I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Should fiction mention song names and iPods?

Song titles are not protected by copyright law, but song lyrics are. So you can reference song lyrics by, for example, having a character say, “Wow, I really love the lyrics in Stairway to Heaven”, but actually quoting them in your work of fiction would be copyright infringement.

Can you mention song names in books?

Making reference to a song in a book you’re writing is easy as easy as putting the song title in quotation marks and citing the song in your references using MLA format. Put the song title in quotation marks. Follow up the song title with “by” and then the name of the artist (i.e. “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga).

Can you reference a song title in a song?

Omit “the” from a band name, e.g. “Beatles,” not “the Beatles.” If relevant, use a timestamp to indicate a specific part of the song in the in-text citation.



Citing songs in physical formats.

MLA format Author Last name, First name. “Song Title.” Album Name. Distributor, Year. Format.
MLA in-text citation (Lamar 3:55)

Can books be named after songs?

In the U.S., titles can’t be copyrighted. Take a look at my titles: only one isn’t named after a song, or something music-related. They can effectively be copyrighted if the title is also part of the lyrics – as in the example I gave. Even so, it still will be up to a court to decide if anyone decides to bring suit.
Apr 29, 2016

Can you mention Star Wars in a book?

No permission is needed to mention song titles, movie titles, names, etc. You do not need permission to include song titles, movie titles, TV show titles—any kind of title—in your work. You can also include the names of places, things, events, and people in your work without asking permission.
Sep 17, 2020

How do you reference a song title?

In general, you should italicize the titles of long works, like books, movies, or record albums. Use quotation marks for the titles of shorter pieces of work: poems, articles, book chapters, songs, T.V. episodes, etc.

Do song titles go in quotes?

Generally and grammatically speaking, put titles of shorter works in quotation marks but italicize titles of longer works. For example, put a “song title” in quotation marks but italicize the title of the album it appears on.

Can you name things after songs?

Songs, yes. They are not protected by copyright law. Claims can be made that the names of famous songs are protected by trademark law but it seems like it would be difficult to show likelihood of confusion between a sandwich and a song
Apr 5, 2016

Can you name book chapters after songs?

You are really free to title your chapters anything you want in the same way that you can write your own songs and title them anything you want.

Can I use a band name in my book?

Yes. You can mention band names, song titles, movie titles, actors, characters, etc. Just as the Writing 101 quote says. You also need to careful how you present real people.
Nov 16, 2017

Can you use product names in fiction?

Mentioning a brand name in a work of fiction is generally considered fair use* unless it goes so far as to infringe on the rights of the owner.
Nov 19, 2019

Can I mention Disney characters in my book?

As a rule of thumb, you can mention trademarked items, have characters visit there etc – so long as you don’t say anything untrue or defamatory. To set an entire story in a Disney-owned trademark – probably not wise.
Aug 24, 2011

Can I mention famous people in my book?

The good news is that celebrity names are not copyright protected, just used as a name. If the name is only used to describe the person, it is not covered.
May 15, 2021

How do you cite a song in APA Style?

Writer Lastname, First Initials. (Year). Song Title [Recorded by performer First Initials, Lastname]. On Album Title [format].
Jul 11, 2022



How do you reference a song in APA 7th edition?

(Date). Title of song in sentence case [Song recorded by]. On Title of album in italic sentence case. Name of music publisher/record label/studio.
Jul 27, 2022

Can you name a chapter after a song?

You are really free to title your chapters anything you want in the same way that you can write your own songs and title them anything you want.

Do you italicize song titles in APA?

Visit the APA Style’s “Use of Italics” page to learn more!



Answer.

Titles in Italics Titles Placed in “Quotation Marks”
Title of a musical album or CD Title of a song
Title of a long poem Title of a short poem
Names of operas or long musical composition
Names of paintings and sculptures

How do you reference a song in an essay?

Reference examples

  1. Individual piece of recorded music: Family name, INITIAL(S) (of originator/composer). Year. Title. …
  2. Example: Gallagher, N. 1994. Live forever. …
  3. Album: Name of recording artist. Year. Title of album. …
  4. Example: Oasis. 1994. Definitely maybe. …
  5. Example: Handel, G.F. 1890. …
  6. Examples: Springsteen, B. 1975.




Do you capitalize song titles?

According to most style guides, nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are capitalized in titles of books, articles, and songs. You’d also capitalize the first word and (according to most guides) the last word of a title, regardless of what part of speech they are. Be the best writer in the office.