Issues on copyright are hot topics in the creative world. From movies, to music, and authorship, people have been disputing the legal concept of copyright.

If you are an aspiring writer, then educating yourself about copyright protection will help you to avoid creative legalities in the future. Aside from this, claiming copyright for your originally-created book will benefit you in many ways, not only as a book writer but also as the creator.

Tip 1: What Is Copyright?

A copyright is a legal concept, afforded by most government laws, that grants the creator exclusive rights to his or her own work, such as ownership and distribution, making derivatives of the work, public performance and public display. It also grants the creator, or whoever holds the copyright, the privilege for others to credit your work if they use any part of it.

Copyright protection ensures the copyright holder gets paid royalties from use of his copyrighted creations. Because it is a form of intellectual property, a copyrighted item cannot be directly imitated or claimed from the holder without proper negotiations.

Copyright laws dictate that the author becomes the copyright owner, unless he or she sells or transfers the rights. Also, in some cases, the copyright may belong to the employer of the person who created the work, especially when the particular piece was made for hire.

Some examples of copyrightable work include literature, music, films and many forms of art. All of these arts are usually original and the results of significant labor, creativity and even financial investment. Protecting them from incorrect exploitation from other people is justifiable.

Tip 2: How Can I Violate Copyright Laws?

Writers who use the work of others to gain ideas and inspiration is common. However, when one copies an original piece and distributes it as his own, then this is a different issue. This act of copying, displaying, distributing or creating a plagiarized version of a copyrighted piece is called copyright infringement.

Copyright infringement can be a serious offense, especially if a copyright holder sues for violations to misuse of his works. Penalties for this crime can include a fine of $100,000 in the U.S. However; copyright infringement has certain exceptions, such as The Fair Use Act, which allows someone to use a copyrighted work without compensation for educational purposes.

Tip 3: How Can I Make The Copyright Law Work For Me?

The copyright law does not exist to condemn those who plagiarize. In fact, it exists primarily to protect creators' works of creativity and to encourage people to produce more advancement in society, culture and the arts.

Owning a copyright allows you to earn more money from your creation. As an author, this can protect your right to distribute your own book without having to worry that fake and cheaper copies of your work will circulate in the market -- if this happens, you would obviously lose money.

Owning a copyright protects the dignity of your work because it prevents people from exploiting it without your consent. Copyright gives you control over your work. After all, you worked hard to create your book, and it would be a shame if people just copied it, claimed it as their own, or used it without properly asking for permission -- and perhaps using it in ways with which you do not approve.

Remember that copyrighted works are usually the result of creativity, originality, hard work and financial investment; without protection, people may find it easy to exploit your material without compensation.