Marie Wadsworth, click
here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.
Blogs by Marie Wadsworth
Copyrighting 10/17/2003 8:40:24 PM
Some more sage advice for writers I decided to write this after pursuing Authorsden writer Elizabeth Lucas-Taylor's monthly newsletter. She has a very worthwhile newsletter with some very valuable information for writers and if you don't get it you should visit her Web site and sign up for it. In it she had some information about writer's rights and included some information on copyrighting, which will also be a subject in my Novemeber newsletter.
Copyrighting is important to preserve your ideas, words and originality of your work. There's nothing worse than putting something on the Internet, where there are millions around the world surfing around various Web sites, than posting your writing somewhere; someone comes along and takes your words or ideas or story as their own. To protect yourself, a writer should copyright. However, writers do not put the copyright symbol at the bottom of your manuscripts, especially ones you send for publication. This annoys editors and publishers and there's a very good chance if you put the copyright symbol on your work that it'll be disregarded or thrown away. Putting the copyright symbol on the bottom of your work identifies you as a first time writer; editors/publishers are wary of first time writers (due to the risk factor involved). If concerned about plagarism, it is better to send a copy of your copyright to the editor or publisher or offer to send it to them upon request. NEVER send an original copyright to an editor or publisher. ALWAYS keep your copyrights in a safe place,where you can easily find it, with your other important personal papers.
If your work is printed in a newspaper, magazine or book, the copyright date would be the publication date (magazines or newspapers) or copyright date for that particular book (poetry anthologies, short story anthologies, etc.) If your book is published, most publishers will get the author a copyright if he or she hasn't already done so. If you're not sure whether or not your publisher will get you a copyright, ask! I know that e-publishers also offer copyrighting -- this is still a recognized form of copyrighting. But if you wish you may still copyright through a poor man's copyright or Library of Congress.
The best time to copyright your work is when you have a completed manuscript whether it be a book, short story or poetry anthology.
There are two recognizable forms of copyrighting. One is the poor man's copyright. This is when you send your completed manuscript to yourself in the mail. The copyright is the postmark on the envelope. Note: In order for your poor man's copyright to remain valid, you can not open the package with your manuscript in it. The other form of copyrighting is through the Library of Congress. I'm not sure how copyrighting works for those among us who are international, but you can ask at the library and someone should be able to point you in the right direction. There are many Web sites that offer copyrighting, but personally I trust the Library of Congress. Most of the books and movies are all registered there. Sending your manuscript to Library of Congress could cause a publisher to write you to send them your manuscript. (I know subsidy publishers like Dorrance and 1stBooks have done this.)
Copyrighting through the Library of Congress costs $30 per manuscript. Manuscripts can not be send to the Library of Congress on disk. They have to be printed out. It takes between three to six months for you to receive your copyright in the mail.
Copyright forms can be downloaded for no charge at www.copyright.gov. There is a phone number at this Web site for those who prefer to call and ask for forms to be mailed.
