How to Copyright What You Write

There are basically 2 kinds of copyright procedures. The first is to simply place a copyright symbol or the word "copyright" in an appropriate location of the literary work notifying the public that it is your property and it is protected. This is not as safe as the second copyrighting option, which is registering the work with the library of Congress (as described below). In many instances the first option will suffice, as with a website. Most people and small businesses don't want the hassle, cost and time commitment it takes to register and renew a list of copyrights on an onging basis.

If you are the author, you can copyright books, poems, directories, catalogs, pamphlets, leaflets, cards, single pages and publications such as newspapers, magazines, reviews, newsletters and bulletins. Also, scripts,, lectures, sermons, maps, monologues and cartoons. In essence, you can copyright almost anything that you write or draw, provided you comply with the following procedures.

1. PRODUCE COPIES WITH COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Produce the work in copies by printing or other means of reproduction. It is essential that all copies bear a copyright notice in the required form and position. As a general rule, the copyright notice should consist of three elements.

a. The word "copyright", the abbreviation "copy", or the symbol "c" printed within a circle. Use of the symbol may have advantages in securing copyright in countries that are members of the Universal Copyright Convention.

b. The name of the copyright owner (or owners).

c. The year date of publication. This is ordinarily the year in which copies are first placed on sale, sold, or publicly distributed by the copyright owner or under his authority.

These elements should appear together on the copies.

EXAMPLE: Copyright 2003 John Doe  -or-  © 2003 John Doe

For a publication printed in book form, the copyright notice should appear on the title page or the page immediately following. The "page immediately following" is normally the reverse side of the page bearing the title.

2. PUBLISH THE WORK.

3. REGISTER YOUR CLAIM IN THE COPYRIGHT OFFICE. Promptly after publication, you should send the following material to the Copyright Office.

a. Application for Registration.

b. Two copies of the edition of the work as published.

c. Registration fee of $30. Do not send cash. Payment must be in the form of a money order, check, or bank draft, payable to the "Register of Copyrights" send everything to: Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress, Washington DC 20540.

IMPORTANT: Copyright protection will be permanently lost unless all published copies bear a copyright in the form and position as described above. When a work has been published without notice of copyright, it falls into the public domain and becomes public property. After that happens, it serves no purpose to add the notice to copies of the work, and doing so may be illegal. For further information concerning copyright laws, see "Copyright Basics" on the U.S. Copyright Office website.