Probably the most common question I get is:

Can I use this quote on {fill in the blank}?

I wish I requested a dollar every time I answered it! Although then my bank teller might wonder why I started bringing in stacks of singles and that might be awkward.

The serious answer to this question has two parts.

Part 1: Copyright

First is it still protected by copyright? The reason we ask this is because works first published before 1924 are in the public domain. And these works are free to use in any way you see fit.

Part 2: Fair Use

If it is still protected by copyright, then we move onto the next part. And of course, this part requires our favorite copyright law nemesis: fair use.

In this week’s episode of “Kiff Says” we’ll tackle the framework you can use to decide if you can use that quote in your next card or ebook.

Short Phrases

On a related note, sometimes this issue raises a little confusion. This is because people think that it’s a-ok to use a quote because short phrases don’t get copyright protection. That is true. But it’s also true that the vast majority of these quotes are pulled from a larger work that is protected by copyright. For example, I’ve pulled the quote from a book or speech. So if you’ve taken the quote from some other source, then you’ll have to use this framework. If you are in the random, rare bucket that the quote was some throwaway one-liner, then that short phrase might be safe.

Do you use quotes in your work? Will you be more or less cautious about this practice after today’s video? Share your story below.