how would you go about copy writing/protecting an idea or phrase??

Answer 1

John1212 is wrong: "names, titles and short phrases or expressions are not subject to copyright protection." Check out Circular 34 on the U.S. Copyright Office's website. The list of short phrases that the Copyright Office cannot register includes "catchwords, catchphrases, mottoes, slogans, or short advertising expressions."

As i8pikachu said, learn the differences between copyright, trademarks and patents. For example, J.K. Rowling HAS registered the titles of her Harry Potter books (plus others she once considered using) for trademark protection.

Answer 2

#1 You cannot copywrite an idea. "I have this idea for a new electronic, self-propelled potato peeler." You have nothing. Once you have INVENTED your potato peeler (you have a working prototype), you can patent it. But you aren't looking for a patent. You can't patent your writing. You COPYWRITE your writing.
#2 You can copywrite a phrase or any other writing you have actually created. As another person had suggested, write down the "catchy new phrase" and mail it to yourself. Make a note of some sort on the outside of the envelop to remind yourself of what is inside the envelop.
#3 Anything you write and publish-- wherever you publish it-- is automatically copywrited merely by having your name appear on it. One good example of a "catch phrase" that is now universal is the line from "Dirty Harry" that Clint Eastwood ("Harry Calahan") spoke. "Okay, punk! Make my day!" Unfortunately, the phrase is now attributed to Clint Eastwood and Dirty Harry, not the script writer or the novel's author.
This is a warning to you. Never-- NEVER -- put any writing "out there" that doesn't contain your "by-line' (today's equivalent of a copywrite). A byline is simply "My great idea", ->by John Doe<-
It would be advisable as well for you to do a search on "copywrite" and "patent" on the web so you know what the heck you're talking about!
Good luck!
I myself-- as an author / poet for over 40 years, have looked forward to the day when the world would quote me. Unfortunately, I didn't copywrite an early phrase of mine, which is now UNIVERSAL jargon, and if I told you what it was, you wouldn't believe me.
So DO copywrite anything you invent. I DID invent a few new "slang terms" in my upcoming novel.
Once they're in print (like in your novel or article) "they're yours."

Answer 3

Learn the differences between copyright, trademarks, and patents:

http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/tac/doc/basic/trade_defin.htm

About patents, you cannot protect ideas, unfortunately. You can only protect inventions or improvements to inventions and it has to be documented in fine detail in a working product (at least on paper) with the Patent agency -- mailing it to yourself will not help with Patents or Trademarks.. Otherwise it's simply an idea and people can take it from you. But mailing to yourself is useful for copyright (of course not for ideas).

Learn about the invention process:
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/invention_process.html

Answer 4

A simple way would be to write it down and mail it to yourself so that it has the date from the post office.

Answer 5

you need to fill out a form and send a small payment to the library of congress....google it, ok

Answer 6

Please, everybody, it's COPYRIGHT, not copywrite!