Poetry Know How - July 2005
Notes On Copyright ©
All poems you have written are protected by US Copyright laws.
As soon as you produce them in Fixed Form they are under the protection of law. However as law is enforced unevenly you may at some time need to establish proof that they are indeed your original work. If you have not published them online...
or in other informal ways, they will not have come to anyone else's attention and will likely be pretty secure until they are published. If you should publish them in a book you should at that time register the copyright with the Library of Congress US Copyright Office. You can access the US Copyright office online to read details and much information about copyright protection.
Current Copyyright Law May NOT Apply Next Year
Copyright law, like all laws, can be amended and therefore change at various times. The protection you are entitled to when you register a book of poetry may continue to protect the particular collection but may not apply to other books published later. The information here is rather general; and you should study the information given you by the copyright office to fully understand the current law relating to your poems. I would suggest that any time you want to register a new poem, new suite of poems or a new book of poems you should register that collection under a new name and definitely keep a copy of all the poems under that registration. Also list any poems previously published along with their publisher. I also suggest you keep a loose leaf book of all the poems registered under each collection or suite. If you make a book, register the book and keep a copy of the book for reference.
Publish and Defend Your Work
Copyright that is challenged must be defended in court and, as we all know, the courts do not always get it right, so you should provide yourself all the proofs you can and not depend on something as elusive as the law to protect your writing. The best way to protect your...
writings is to make it known that it is yours in manner, style and detail. Publish, do readings, present at writers conferences; and let your work be publicly associated with your name.
Have Great Potential or Current Value? Consult An Attorney
If you have legal questions about copyright law you should consult a copyright attorney. Look in the yellow pages for attorneys, (copyright) and ask for a list of services and attorney fees before seeking specific advice.
You may decide, after learning the fees involved, that you would rather just take your chances unless the big bucks, TV appearances and speaking engagements start rolling in.