Support for Indie Authors discussion

This is one of those things that I'm unsure of so I stay away from it. If I'm mentioning a product in a story I just mention what the product is, I don't use a brand name or even a generic name just mention what the thing is and leave it at that.

Sometimes it's just not the same when you don't, but yeah, I try to do that too. Some items are harder to replace. For instance, I still don't really know how to call a Dumpster other than a Dumpster. :P

I've never felt the need to I guess. Is it important to the story that I mention product names? I don't know, to me I don't think it is. I suppose I'd find myself inserting product names in my stories for two reasons; one, I'm eating or drinking something while writing and think hmm why not throw the product of what I'm eating and drinking into my story. Or second, I make royalties or am legally bind to that company so I mention them in my stories as ads.

I think sometimes it provides a link from the book to the reader, that gives people something to relate to? In a world full of fantasy, it gives them something to ground them a bit.

Let's be honest - in books like 50 shades of grey and others similar to it, how many didn't go out to buy at least one of the sex toys mentioned to try out?
And I've read plenty of books with iPad, iPods and MacBooks mentioned in them, even down to the names of certain songs with their singer or group.
It's considered advertising, for the most part, you just have to use your head and not lie about the products and publicly diss them to affect their sales. Be sensible about it and give them a mention in your acknowledgements page thanking them if they play a major part in the story. If it's a one-time fleeting mention, do you really think they'll even see it?

E.A. wrote: "I think sometimes it provides a link from the book to the reader, that gives people something to relate to? In a world full of fantasy, it gives them something to ground them a bit.

Let's be hones..."

I'm not sure about the 50 Shades reference although I'm curious, were the sex toys mentioned in the book brand names? lol. I get what your saying though, when you read a product in a book it may or may not make you want to go out and buy it, which is all the more reason and question around branding in books. Brand names immediate register with a reader and it make impact and influence their need to go and get that product but the question is still at hand, when and is it okay to do?

Jenycka wrote: "My understanding is that if you acknowledge the brand names in an appendix it falls under fair use.

This blog post discusses the issue well: http://www.rightsofwriters.com/2010/1......"

As I said before....read the link, it discusses everything very well to be able to understand what you can and can't do.

Just in case that link didn't all come out properly, here it is again.

http://www.rightsofwriters.com/2010/1...

As for 50 Shades...ummmm Audi R8 sales increased by how much...?
They gave EL James a car!!!

For this reason I'm sure one of my characters will drive a McLaren F1! ;-P

lol. I suppose it might be a bit too much to hope for a spare devastatingly handsome billionaire out there somewhere to call my own...?
Sigh.. happy days! ( and nights...snigger!)

My 13-year-old MC is a doll collector, and her parents (who are away) arrange to have her receive a Barbie Haunted BeautyTM Vampire (collector's item - secondary market only) doll as a special occasion gift. Toward the end of the story, the villain tries to stab it with scissors, then admits she is jealous that MC's family let her have the doll she wanted while her mother forced her to have a make-over she didn't want.
Is that using it in too negative a light to use the real TMed name?

Try contacting them to find out, if you're not sure. Just find their own website and email them.