Many authors derive much of their income from the publication and sale of their work.
They are naturally sensitive to how other people use their work. Intellectual property laws help to protect the rights of authors and publishers in the marketplace. Intellectual property laws grant an author a limited monopoly over the use of her work under certain conditions. Persons who wish to make use of an author's work must follow the guidelines set up in law. Copyright law is a key component of U.S. law relating to intellectual property.