Getting a Copyright

[Sir Zeppelin]

There has been some recent concern as to protecting writing. I know a copyright lasts until you die plus 50 years (in the U.S.), but how do you go about getting a copyright? I know it can be done online now (I haven't figured out how). Would anyone who has ever copyrighted something (Anthony, Dennis, etc. ) be able to help?

[Shadowviking]

Other than posting whatever on a site that automatically gives you a copyright, usually with choices as to how severe, I don't know how. That said, a copyright isn't going to stop anyone who really wants to copy your work, and what are you going to do then? Sue some kid over the internet?

Personally, I'd go for a Copyleft or Creative Commons ShareAlike anyway.

[Tedward]

Copyright is automatic. You don't have to go "get" it. Adding a Copyright statement to a written work is nice (ie: Copyright John Smith, 2010) but no longer necessary under the law in most countries.

Google "copyright law" and your country and you will find a lot of information.

[Sir Zeppelin]

That said, a copyright isn't going to stop anyone who really wants to copy your work, and what are you going to do then? Sue some kid over the internet?

What I mean is if someone who posted something online and ever actually went to have it published. If you didn't have it protected under a copyright (and have no way to prove on what date you wrote it), it may cause problems.

Personally, I'd go for a Copyleft or Creative Commons ShareAlike anyway.

I've never heard of these. What all do they do?

Copyright is automatic. You don't have to go "get" it. Adding a Copyright statement to a written work is nice (ie: Copyright John Smith, 2010) but no longer necessary under the law in most countries.

I really should have reaserched more before posting. I dug around and found the U.S. Copyright Agency website. I had been on it before, but couldn't find anything. However, this time I found their FAQ, which brought me to this:

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf

You are correct. A copyright is automatic. However, if you write something you may think you want to publish someday (like a full blown book), and posted it online, it is a good idea to register your work. This is what I was wondering when I posted the tpoic; I should have worded it better. If you want to legelly protect your work, you have to register it with the copyright office. If you don't, it is still copyrighted, but if a lawsuit arises you might lose. Then again, as Shadowviking said, what is one to do? Sue some kid over the internet? (Although if you actually registered your work, they would have to pay your attorney fees...)

Question answered. Thanks guys!

[Aliencat]

I used to work as a media design for an advertising company, and what we did, whenever we had finished a design, save a copy on a few cd's and mail them to ourselves in a datesealed envelope.
Advertisements get everywhere if you do it right, so there's no way of keeping people from using bits of it, but with a datestamped unopened sealed envelope, you can always prove you were the first one to make it, if things get down to that.

I don't know how things work exactly with writing, but this would be a way to always prove you were the first one to come up with it.

[Sir Zeppelin]

I used to work as a media design for an advertising company, and what we did, whenever we had finished a design, save a copy on a few cd's and mail them to ourselves in a datesealed envelope.
Advertisements get everywhere if you do it right, so there's no way of keeping people from using bits of it, but with a datestamped unopened sealed envelope, you can always prove you were the first one to make it, if things get down to that.

I've heard of that method; 'tis called the poor man's copyright. Yes, that is a good way to prove you wrote something on a certian date. Although some folks say that it's no substitute for a real copyright, that would work very well. Thanks for your input!