Copyrighting

[thenewageriseth]

Can someone tell me about the copyrighting process, because I am lost and don't know whether or not if I should copy my manuscript again and send it in the mail with an enclosed check of $30 or just send the $30 only, because I already have a copy of my manuscript that I wanted to send to a publishing house.

 

[artybloke]

Can someone tell me about the copyrighting process, because I am lost and don't know whether or not if I should copy my manuscript again and send it in the mail with an enclosed check of $30 or just send the $30 only, because I already have a copy of my manuscript that I wanted to send to a publishing house.

What's the $30 dollars for? As soon as you write a manuscript (poem, story, novel, article whatever), you already own the copyright. That's how it is in England, at least; I don't know if the situation is any different, but I suggest you look up US copyright law in your local public library or on the internet.

You might want to protect your copyright by sending a copy of the manuscript in a stamped envelope to yourself (the postmark will have a date on it) but it belongs to you anyway without having to send any money to anyone.

I wouldn't ever sell your copyright, by the way. Not unless the cheque has a one followed by at least 6 zeros on it, that is.

 

[lyssaromiki]

in america its the same--once you right it its yours, its just that u cant do anything legal with it if some one tried to plagerize or something. cuz if that happens the government needs to know itsyours for proof

 

[thenewageriseth]

To ArtyBloke's quote and
lyssaromiki : Well, that's cool that in England you don't have to send $30, but here you have to. I just don't want to have to make another copy of the manuscript, because that costs money: the paper and all...Like have one copy sent to the publishing house and another copy sent out to the Library of Congress. I wish it was like that here, in the US.

 

[shakingthedustoffmyfeet]

I am not sure what you mean by 30 dollars again. This is a copyright website operated by U.S. I have called them directly, and they were very helpful!

www.copyright.gov/

Best of luck!

 

[MadeInOz]

If you submit a manuscript to a publisher, send it via registered mail, and send yourself a copy via registered mail, so you have a confirmed date. That's the generally accepted practice.

 

[raihna]

all you need to do is write date and sign the material seal it mail it to your self 2 copies keep one UN opened !!

 

[Tamara77777]

Hi there! You know I have heard you can put a copy in the mail, and when you get it don't open it and that works...but I suggest typing in copyright on a search engine and see where it leads you...I believe you can download the information as well as confirm the above suggestion. Good luck!
Tamara77777 praisingonpiano

 

[bluedart]

I have heard that you can do that as well (send the work to yourself in the mail). It works as a temporary copyright until you decide you need something more official.

 

[rstrahan]

There is a formal copyright that you can get through the govt. website. If you're concerned, it's cheap and easy.

 

[lsholes]

Once you you put it on paper by law, it is yours. If you are sending a novel off to and agent or editor, there is no reason to go to the trouble of copyrighting it. If a publisher buys it, they copyright it in your name anyway. At least that has been my experience in writing fiction. If you send a copyrighted manuscript it might signal that you are a novice.
Hope that helps. If you need more help, send me an email and I'll be glad to be of help. All best.
Lynn

lynn@grailconspiracy.com

www.grailconspiracy.com

 

[heron]

Here's the deal. The U.S. copyright office was established to protect you, but they have so much overhead that now they do charge money for you to register the copyright. If you become famous, your publisher might do this for you. If you publish your own work, the copyright office makes it very clear that you are expected to send it to them.

Yes, you can mail a copy to yourself (and not open it.) This has held up in a court of law before. But you have a better guarantee by registering. The reason you do any of this is to prepare in case someone steals from you.

Then there's the remote possibility that someone wanders through the Library of Congress and sees your book, and thinks, hey--I'll write something like that, but change a few points. Then you're stuck. (Or you can hunt them down as in Big Fat Liar.) That's a very recent phenomenon, and I wouldn't worry about it unless your work is already coveted.

Notice that the Library of Congress page has a different submission policy listed: that's for an LOC control number, optional when you publish.

The copyright date is always the date that you created it (not filed, or published)...corresponding with the heart of the law to protect your works.