[WikiEN-l] Plot Element Copyright

[Anthony]

On Wed, Sep 17, 2008 at 6:58 PM, <WJhonson at aol.com> wrote:

> Copyright protection affords the author of a work a way to prevent others
> from profiting off their work in a form substantially similar to the
> underlying
> work.  When there were only a few forms of tangible media, this wasn't an
> issue.
>
> The essential feature of copyrighting plot elements, is to prevent a person
> from taking a book and turning it into a play, movie, audio recording which
> necessarily is *not* substantially similar to the original work in physical
> form, but yet is, in mode, tone, intent, characters and plot.
>

Nothing like a nice amateur explanation of copyright law without any
citations to reliable sources.

IOW, no, that's not at all how copyright works.