Generally, you don’t really need any kind of written permission or authority to tell you that it’s ok to use material as long as it’s only 2 percent of the original material. However, this is only up to 300 words and shouldn’t be done as a best practice if you want to produce quality and original work. When you start reproducing material past that 300 word mark, you have to gain express permission and send out a request to reproduce material letter or e-mail.

I’m sure any author can tell you that they constantly receive requests to have some of their content used in their own content whether it’s for referencing purposes or whatever the cause may be. A request to reproduce material doesn’t mean that the individual or company is going to grant you permission to use the material that you want to use and you should always be prepared for that as well. It won’t matter too much whether you use a letter or e-mail format as the purpose is generally the same and you’ll be fine as long as you keep a copy of the response.

If you have any kind of documents that support your work or show that it’s mostly original, you need to attach those as well, as some companies will want to see it. Highlight which material you would like to reproduce in your own content and ask them if it’s ok. If you don’t have your own scanner, check with your local library and see if they have one you can use for cheap.

You’ll notice that two samples are given below. The first sample will be more along the informal style which is kept for your own records primarily. However, the second one will be more along the lines of formal and includes more details. This is used when contacting media outlets and publishing houses.