Copyright Registration is the Best Practice
for a Successful Creative Career
Get the Copyright Application Tutorial
for Literary Works from Charm City Legal
Mistakes in the Application Process Can Undermine Your Rights
The notion of instant copyright protection at the time of creation misleads the community of writers and artists into a false sense of security.
Copyright registration with the U.S. Copyright Office is the best single thing you can do to protect your work from copyists and infringers — even if you are not a U.S. citizen or a U.S. resident.
A copyright registration is most effective when the application is completed correctly.
Make Sure Your Registration is Enforceable
This 20-minute, comprehensive tutorial breaks down the copyright application for literary works into easy to understand steps to ensure an enforceable registration.
In addition to a detailed explanation of the application, this tutorial will:
- take you through each of the 14 steps in the application process
- offer guidance on how to avoid rejection from the Copyright Office
- give tips on how to save money on filing fees
After you’ve moved seamlessly through the application, you will feel confident that you’ve done it correctly and your creative work is protected.
Be the Guardian of Your Creations
With something as important as copyright registration, especially when you don’t do it very often, it can be easy to forget the nuances of the application process. Refer to this video whenever you are ready to file your copyright application for literary works.
Remember to include the copyright application process in your workflow to make sure your registration is timely and enforceable.
Only you can protect your creative work.
Get the protection you need.
Let this tutorial help.
The Copyright Application Tutorial for Literary Works is hosted by Vimeo. You will be asked to created an account with Vimeo if you do not already have one.
This tutorial is educational material written by Kathryn Goldman, a lawyer at Goldman & Minton, P.C., dba Charm City Legal. It is not legal advice. For legal representation, contact Kathryn directly at kgoldman@charmcitylegal.com.
Thanks for sharing this important information. Step-by-step is well presented. Especially useful for newbies.
Perfect! I wish I had this video when I first started filing copyright registrations. The process can be quite confusing and a struggle. This visual step-by-step really clarifies things.
Very useful. I have already applied once for my first novel, this will be a great refresher for the second, which will need copyrighting very soon.
Can you only copyright material that is produced or published? How do you protect your script or book while you are trying to find an agent or letting people read it to get their opinions? Is registering with the Writer’s Guild of America the only option in these cases?
Connie,
You can submit a copyright registration for unpublished work as well as published work.
Kathryn
Do you have a similar tutorial for visual artists?
Thanks,
Amy
I’m working on one, Amy. Should be ready soon.
Kathryn
I will look forward to that one too! And wonder if you might mention what happens if you both write AND illustrate your work?
Thank you for this step-by-step. I appreciate doing the registration myself, however, I feel a lot better going through the process with this guidance. It not only makes it easier, I like the confidence in knowing I’m doing it right.
Your price is more than fair given the value I’ve received. Thanks again.
The tutorial was very helpful, as it gave me confidence that I had some inkling what I was doing when going through the registration application. I have a question though, over one part of the application process that you skipped over:
My novel is a memoir that contains copyrighted lyrics from others (used by permission). One of the lyrics is by someone who is deceased (but I have permission from her family). Two of the lyrics are public domain. I also have lyrics of my own (that have never been published except in this novel.) The lyrics are not a major part of the novel, just ancillary material, so is my work still considered a “derivative work” or “compilation?” It doesn’t seem so, and if not, do I have to complete the “Limitation of Claim” section? Or do I need to do something in the “Claimants” section? I find this part of the application process clear as mud. Any pointers? (BTW: I am using the “standard application.”)