# Do I need to copyright? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 19, 2000, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913 "2000-06-19T23:57:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nanno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nanno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanno)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2000, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/1 "2000-06-19T23:57:46Z")
I have stuff I write, would like to post on poetry web sites etc., do I need to copyright? and how do I do that? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/2 "2000-06-20T00:02:06Z")
This seems to getting asked a lot here recently. A copyright is automatically attached to any work once it is reduced to a tangible form. Registration gives you the right to sue anyone illegally copying it for punitive damages. Without it, you can sue for actual damages and unless you plan to make millions off of your poetry, that’s probably not anything you are going to worry about. Check the numerous other threads in this forum about this subject. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/3 "2000-06-20T00:06:32Z")
It would probably be a good idea. I don’t know how to “officially” CR something; I just put the little circle-c symbol on everything, and hope nobody goes to the trouble to check 😉 * * * I’m one of only **7266** posters NOT personally welcomed by Cecil. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/4 "2000-06-20T00:19:39Z")
Official registration costs $30. Library of Congress Copyright FAQ: [http://www.loc.gov/copyright/faq.html#q16](http://www.loc.gov/copyright/faq.html#q16) This is one way of “publishing” an idea to establish a priority without involving some other third party that might claim to have prior rights for some reason. It will still be accessible to others, but it’s not like sending it to a magazine or movie agent. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/5 "2000-06-20T02:33:45Z")
To “officially” copyright something (without registering), write “Copyright 2000 by Your Name” on the document. You can use the c-in-a-circle character, or abbreviate “Copr.” © in parenthese is technically not correct. However, you can’t lose copyright protection any more by failing to follow the form. You have limited protection by merely publishing the work (putting it on a web page would probably count as publishing), whether there’s a notice or not. If you register, you should have a notice, but you can still get damages if it’s left out. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/6 "2000-06-20T03:36:16Z")
But without registration, or some way of validating that you have priority, someone could steal your work, claim it’s theirs, and then it’s your word against theirs. Registration gives you a way of proving your priority, but there are other ways. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/7 "2000-06-20T05:22:56Z")
I’ve copywritten quite a few a things. Be warned! It takes 9 months to a year to get the official copy right certificate! But it’s neat to have something with your name on it in the Library of Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/8 "2000-06-20T05:35:25Z")
Yeah, the library of Congress is extremely slow, owing to the sheer volume of submissions they recieve, but it’s worth it to register, especially if you intend to publish. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/9 "2000-06-20T05:42:31Z")
While you have to send copies of your work to the Copyright Office to give to the Library of Congress, the Library of Congress doesn’t keep everything it gets. I believe it only keeps about 50% of all submissions. A lot of vanity press material gets tossed out. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/10 "2000-06-20T12:52:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Yeah, the library of Congress is extremely slow, owing to the sheer volume of submissions they recieve, but it’s worth it to register, especially if you intend to publish. This implies that you should register before you publish. There’s no need. See [Copyrights and Meteorites](http://www.sfwa.org/writing/copyrite.htm) Once your published, the publisher should handle the copyright. If you’re putting it up yourself, you’re the publisher and if you’re truly afraid your work will be stolen (which is a very unlikely occurrance, even if you put things on the Web), you should register it. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/11 "2000-06-20T13:13:20Z")
You need to be sure it’s copied right. ---
**Author:** ![Delta-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/12 "2000-06-20T13:15:52Z")
What about mailing a copy to yourself, and never opening it? I’ve heard that this is enough proof of ownership, and will hold up in court, but I don’t know if it’s true or not. ---
**Author:** ![jayron\_32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@jayron\_32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayron_32)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2000, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-need-to-copyright/22913/13 "2000-06-20T14:47:43Z")
Delta-9’s idea I have heard as a legally valid way to establish the date of something: The postmark clearly indicates the date, therefore it’s a cheap way to get something notarized. 33 cents is cheaper than the Library of Congress route of 30 dollars.