How to Copyright an Autobiography

Copyright registration can be done electronically or by paper.

Any work, such as an autobiography, is copyright protected at the time it is written. However, you may want to register the copyright. Copyright registration establishes a public record of your authorship and also provides legal advantages should the autobiography be stolen or published under another person’s name. You can register your autobiography’s copyright at any time before or after it is published. Copyright notice also shows that the autobiography is copyright-protected. The copyright notice consists of the symbol ©, the word “copyright” or the abbreviation “Copr;” your name and the year the autobiography was written. You are responsible for putting the copyright notice on all copies of the autobiography. Copyright notice does not require permission from the Copyright Office or registration.

Instructions

Electronic Copyright Registration

1. Complete and submit Registration Form eCO online. To access the form, go to the Copyright Office website and click on "Forms." You will need Adobe Acrobat to view the form. If you don't have it, go to the Adobe website and download it. It is free.

2. Submit a nonrefundable filing fee, which, as of 2011, is $35 for electronic registration. You may pay the fee via credit card online or by check or money order. If you are paying by check or money order, make it payable to Register of Copyrights and mail it to the Copyright Office.

3. Submit a nonreturnable copy of the autobiography. You can attach the copy electronically or mail it to the Copyright Office.

Paper Registration

1. Obtain Registration Form TX. You can access the form online by going to the Copyright Office website and clicking on Forms or you can get the form by mailing the Copyright Office or calling the Forms and Publications Hotline.

2. If you use the online form, complete it in on your computer and print it out. You can also print a blank form, then complete it by hand or by typing. If you complete the form by hand, use black ink.

3. Submit a nonrefundable filing fee, which, as of 2011, is $65 for paper applications. You may pay the fee via check or money order. Make the check or money order payable to the Register of Copyrights.

4. Mail a nonreturnable copy of the autobiography, Form TX and the check or money order to the Copyright Office.

Tips & Warnings

• Your copyright registration is effective on the date the Copyright Office receives all the required materials. The time it takes to process your registration depends whether you filed electronically or by paper and the amount of material you submitted. Online registration is preferred. Also, it is the fastest, offers tracking on the status of your registration and allows electronic payment. If you applied electronically, you will receive an email informing you that your application was received. If you applied using a paper application, you will not receive any acknowledgement of receipt. If the Copyright Office needs additional information, you will receive a letter, phone call or email informing you of that. If you register your autobiography after it is published, you must submit two copies of it to the Copyright Office.

• The copy of the autobiography you submitted with your registration form will not be returned.

• You are not entitled to the copyright of a work you did not produce just because you own it.

References

• Copyright Office: Copyright Basics
• Registration, Recordation and Other Services
• How Do I Register My Copyright?
• Adobe