Should You Register Your Written Work?
Posted: Friday, October 23, 2009
by K Soash
Writing For You Now
So, there you are. Your article or book is complete and you are proud of your hard work. You look at your computer screen and get ready to print. Your work is excellent! But as you look at your work you think about where it is going, you may even be asking yourself a very common question. "Should I register my written work with a Copyright Office?" I mean seriously, you've put a lot of work into this written masterpiece.
As a matter of fact, your writing gets automatic copyright the minute it is created by you. In other words, you automatically attain legal ownership of your written work once you've made it accessible in a tangible form such as writing it down on paper, typing it into your old typewriter, or keying it into your computer and saving it as a file.
Here is all you the proof you need once your written work leaves your hands and goes through the submission process:
1. A copy of your written work
2. A dated record of your submission
If you are still leery about submitting your prized writing and wish to register it, by all means do so. That is still your prerogative. You may obtain a copyright application with instructions at:
Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Ave. S. E.
Washington, DC 20559-6000
Or go online: www.copyright.gov/forms
Please note that as of this writing in 2009, copyright registration fees are: $69 (paper print) and $59 (online).
If you decide to register your unpublished manuscript with a Copyright Office be advised that you must inform the Editor who accepts your manuscript for publication of your copyright protection.
If you decide to register your unpublished manuscript with a Copyright Office be advised that you must inform the Editor who accepts your manuscript for publication of your copyright protection.
If you decide not to register your writing, you are automatically protected under the Copyright Term Extension Act which protects your created works written during or after 1978.
So, let's thank our copyright-based business and keep those creative juices flowing. Let's keep on writing!
So, let's thank our copyright-based business and keep those creative juices flowing. Let's keep on writing!
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Hi Krystalina. Thank you for sharing this information. I have bookmarked it and placed in my favorites to have the info on hand. Great article. Thanks so much. Best regards to you and yours,NenitaPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Wow... Nenita, you're a great writer/reader buddy !!!I just edited this article because I re-read it and found I had the print registration fee from the beginning of year and the online fee from this Fall.Now they are both most recent, the end of this year. You may want to replace this book marked article for more reliable information.Thank you very much for your comment and for keeping me on my toes :)~Krystalina Soash~Please log in to respond to this comment.
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