While filing on your own isn't complex, you can save time by using a copyright specialist who can take care of the legal work while you focus on your creative work. The group registration is an easy way to protect a set of poems for a single fee. You may register a single poem or up to 10 unpublished poems by using the new “Group of Unpublished Works' option. If you are required to supply a physical copy of your poetry, you can still submit your application and pay the filing fee through the eCO.

Copyright Office provides detailed information, including how-to videos, to guide you through the eCO's registration process.

If you opt to go the DIY route, you can register online through the Electronic Copyright Office (eCO). You can file yourself or use a copyright specialist to ensure the process is done correctly in minutes. Therefore, it is usually best to file your registration before publishing your poetry or sharing it with the public. Also, to be entitled to receive compensation for statutory damages and attorney's fees, your registration must be filed before the infringement or within three months after the publication of your work. However, to sue another party for copyright infringement, your poetry must be registered with the U.S. Copyright infringement laws also protect against someone creating work that is based on or derived from your poetry. Registering the copyright for your poetry enables you to enforce your rights against third parties who might try to steal your words or use them without permission.Įxamples of copyright infringement include using your poetry during a public performance and publishing your poems in any format without your knowledge or authorization. In a short amount of time and for a small fee, you can protect your work with a copyright. Copyright Office provides more effective protection from copyright violations.

However, registering your literary creations with the U.S.

For instance, if you write your poetry in a notebook or type and save it in a file format, your poetry is copyrighted. Most literary works, including poetry, are automatically copyrighted as soon as you write them down or transfer them to a tangible format.

Copyright multiple songs at once