Using Public Domain In 2025

For any creator interested in distributing their work, chain of title is an important consideration. If you want to distribute some kind of media, you need to ensure you have the right to do so.

In general, the writer of a book holds the copyright and has all the rights associated with distributing and selling copies, alternate versions, sequels, prequels and other products derived from the original book. If someone else tries to do any of those things without the authors strict authorization they could get into legal trouble with the author!

However, copyrights in the USA do not last forever. Currently copyrights last until 70 years after the death of the original author (for works published after 1978, the time period differs depending on when it was published). After this time period, the work enters the public domain. This year, works from 1929 are entering the public domain. I'm not a lawyer, but this video on CBS gives a pretty good overview of the topic for this year.

It's always fun to see what new works are available on the public domain. Often, creative works can get buried not because people aren't interested, but because the rights to use them are simply in the wrong hands. When old works enter the public domain, it gives everyone the right to try and make something new with them, which can produce a lot of new ideas which the old rights-holders may have been unwilling or unable to try.

Most beloved classic novels are already in the public domain. Things like myths and legends, fairy tales and novels so old the author has been dead for years but people still remember them. These works can inspire generations after generation and they also provide a cohesive thread where one generation can relate to another through these timeless works. Disney is a great example of a company who has had great success re-using old classic titles in the public domain. Most of their biggest hits are based on public domain works and they became tremendously popular in the process of adapting these classics.

These you-tubers give some insight into the current batch of books entering the public domain this year.

What are your favorite works in the public domain? Would you ever use a public domain work in your own projects?