Q: Is it legal to publish an action-item booklet based on a book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People?
I would like to create a booklet that will help people to put into practise their self-help books. The booklet will be divided into multiple sections, each focusing on one topic from the self-help book and it will prompt people to do certain actions in their life and keep track of the progress. They will be able to write down their progress directly into the booklet. The booklet would be based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey, or other similar books. Is it legal or is such an activity protected by a trademark from the author of the book itself?
A: The specific legalities of creating a booklet based on a book like "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" may depend on various factors, such as copyright and trademark laws. While ideas and concepts cannot be copyrighted, the specific expression and text of a book are protected. To determine whether creating a booklet based on the book is legally permissible, it would be advisable to consult a copyright attorney who can review the specific details and provide guidance based on the applicable laws in your jurisdiction. They can assess the extent to which you can use content from the original book and help you understand any potential copyright or trademark issues that may arise.
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