Contrary to popular belief, you are the owner of your original work whether or not you file for a copyright. Unfortunately, if you don’t, it is difficult to prove ownership. Let’s say you’ve written the great American novel. It’s yours. You wrote it, you own it. A plagiarist decides to author a remarkably similar work with a slightly different title. He files for and receives a copyright. You discover his skullduggery and take him to court. You claim that he stole your masterpiece. He claims that any resemblance to your material is coincidental. He has a copyright. You don’t. Good luck.
Play it safe. Copyright everything you create. It’s quite easy to do. There are four basic steps to obtaining a copyright:
1. Visit the U.S. Copyright Office website to view a list of classifications. Determine what classification (music, art, literature etc.) your work fits into.
2. Request and fill out the copyright application. This can also be done online and will cost less and take less time to receive your certificate.
3. Print and mail the application along with the registration fee and a copy of your original work (or do it online.) Your work will then be filed with the Library of Congress. Fees vary depending on how your registration is submitted.
4. Sit and wait to receive your certificate of registration. If you file online, the wait is about seven months on average; by mail, the wait is sixteen months on average.
Again, whether you file for a copyright or not, you do own your original work. However, by making it “official” and having your masterpiece filed with the Library of Congress, you are taking the most effective step available to protect yourself against theft. And, it’s not just theft of your entire work. There have been numerous violations of copyright wherein selective passages from one author’s work have turned up in that of another’s. One of the most famous incidents of this sort involved Pulitzer Prize winning author Alex Haley’s 1976 classic, Roots.
Thanks for this! Very informative. Is it just the US that holds the office for copyright registration? Or are there other international offices as well? Just curious. TIA
Most informative. Can a self-published author currently file for a copyright, even when the work is in the form of an unpublished manuscript?
This is a great information. Thanks very much. Really appreciate.
Thank you for this! I had no idea one would have to file for a copyright to protect ourselves from potential literary thieves.
Thanks, this article was very helpful. It is far too easy to "assume" that people will respect original work. Roots, Star Wars, ET? I seem to recall ET was one that was challenged. This article makes it drop dead easy to do the right thing for one's work. Thanks. gl