[Forrest]

I am currently working on a story that I'm quite pleased with, and I'd like to post it for some friends at another forum. (I'd post it here, but its too damn intimidating with all these skilled authors around!)

I know that no one would really steal my work, but just in case, I was wondering what I could do to protect myself from that. I would hate to be reading a sci-fi book five years from now and discover that I had invented the main character! How does copywriting work? Can I just SAY its copywrited and presto, I'm safe? Or is there more involved?

[Holbrook]

Arrrrrrrr......... I was just going to begin posting when I realised it would take up too much space and I would still be here at midnight.... :eek:

So best suggestion get a copy of "The Writers' and Artists' Year book" as well as listing publishers and agents etc it has two large sections on copyright both in the US and UK.....
:D

[Artistic Wizard]

Try this site out for size.....This will answer almost any questions you may have about copyrite laws:

http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/


As for a quick solution to your question. A poor man's copyrite: Just take your manuscript, seal it in a manilla envelope, mail it to yourself, dont open it, and presto instant copyrite on your story......as long as you dont open the package you mail yourself, you will maintain a copyrite on your story and characters.


I belive this is how it works, if anyone out there knows different, I would love to hear it.


I hope this helps.

[Forrest]

I seem to recall something about that too, now that you mention it. That's a rad idea!

[Aik Haw]

Does these copyright laws apply in Aussie and NZ? Anyone?

Forrest:-
Unfortunately Forrest, copyright laws are in many respect unenforcable. Copyright strictly speaking must be an idea that has never been used before. In some cases, copyright is straight forward, like Windows XP( no one has come up with many ideas in Windows XP before ) or Kiln People by David Brin( so far, I have not heard of anyone with an analagous idea ).

However, what about those Celtic Reconstructionist tales like the Mist of Avalon or the Once and Future King? They are basing their settings on already established tales, their characters on known characters etc.. In this case, copyright is a little fuzzy, and the author cannot charge someone for "plagiarising" their work if I now write a story closely along the lines of the Mist of Avalon, just modifying a little bit here and there to show a difference.