Discussion:
What is the name of your state? FL
The cheapest way to copyright a work is to send the work to you by registered mail. Don't open it. The U.S. Post Office date on the letter is considered the copyright date and enforceable in court. Basically, the Post Office is acting as a legal entity arm of the government. While it doesn't give you the full protection of U.S. Copyright laws, it works pretty well. Writers do it all the time.
Answer:
What is this a reply to?
And second, this doean't give you ANY rights. It may help to establish that you "own" the work, at least own it on a certain date, but a "poor man's copyright" provides NO rights beyond those that attach automatically whenever a work is "fixed in a a tangible format."
So, the poor man's copyright might help when you sue for infringement, at least in proving ownership, but you would STILL be limited to suing for "actual" damages -- none of the enhanced remedies are available without a registration.
Basically, the Post Office is acting as a legal entity arm of the government. This has nothing to do with anything. You could achieve the same results by signing across the seal, and having the signature notarized. Or depositing the sealed envelope with an attorney. Or all sorts of other ways. This has NOTHING to do with the Post Office.
Instead of the USPS, you could FedEx or UPS it to yourself to, and it would be the same thing.
While it doesn't give you the full protection of U.S. Copyright laws, it works pretty well. Writers do it all the time. Actually, it does give you the full protection of the copyright laws, at least those that are applicable to UNREGISTERED works.
Answer:
What is the name of your state? FL
The cheapest way to copyright a work is to send the work to you by registered mail. Don't open it. The U.S. Post Office date on the letter is considered the copyright date and enforceable in court. Basically, the Post Office is acting as a legal entity arm of the government. While it doesn't give you the full protection of U.S. Copyright laws, it works pretty well. Writers do it all the time. **A: this is a poor man's post.
Answer:
It does work. Check with a lawyer if you don't believe me. And no, you have to use the U.S. Post Office (Fedex, etc. won't work). REGISTERED LETTER to YOU! It just doesn't give you the full protection of U.S. Laws of a registered work, but holds up in court unless you plagiarized someone.
Answer:
What is this a reply to?
And second, this doean't give you ANY rights. It may help to establish that you "own" the work, at least own it on a certain date, but a "poor man's copyright" provides NO rights beyond those that attach automatically whenever a work is "fixed in a a tangible format."
So, the poor man's copyright might help when you sue for infringement, at least in proving ownership, but you would STILL be limited to suing for "actual" damages -- none of the enhanced remedies are available without a registration.

This has nothing to do with anything. You could achieve the same results by signing across the seal, and having the signature notarized. Or depositing the sealed envelope with an attorney. Or all sorts of other ways. This has NOTHING to do with the Post Office.
Instead of the USPS, you could FedEx or UPS it to yourself to, and it would be the same thing.

Actually, it does give you the full protection of the copyright laws, at least those that are applicable to UNREGISTERED works. from someone on this board.
Answer:
Check with a lawyer if you don't believe me. Should HomeGuru check with himself?
And no, you have to use the U.S. Post Office (Fedex, etc. won't work). Yes they will -- because the ONLY thing that a "poor man's copyright" establishes is a DATE of ownership -- which is why a notarized signature or deposit with a lawyer will also work.
And yes, a poor man's copyright give you the "full protection of the copyright laws" -- but so does me writing something down on a piece of paper and leaving it on my desk. Copyright establishes automatically when you fix something in a tangible format -- period.
But a poor man's copyright provides you with NONE of the enhanced remedies afforded a registered copyright. Maybe that's where you are confused.
Answer:
Rachel,
Actually, it doesn't work. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm a professional
writer, and I would never do that. This topic often comes up in my
online writing forum and my writers and I get a good laugh about it
every time.
Think about it--someone could always mail an empty envelope
to themselves, put their work in it, and seal it.
Don't do it! If the copyright is that important to you, register it!
It's only $30.00.
P.S. Be aware that registerting something before sending it to
a major book publisher could go against you. They like to register it
themselves--especially if we're talking about novel manuscripts.
Seeing a copyright notice on the manuscript would throw out
some alarms that the writer could be trouble. Plus, it would look
unprofessional.