You automatically retain copyright on all texts you write. This means that only you as the writer may determine what happens with your work: whether or not, and if so how many examples may be printed and whether your work may be distributed or not.
You may also transfer your copyright. You ‘lease’ your work, for an (un)limited period of time. You may naturally place any (financial) conditions on the transfer or sale of your copyright.
When granting permission to publish your work, in a book, newspaper or periodical for example, you may place any conditions on the agreement, such as requiring compensation. If your work is used without your permission, such as being posted on the Internet, your permission is again required. In such circumstances, you may agree upon a separate compensation. As the author, you retain personal rights for your work regardless of whether you have transferred the copyrights. This means that you may object if someone changes the title of your work, or acts as though it had been written by another individual, or if you consider your work to be mangled, for instance, through a poor translation or by placing your text in a different context.

If a publisher has your permission to publish your work, this does not mean that the publisher automatically has the right to allow your work to be translated or filmed. This requires separate permission from you. Most publishing contracts, however, contain agreements on the various possible uses of your work. This usually involves both the conditions under which the publisher may initiate such action, as well as the remuneration to be paid to the author. In this way, everything is usually arranged at once. If a work has been put up for sale in the market, then others may without permission buy, sell it as used, borrow, cite and copy portions for their own use. You then have no authority over the work in these matters. The law also allows libraries to loan your work without your permission. You do, however, have the right to compensation.