Things You'll Need:
- Electronic File of your work (work of art, image or perhaps your architectural drawing, poem, story, etc.).
- Creation Date (that's the date you finished your work).
- Date of Publication (that's the date you may have first shown it to anyone in the public).
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Step 1
Make an electronic file of your work - which you are going to upload along with your application. This can be just about any number of file types (i.e. pdf, jpeg, bmp, doc, etc.). Just about all common files types are accepted online by the US Copyright Office.
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Step 2
Get several dates figured out. The date of creation (that's when you finished your work). The date of publication (that's the date, if there is one, when you first showed someone your work - it's OK if there is no date of publication yet).
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Step 3
Disable your browser's pop-up blocker. Go online to ww.copyright.gov/eco then fill out the application for your copyright. Your request for copyright is going to be reviewed - so you are just making an application now. Most requests for copyright are processed within 90 days. Online you can see tips and tutorials, view FAQ's - look these over before filling out the application for copyright. When you're ready click "Register a New Claim". Fill this application out. It's easy.
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Step 4
Once you're done with the application, follow the links to the payment screen. Just like buying anything online - you put in your payment information here. The key is payment must go through before you upload your work. The cost is about $35.00. Which is way cheaper than when copyright applications were not available online!
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Step 5
Once your payment has been processed - go to the "upload" or "deposit your work screen". This wording of "deposit" is a bit odd - but it's what they call your upload (of your work which you are copyrighting).
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Step 6
Upload your work. Now you can follow the progress of your application online! Be patient, it takes a couple months, usually. But now that it's this cheap to obtain a real copyright from the US Copyright Office you should go for it - besides, it's cool to be able to say you have several copyrights (not to mention the real legal protection you get for your hard work)!
