amazon.com/Paris-Twentiet.../dp/034542039X

[DiapDealer]

Ah... I see.
Just another way to extend the life of a literary estate, then.

[HomeInMyShoes]

I'm sure the CRTC will ensure that Atwood is read by Canada'a children for centuries to come.

Overall my opinion is that this doesn't affect me in the slightest. There are millions of future voices I will never hear in my lifetime and too many that I currently have to listen to too often.

When disaster happens and the holding mechanism is destroyed along with everything inside, will we cry tears for books that never really existed? Will we lose the one piece of knowledge that was written that could save mankind from itself? I sense a premise for a story that might already have been written.

[PeterT]

While not related to the Future Library, CBC's The Next Chapter is featuring an interview with Margaret Atwood on her book of short stories "Stone Mattress: Nine Tales". You can listen to the episode @ http://www.cbc.ca/thenextchapter/epi...d-tom-rachman/

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

They're just personal documents until they are actually published so the copyright clock doesn't start running until 2114 and won't run out till 2184.

Is that really the way it works in the US? In most of Europe, the initial publication of a work that would otherwise be in the public domain gets a one-time, non-renewable, 25-year copyright term. Given that Ms Atwood is currently 74 years old, and hence almost certain to be in the public domain in 2114 (assuming a life+70 copyright term), that would be the case for this work.

[AwfulWaffle]

So...can I pre-order it?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Is that really the way it works in the US? In most of Europe, the initial publication of a work that would otherwise be in the public domain gets a one-time, non-renewable, 25-year copyright term. Given that Ms Atwood is currently 74 years old, and hence almost certain to be in the public domain in 2114 (assuming a life+70 copyright term), that would be the case for this work.

Dunno.
That is how I read the legalese:

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap3.html

It could also be 95 or 120 years depending on who is listed as owner of the ip when published.

(Shrug)

I know a couple of ERB books published in the 80's are still under copyright.

[CharredScribe]

Originally Posted by PeterT

While not related to the Future Library, CBC's The Next Chapter is featuring an interview with Margaret Atwood on her book of short stories "Stone Mattress: Nine Tales". You can listen to the episode @ http://www.cbc.ca/thenextchapter/epi...d-tom-rachman/

Ooo, thanks. I don't read reviews or follow the careers of authors - even those I love - so I never really found out about things like this unless someone points me in the right direction.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Dunno.
That is how I read the legalese:

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap3.html

It could also be 95 or 120 years depending on who is listed as owner of the ip when published.

(Shrug)

I know a couple of ERB books published in the 80's are still under copyright.

Hmmm...according to that link, the "95 or 120 years" only applies to works for hire--in that case it wouldn't have anything to do with the life of the author. And...the relevant portion actually says:

In the case of an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire, the copyright endures for a term of 95 years from the year of its first publication, or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first.

So the absolute longest amount of time that the work could be still protected by copyright would be 20 years after the publication date, in this case. (assuming that publication actually happens 100 years from now).

Do you really think that this would count as a "work for hire", anyway?

Shari

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by shalym

Do you really think that this would count as a "work for hire", anyway?

Shari

It will depend on who publishes it and how.
For example, the manuscripts could be published with commentary by university professors in an anthology with rights assigned to the university.

(Think of annotated editions of classics with full copyright owned by the annotator.)

Until it is first publicly distributed, the "authorship" of record is undetermined and subject to gaming.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by CharredScribe

but I like the idea of mysterious texts buried underground to be discovered and read by future generations, and which reflect something about the ideas and writing of present-day authors.

What will these future generations discover that they can't discover from all the other texts that are written ourdays?

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

30 years... 100 years...
Makes no difference.
Books are for reading so if nobody can read the manuscript it might as well not exist.

Besides, given the fate of many "literary" works acclaimed by the establishment a century ago, odds are that the next century will say "Margaret who?" and move on to the new, September 2114, release from James Patterson.

^This. This stunt is more likely being carried out to impress on us here and now, rather than meant for the next generations.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by crich70

True. I remember when J.K. Rowling was still working on the Harry Potter books all sorts of things happened. Attempts at stealing books and such. And no doubt such happens with movies often as well. Rough cuts of the film and copies of the script make their way onto the net somehow or other. What I wonder is how can the author be sure the publisher will fulfill the contract? And there is the issue of royalties. Do they get paid in advance or do their heirs have to wait to collect them? And if they get paid in advance what happens if the books don't earn out?

Yeah for Deathly Hallows, someone photographed all the pages and uploaded them. I didn't read it, but many who did said the story sucked and wasn't the real deal. They sure changed their tune when it was confirmed that the real DH book was pirated.