A few years ago, I approached a publishing lawyer with a question: What happens, I wanted to know, if a writer who is earning money via interent royalties (otherwise known as revenue share) dies?
Her answer started with the a throwaway comment that it was probably a moot point as the site probably wouldn’t still be earning money when I died.
Maybe, maybe not. After all, I’ve had some articles online for more than a decade now. And, at one of the sites I write for, I personally know of royalty earning people who have died.
The rest of her answer was the important part: Yes, digital property IS property that can be bequeathed like any other. Writers own their copyrights, and pass them to their estates, unless they have signed a contract to the contrary. But without proactive action from the estate, the property becomes abandoned.
If you write in digital media, you need to organize your affairs to include this property, which can bequeathed like any others. Need to know more? I’ve written this article about literary estates to get you started.
