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My Q, is is it true that once i have written a book, i automatically have rights to it, therefore, no one steal my book and claim it is theirs? my goal is to get it published... thanks

2007-02-19 16:14:11 · 2 answers · asked by debra_ehu 2 in Arts & Humanities Books & Authors

2 answers

yes, you do automatically have copyright. there are different laws in different countries though, so you will have to look it up in regards to where you come from. if you are in australia, the uk or the us (as well as some other countries) the berne convention might cover you.

The 1886 Berne Convention first established recognition of copyrights among sovereign nations, rather than merely bilaterally. Under the Berne Convention, copyrights for creative works do not have to be asserted or declared, as they are automatically in force at creation: an author need not "register" or "apply for" a copyright in countries adhering to the Berne Convention. As soon as a work is "fixed", that is, written or recorded on some physical medium, its author is automatically entitled to all copyrights in the work, and to any derivative works unless and until the author explicitly disclaims them, or until the copyright expires.

Typically, a work must meet minimal standards of originality in order to qualify for copyright, and the copyright expires after a set period of time (some jurisdictions may allow this to be extended). Different countries impose different tests, although generally the requirements are low. However, while a copyright need not be officially registered for the copyright owner to begin exercising his exclusive rights, registration of works (where the laws of that jurisdiction provide for registration) does have benefits; it serves as prima facie evidence of a valid copyright and enables the copyright holder to seek statutory damages and attorney's fees (whereas in the USA, for instance, registering after an infringement only enables one to receive actual damages and lost profits). The original holder of the copyright may be the employer of the actual author rather than the author himself if the work is a "work for hire". Again, this principle is widespread; in English law the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 provides that where a work in which copyright subsists is made by an employee in the course of that employment, the copyright is automatically assigned to the employer.

2007-02-19 16:27:46 · answer #1 · answered by Minerva 5 · 2 0

A; Get copyright forms from library of congress.
B; Self publish is best way to go.

2007-02-20 00:27:16 · answer #2 · answered by ancientcityentertainment 2 · 0 0

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