You want to make sure that your work is protected when you create something original, such as a book.Sending yourself a copy of your work through certified mail is not an adequate means of obtaining copyright.Before you can take action against someone who is stealing or profiting from your work, you have to register it.
Step 1: You should know the law for your location.
If your country is a member of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, then your work is protected from the moment you create it in a format that is "perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device."As long as you commit it to readable form, you own the copyright to any original work you create.The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) does not offer a registration service for copyright, but it does acknowledge that many countries have national registration systems.
Step 2: The date of your copyright needs to be fixed.
Should there be a legal ownership dispute in the future, this will protect you.There are several informal ways to solidify your claim without pursuing official registration, though there is no provision in copyright law regarding these methods.This is a method to establish you as the original author of whatever you publish.When the work is published, be sure to include your full name and date of publication.If you are a US citizen, you will need to register with the US Copyright Office before you can make a claim in a court.Statutory damages can be found in a US legal system.
Step 3: You can use the symbol.
You own the copyright in the work once it is fixed in a readable format, according to applicable law in most countries.By placing the copyright symbol on your work, you are telling others that you know your rights, and giving a legally-relevant date of original publication.You could add a reference to the legislation that backs up your claim.The Copyright Act does not apply.No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted without the prior written permission of the publisher.Ask your publisher or attorney for advice on the appropriate wording because it is not set in stone.Asking your publisher's legal team or your own attorney about the value of registration in all countries where your works will be published is a good idea.
Step 4: Know the laws in your country.
It can be done online if you want to register your copyright in your own country.Before you can file a court case against someone who has violated your copyrighted material, you need an officially registered copyright.
Step 5: The US Copyright office can be used to register in the United States of America.
The United States Copyright Office is responsible for the administrative aspects of the law.You can register your work online for a reduced fee by creating an account and logging into the eCO.
Step 6: You can register in Canada at the Intellectual Property Office.
The Copyright Law of Canada contains relevant court decisions.The Canadian Intellectual Property Office can be found here.
Step 7: The Intellectual Property Office is located in the United Kingdom.
British copyright law can be found in the Copyright Act 1956, The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 and relevant case law interpretations.The Intellectual Property Office has further information about copyright in the UK.There is no system in place to register copyrighted works.It is an automatic right.If you send a copy of a published work to the British Library within one month of publication, they will include it in their records of all published works.You can find more about the British Library here.
Step 8: The Copyright Council of Australia can be consulted.
Various court decisions that have interpreted copyright over the years can be found in the Copyright Act 1968.The Australian Copyright Council has good information.Australia's copyright is automatic.There isn't a system in place for official registration.You can send a copy of your book to the National Library of Australia.You may need to make a legal deposit to a State library if you check State legislation.
Step 9: New Zealand has a Copyright Council.
Good copyright information can be found from the Copyright Council of New Zealand.No registration is needed, nor is any other formality required, according to the Copyright Council.Every new published work can be sent to the National Library of New Zealand.To function as a legal deposit, you need proof of the date of your copyright.