Every original works are the result of intellect and creativity, be it music or books, or any other kind of work. A creator will not want other people to reap the benefits of his hard work. To preserve the dignity of creation, the U.S Patent and Trademark Office has been reaching out to various creators showing how do you copyright something. This not only protects their creation but also keeps the creators and researchers motivated by providing means to safeguard their creation.

According to recent studies of the Organization for the Economic Co-operation and Development, the growth of counterfeit income has increased by 2.6% of the world trade in the year 2016. With every passing year, various tips and tricks are making their way up, thereby making copyright action a very important task.

In this article, we will discuss how to copyright something to protect your work.

Copyright

There is a misunderstanding, where people often get confused between registration for copyright and registration to obtain copyright. But you should know that no registration is required to claim a copyright for the work that you have created. Rather, registration is needed to protect the copyright of the work created. Registering for copyright protects your original work from infringement.

Process to obtain a copyright

Obtaining copyright for your work can be confusing. Here are a few steps that will make the process easier and help you obtain a copyright for your work.

STEP 1

To claim the copyright of your work, a form must be filled up paying a certain amount of fee. According to the U.S copyright law, a copy of the same must be mailed or uploaded to the copyright office.

When the question occurs, how do you copyright something in a much easier and faster way, registering online for a copyright claim is a way out.

STEP 2

You have to visit the eCO online system and open an account there. After filling out an online form, pay $35. It is a much faster process, but according to the government, it still takes a time of three or four months.

There is another way out here too. That is the form that can be downloaded, filled up, and then mailed. But here a fee of $65 needs to be paid.

• Registration is necessary within five years of the publication of the work. The registration sets a public record of your original creation. Moreover, it is to be done before an infringement. The registration for copyright within 5 years of publication serves as prima facie evidence. This becomes proof of the validity of the copyright in the court.

• Claiming for registration within three months from the publishing date of your work or before an infringement, the owner of the copyright will be in charge of the statutory damages and the required fees of the attorney. If the registration is not made within three months, the owner of the copyright just gets a hold of the actual damages and the profits.

• Once the registration is done, the protection of the original creation entirely becomes the responsibility of the U.S government. The record is kept with the U.S Customs Service for the lifetime protection of the work.

When in the question of why and how do you copyright something, the above-mentioned points can help you. The copyright protects your original work even after the death of the creator for 70 years.

America has always been a great contributor in the field of knowledge, be it science, technology, or literature. Thereby it is important to restore the reality and intellectual capacity of the creators and treat them with respect.

Apart from all these, it is the right of the writers, publishers, or editors to have their creation protected. This gives them motivation and a spirit to create more, thereby bringing their thoughts and expressions into the world.