The Poor Man's Copyright

For those of you who have never heard of 'The Poor Man's Copyright', don't feel bad. I hadn't either until my eldest brother told me about it. It simply involves mailing your manuscript to yourself. By sealing the envelope and making sure the postal worker puts the label across the envelope's seal. Many people think that this is an inexpensive way of protecting their work from plagiarism. However, this is a myth. And one that has given comfort to thousands of writer's throughout the years.

Unfortunately for any author who has put their faith in this, I must inform you that you have been mistaken. In the event that you ever find yourself in a court of law disputing the ownership of your work, the law will favor the person holding the copyright certificate.

Now, in America, we operate under the general understanding that as soon as you finish writing your novel, poem or short story, you have full copyright protection for your work of art. Plagiarism is illegal and morally wrong. However, being able to prove who the culprit actually is can be difficult (or impossible) without that piece of paper from the library of congress.

Getting a copyright is not as expensive at it once was. When I filed for my first one back in 2002, I had to mail in my manuscript, along with a check for $65 and wait 6 months to a year for an answer. The fee was non-refundable, so I crossed my fingers that I hadn't made any mistakes on the form and hoped for the best. Now, the Library of Congress has added online submission options and the cost of using this service is around $35. Unpublished works can be submitted electronically along with the funds. If the book is published, you can pay your fee on the website, print out the packing slip, and mail in two copies of the finished product.

After your documents are received, you will receive an email from the Library of Congress that includes links you can click on to check the status of your application. Once your application has been approved, it will still take 3 to 6 months before you receive your certificate in the mail. Be sure to put it in a safe place, like a fire safe or safe deposit box if you have one. Don't worry if you lose your certificate. You can always contact the LOC, in writing, and ask them to send you a new one. This is also the process by which you would request they make changes to your file, such as name or address changes.

Also, your copyright is not final. For an additional fee, if you need to make significant changes to the work, you can submit an application to update the previous submission. You will need the original registration number and the date. This form can also be filled out online. Be sure to read all the instructions for the various forms as copyright application fees are not refundable.

All writers eat, sleep and breathe their work, and it is a knife in your heart if you find out that someone has stolen your work. It doesn't take much to properly protect your work. Even if $35-$40 seems like a lot, save your money and do it anyway. This investment is for your future and the future of your creative gems.