The Poetry Here Is Great

[Steel City Slim]

It is a glimpse into the writers soul. Thanks to everyone for sharing. I am working up the nerve to post one of mine. I have one question though should I get a copyright before I post it? How do you go about getting a copyright? (OK, that's two questions.)

[oneighty]

1. I recently registered a book

with the Library of Congress-Copyright Office. I wrote them requesting the necessary application forms. Those completed forms and thirty dollars assured me a copyright.

It took about thirty days after mailing the forms, the money and two copies of my book.

180

[Steel City Slim]

3. Thanks For The Info

I have been to the LoC web site and am putting everything together now. Thanks again.

[nofurylike]

2. agree. thanks all for sharing!

this group is a great addition to DU.
thank you to founder(s)!

can't now, but if could, i'd go through thanking each and every poster here.

i love poetry


peace

[Dora]

4. I wouldn't copyright with LoC so quick...

(Hi, Poetry Group! My first post here.... I may return....)


I work at at university press (academic publisher), and issues of rights & permissions come up for us all the time.

If what you're worried about is keeping evidence that the poem is your original work and that you own it, you don't need to formally copyright it. Somebody sagely advised me years ago to simply mail the finished poems to myself (via registered mail), and do not open the envelope, thereby keeping the record intact.

If ever you should be so fortunate to have someone who is interested in publishing a collection of your work, they may be deterred by knowing that you have copyrighted each individual poem. The formal copyright process is a monster, and if you've already copyrighted work that the publisher will also want to copyright that might create problems in issuing a contract.

Now, I don't even worry about copyright anymore. Nobody's going to steal my poems, and if they do, their chances of publishing my work are just as skinny as my chances.

[Steel City Slim]

5. Copyright

Thank you for your advice. And you make a good point about the chances of anyone wanting them. Plus posting them here would also probably be some sort of documentation. I'll just mail them to myself as you suggest. On the LoC website it says that just by writing them you have the copyright, what you do there is register the copyright.

And I hope you do return.