Blog for Bristol Services Intl.

A writer asks: Should I copyright my manuscript in its original form? Do you recommend that I copyright, period?

Answer: The fact is that the moment you have your writings or illustrations in “tangible form,” like printed out, you are protected as owner of that material. Proving it in a court of law, however, requires more steps, namely getting a copyright from the U.S. Copyright Office. That runs about $35-$45 (depending on when or how you do it). And you can do it all online. Here are the official websites and all the official information:
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-register.html
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#mywork

And here is an excerpt that explains a bit more. But DO read the full pages of info by clicking the addresses above:

When is my work protected? Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.
Do I have to register with your office to be protected? No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work.
I’ve heard about a “poor man’s copyright.” What is it? The practice of sending a copy of your own work to yourself is sometimes called a “poor man’s copyright.” There is no provision in the copyright law regarding any such type of protection, and it is not a substitute for registration.

A better answer to your question comes from Gaelen Foley, an historical romance writer with many credits to her name. Here is an excerpt from her website:

“Unless you have doubts about the integrity or professionalism of the publisher or agent to whom you are submitting your work, IMO, you don’t need to worry about establishing your copyright for fiction. (OTOH, if you have these kinds of doubts about them, maybe this is not an agent or publisher you should really be sending your work to!) Reputable, established publishers or agents are not going to steal your work. “

Check out more of her info at:
http://www.gaelenfoley.com/index-writing.html
Want more advice on copyrighting? Try this:
http://www.fictionforum.net/writers/articles/faq-for-beginning-writers-113.html

Reality Check: The fact is that publishers are swamped with manuscripts. Which means they have a pile of them that are every bit as good as yours (sorry, but we’re talking reality here). So the chances they would steal your manuscript, jeopardize themselves, risk wasting gobs of money in potential lawsuits, when all they have to do is grab any of the other manuscripts in that “good enough” pile are slim to zero.

Bottomline: Do you really need to do it? No. But, hey, you can’t get cheaper and easier peace of mind, so if you are uncomfortable and want full protection, go for it. At the least, you’ll have the bragging rights of having a copyright to your name!