Introduction To Copyright
Author: Kurt Lehmann
In the United States, copyright law protects creators from
having their works stolen or used without their permission. In
the event that a work registered with the U.S. Copyright Office
is stolen or infringed upon, the creator can pursue legal
action. To ensure that your work is fully protected, you must
have at least a basic understanding of copyright and how it
applies to you and your work.
Copyright is the protection afforded to all creators of
published and unpublished work, including the authors of
artistic, dramatic, literary, and musical works. In addition,
when you register your work with the U.S. Copyright Office, your
copyright is protected both in the United States and in those
countries that have a copyright protection agreement with the
U.S.
Copyright allows you total control over your work: With
exclusive copyright, you can reproduce your work; distribute and
sell your creation; publicly perform the work; and publicly
display your work.
According to U.S. law, copyright is immediately established the
moment a work is created. For example, if you write a book, you
legally hold exclusive copyrights to that book, unless you wrote
the book on a work-for-hire basis in which you agreed to
transfer all copyrights to another individual or business.
Transferring all copyrights is a common practice today, but the
transfer is only valid if there is a written agreement that is
signed by the original author or a legal representative acting
on his behalf. However, if you're giving another individual
nonexclusive rights to a work, you do not need a written
agreement for it to be valid.
For all works created after January 1, 1978, works are
automatically protected by copyright law from the moment of
creation until 70 years after the author's death. Those works
that are created on a work-for-hire basis or that are created by
an anonymous author or an author with a pseudonym are protected
(unless the author's name appears in records of the U.S.
Copyright Office) for a period of 95 years from the work's
publication or for a period of 120 years from the date of its
creation, whichever proves to be shorter.
Because not all works are eligible for protection under
copyright law, it's important that you know what types of works
are protected: Those works that are protected by. copyright law
include: literary, musical, dramatic, pictorial, graphic,
sculptural, architectural, choreographic, and audiovisual works
as well as sound recordings, motion pictures, and pantomimes.
There are numerous benefits to registering an eligible work
with the U.S. Copyright Office. In addition to receiving a
certificate of registration, your copyright will automatically
become a part of public record. Additionally, should someone use
your work without your permission, you can file suit against
that individual and may be entitled to both statutory damages
and attorney's fees.
Registering for a copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office is a
fairly straightforward process. In addition to filling out an
application form, you must pay an application fee and provide a
copy, or a nonrefundable deposit, of your work to the Copyright
Office. Failing to send all of the materials together in the
same package will likely result in having your package sent back
to you.
About The Author: Learn more about how to Copyright your
valuable works at http://www.how-to-copyright-it
