Can a visualisation technique be copyright?

February 2, 2007 4:54 AM

I'd like to include a visualisation technique in my ebook, but I'm not sure if it comes under copyright.

I have been doing a self help technique that involves doing a visualisation and noticing what you experience in your body. I would like to include something similar as a small part of an ebook I'm writing (to sell), but I'm not sure where I stand legally.

A lot of visualisation or relaxation techniques have the same sort of format, so if you change the details presumably there's no problem.

However, this is grounded in a specific theory that the author has developed.

I can write my own script, and don't need to mention his theory, but I'm not sure if the 'process' he has developed is under copyright or not. If the details and wording of my visualisation have all changed, but it has the same stages, could be a problem legally?

posted by London Irregular to Work & Money (4 answers total)

In the US, at least, ideas and processes are not protected by copyright. Only the expression of the idea is protected. As long as you're rewriting the technique in your own words, you should be okay.

A useful link to the US Copyright Office

Money quote: Section 102 of the copyright law, title 17, United States Code, clearly expresses this principle: “In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work.” (emphasis mine).
posted by katemonster at 5:13 AM on February 2, 2007

Wow, I thought you meant information visualization. And then I could be helpful. But yes, you should be fine. It's true that Iyengar Yoga has copyrighted their set of poses, but that's a weird case. I think you're in the clear.
posted by zpousman at 5:37 AM on February 2, 2007

A process would be patented, not copyrighted. They're two separate issues. Given your description of the visualization, it's unlikely that he would have a patent on the process, but not impossible. Although even if he did have a patent, I think you'd still be OK since your e-book only describes the process; it doesn't actually carry out the process. IANAL.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:40 AM on February 2, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks. That looks pretty hopeful.
posted by London Irregular at 2:25 PM on February 2, 2007