Now we all know it's wrong to steal other people's ideas/plots but it happens all the time. More and more I am tempted to register my work or copyright it officially so can anyone tell me what they know about this agency http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/ and if it's worth doing?

Nahed

Hi Nahed,

You’ve got me worried now. What about our work uploaded on WW is that fair game? Should I be concerned.
Dawn

You can’t copyright ideas.

For instance, I have an idea for a story about a young woman living in a remote country village, trying to keep a failing business going while being distracted by an attractive man.

Sound familiar, Nahed?

It doesn’t mean I’ve stolen On The Map from you any more than you’ve stolen Paying For The Gallery from me.

You can only copyright your work. But it doesn’t have to be word-perfect. I established copyright on PFTG a long time ago by posting it to myself. Since then I have edited and rewritten it so the version I’m posting on here is not word-for-word identical to the version I have stored as copyright. The criteria to establish copyright is that it is ‘substantially similar’, which it is. No-one, for instance could mistake OTM for PFTG – or vice versa.

Perhaps David could confirm this but I have a suspicion that posting work on this site could establish copyright. The date of posting is logged. I don’t know how easy it is to alter that?

Dee.

you own the copywrite to all the work you produce providing it is your own original work doesn't stop plagarism but that is true as soon a sit emerges form your fingers onto apiece of paper.

By selectingthe write words memebers only option this stops non members seeingyour work BUT we have to assume we all are all honourable.

hope that helps

david

<Added>

sorry noticed some typos in the above suppose I should turn the light on and not type in the dark

David -- No, I'm not getting paranoid, but maybe it would be wiser to upload work for Members Eyes only. Problem is, I can't find anywhere in my WriteWords profile which would allow me to switch existing uploaded material from public to private gaze. Is there a quick way of doing this? Thanks:

Richard

Hi Richard,

I think if you click on owner edit, then scroll down to the bottom, you should see the option there.

Dee
x

Jeez, Dee, why'm I such a pillock? No. Don't answer that. Thanks for the advice: I've just rendered myself invisible to Jeffrey Archer. Not that there's anything wrong with Jeffrey Archer (my wife's brother in law).
Richardx

You are joking????

x

Dee,

I understand what you're saying and people like you and I can't help thinking on the same thread and writing similar stories . I too have established copyright on all of my work (including incomplete MSs) by the sending to yourself via registered post method - but I just feel that something more concrete is necessary particularly with the introduction of the internet into our lives. Before, people would keep schtum about their precious storylines/idea etc and just beaver away on their own to try and get somewhere with them. Now things are much different, we're uploading our work on our own websites, on writing websites such as these, we're entering competitions etc. I'm not suggesting that anyone on this website would steal another's poem/script/novel but it's not an impossibility is it? Better to be safe than sorry, I think.

Incidentally, I was reading on a website on how to submit poetry and they specifically said 'don't write 'copyright' on every poem - because it would be an 'insult' to the agent or publisher as if you're suspicious they'll steal your work. Your work is copyright the moment you put it on paper.' I think that's preposterous to expect people to be so complacent and trusting. I think I'd be more than offended if I didn't bother copyrighting my work, sent it in and then discovered it had been stolen from under my nose - all that not to offend a publisher or agent??

Getting back to the website above - has anyone used this agency at all?

Nahed

Dawn,

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Just make sure that you do copyright your work in some way before uploading it though. And make sure that it's only available to WW members. Some protection is better than none I suppose. Also, what Dee said about the date of posting on this site - might also be an additional factor in determining copyright.

Hadn't heard about those tamper proof envelopes though. Dee, do you have to ask for them at the Post Office counter? My post office is a newsagent also - they only have regular envelopes on display for sale - they probably have them behind the counter right?

Nahed x

Yes, behind the counter. If you tell them you want to post something for copyright purposes they’ll probably get very helpful. My local post office person did – he’s getting a bit blasé about it now, bless him.

They’re grey plastic and they’re barcoded and you get a signed, dated receipt with the same barcode.

Dee.

Thanks Dee will do that in future.

I never put "copyright (c)" and date and name on my work, but what I do do, is make sure I have my name and a contact number on every page of the document (usually as a very small header, about six point, so it can be read if it has to be, but isn't "in yer face"). This means that if my manuscript gets seperated from my original letter, and someone finds and likes the work, they can always contact me.

What the hell do you do if you find a good piece of work at the bottom of a slush-pile, with no contact information, but just happens to ring all the right bells. It must be tempting.

I used to be an artist in the computer games industry and have had experience of portfolios being photographed and CDs being copied while the interviewee is taken on a tour of the building.

Just thought I'd throw that little anecdote in to fire the paranoia.



Colin M.

Colin! I can almost hear everyone scrambling to remove their work offline.

It's a terrible state of affairs - but as Frank Sinatra and I'm sure many other said..'That's life...'

That sort of thing seems to happen a lot.

A couple of years ago my partner's father and a couple of his friends used to write jingles for adverts etc. They wrote one for a Twix advert and sent it to Mars corporation in the hope of selling it to them. Of course, they trusted such a large company to be honest and, therefore, didn't get a copyright first. Unfortunatly, the idea was stolen and a few months later the jingle was used on a very popular Twix ad.

I think i'll go and remove all my work now....