How do I Copyright the Straw Man?
If you create any original work, be it art, writing, a song or recording, a film or photography, U.S. copyright law automatically grants you limited copyright protection to your work. Additional protection, which hinges primarily upon raising the ceiling for actual damages and providing the opportunity to pursue punitive damages in a civil case, is granted for content creators who register their work with the U.S. Copyright Office in the Library of Congress.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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1
Determine if the Straw Man is copyrightable. You may only register original work with the copyright office and the piece must be a creative endeavor. Phrases and everyday imagery may not be copyrighted, though if they're used in conjunction with commerce, you may be able to apply for trademark status for the Straw Man. Trademarks are granted by your state's Secretary of State as well as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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If your work is copyrightable, prepare a sample to submit to the Copyright Office. Your sample may be a recording or manuscript or a photograph of an artistic work to keep on file.
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Create a login and password on the Copyright Office's eCO copyright registration system (see Resources).
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Apply for a copyright, providing your name and other details to the registry. If you are submitting your sample electronically, you will upload it now.
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If you are submitting a physical copy of the Straw Man for copyright, the eCO system will create mailing labels for you to print and use to submit the copy.
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Pay the $35 registration fee using the Pay.gov interface.
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Wait for confirmation. If you submitted a copyrightable work, you'll receive notification that your copyright was approved in the mail.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit copyright image by Angie Lingnau from Fotolia.com
