how do i get one of my poems copyrighted?

Answer 1

Publish them.... get them stamped offically with the date... I heard that one simple way is to mail them back to yourself, so it gets the postal stamp on them. However, I am not sure of this and it might be best to check a copyright lawyer. I mostly publish my own poems online on my own personal blog or my website.

I have had two however printed in a book. So those I have officially copyrighted by the book publisher.

Answer 2

"A work that is created (fixed in tangible form for the first time) after January 1, 1978, is automatically protected from the moment of its creation and is given a term lasting
for the author’s life, plus an additional 70 years after the author’s death."

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf


The Warlock's right about mailing it to yourself ("poor man's copyright"). I did that with a recording session my boy did a few years back. Just wrap it up and have the post office guy postmark it.

Answer 3

Poor mans copy write. Put the poem in am envelope and seal it, then mail it to your self but do not reopen it as long as it is post marked and sealed it serves as a form of copy write

Answer 4

i know of one easy way put your poem in an envelope and mail it to your self at the post office and when it arrives DO NOT OPEN IT this should hold you till you can I think this is called a poor mans copy right

Answer 5

You send a copy of it to the copyright office with payment, and they file it as copyrighted!!!