AG in Action
What the Guild is doing for you
June 8, 2023
Last week the Guild was especially busy empowering writers, giving advice about TV and film options, and reporting to international bodies about the latest on AI. Here’s a recap of each event.
As part of the U.S. Book Show, Cheryl Davis, General Counsel for the Guild, participated in a panel hosted by the American Association of Literary Agents (AALA). The panel, “When It Hits the Fan,” sought to empower writers on what to do if their books get banned, if they face backlash or boycotts, or if they find themselves attacked on social media. The other panelists included writer and activist Charlotte Clymer, HarperCollins executive Lisa Sharkey, and Penguin Books publisher Adrian Zackheim, and was moderated by Washington Post editor Tara Parker-Pope.
A lively discussion led to several takeaways:
Umair Kazi, Director of Advocacy and Policy, hosted a panel with General Counsel Cheryl Davis and authors R.L. Stine and Louis Bayard at the International Thriller Writers’ Craftfest conference. They talked about TV and film option agreements, and what authors should be aware of in exploring adaptations of their books. The key takeaways are summarized below.
CEO Mary Rasenberger attended the mid-year meetings of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO) in Stockholm to report on the Guild’s win in the Internet Archive infringement lawsuit that ensures writers continue to receive revenue from their ebooks. She also spoke about the AI advocacy and legislation work the Guild is doing to protect writers including the following: