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Ask Author Law

Don't buy in to copyright bunk!

Ask Author Law is a Q&A blog about legal issues for authors. I am a practicing attorney, freelance writer, and publishing consultant. I focus my law practice on the representation of authors, often consulting with or serving as co-counsel to other attorneys on publishing cases. This information is for general purposes only and is not legal advice. Asking a question or reading an answer does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Q: I have heard about a “poor man’s copyright” where you seal your manuscript in an envelope and mail it to yourself. Is this a way for writers to protect themselves?

A: No, no, no! The “poor man’s copyright” is a common myth that’s been around forever. You already own the copyright in your manuscript and have owned it from the moment your work was fixed in a "tangible medium of expression."

Additional protection comes from registering your copyright, which is a fairly straightforward procedure. Registration is not required, but it is a great idea for many reasons. I’ll cover reasons for registration in a future post. I'm keeping this one short because this myth really bugs me and I want to be blunt. I also stayed up too late watching the Oscars and I’m behind.

The Copyright Office has a great website, http://www.copyright.gov. Get your information there and don’t buy in to copyright bunk, especially this tired old myth.  Read More 
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