Placing Copyright Notices on Submissions

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DeviatedDavid

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For starters, I will proffer just one question:

When one submits a manuscript to an agent, or publisher, or periodical or anyone, should one place a copyright notice on the work?

My inclination is to put a copyright notice on the work to protect my interests.

However, some people have told me that one should refrain from placing a copyright notice on the manuscript, contending that there is something "rude" or "crass" about including a notice.

(I vaguely recall that one does not need to have a copyright notice on one's manuscript to retain one's property rights, but I also read material which indicates that your damage award -- how much moolah you get in court -- can be greater with a formal notice)

Questions:

1) Do you believe one should place a copyright notice on one's work before sending it out?

2) Do you think most writers place a copyright notice on their work before disseminating their material.

I thank you for taking the time to read this and offer informed advice.
 

Marissa D

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Definitely no. Don't do it. Agents and editors understand copyright. They don't need this pointing out to them.
 

DeviatedDavid

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My Question:

Should I feel free to put a copyright notice on manuscripts that I submit to prospective agents, publishers and other parties or should I refrain from doing this as it might be seemed as rude, brash or excessively assertive.

I am referring to a notice, something that includes your name, the word copyright and the work's date. I am NOT referring to registration.

My concerns:

I like to place a copyright notice on my material to protect my interests

I am a bit paranoid about this sort of thing. I am an attorney and I represented a party who was sued for copyright infringement.

Actually, I think that placing a notice on one's work is NOT a pre-requisite to asserting ownership rights. but the placement of a notice is helpful and can boost damage awards.

(I have written tons of stuff, but only a sorry and scant proportion of my stuff has been published.)

I will be extremely appreciative for all ideas.
 

cornflake

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My Question:

Should I feel free to put a copyright notice on manuscripts that I submit to prospective agents, publishers and other parties or should I refrain from doing this as it might be seemed as rude, brash or excessively assertive.

I am referring to a notice, something that includes your name, the word copyright and the work's date. I am NOT referring to registration.

My concerns:

I like to place a copyright notice on my material to protect my interests

I am a bit paranoid about this sort of thing. I am an attorney and I represented a party who was sued for copyright infringement.

Actually, I think that placing a notice on one's work is NOT a pre-requisite to asserting ownership rights. but the placement of a notice is helpful and can boost damage awards.

(I have written tons of stuff, but only a sorry and scant proportion of my stuff has been published.)

I will be extremely appreciative for all ideas.

Didn't you ask this in another thread?

Your stuff is copyrighted and any agent knows it. You also shouldn't be sending anything to agents who aren't reputable to begin with, so it shouldn't really be an issue.
 

Bufty

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You've a pretty good idea what the answer is from the way your question is framed in your first sentence, which should have a question mark at its end.

Should you feel free to do it? Of course - everybody is free to do it. But when sending a manuscript to an Agent it isn't necessary and simply declares - I'm a paranoid amateur. I would rather an Agent viewed me as a potential professional whom he would like to represent.

What damages would you seriously expect to obtain for me in respect of the 'theft' of my unpublished manuscript, in respect of which, incidentally, whoever 'stole' it would have to spend time and money polishing and publishing it with no guarantee of any return whatsoever?

Thieves like easy money and, as mentioned in your other similar thread, stealing an unpublished manuscript is certainly not the route to easy money.

Leave the publisher to do what is necessary at the appropriate time.

Seasons greetings to you, sir. :partyguy:
 
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AW Admin

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It makes you look amateur, and is potentially insulting. As an attorney, you should also know that placing the notification doesn't really get you anything before publication that you don't already have. Any potential rewards for damages are based on showing that the work has economic value in court.

It is not required for works published after March 1, 1989.
 

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Submit to reputable agents and publishers. They will already know who the copyright belongs to.

Don't submit to disreputable agents and publishers. That's just a bad idea :greenie
 

DeviatedDavid

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ONe of the preceding posters said that I had raised this question in another thread. I am sorry if my question was duplicative. I wasn't sure if I had an earlier thread pertaining to the same question
 

Sage

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If you check your profile, you can see your most recent posts. You can also see threads that you posted. You can most easily check your profile from any page by going to the top right and clicking on your name or "My Profile." Then you'll know what you've already posted.
 

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ONe of the preceding posters said that I had raised this question in another thread. I am sorry if my question was duplicative. I wasn't sure if I had an earlier thread pertaining to the same question

Yes; you posted essentially the same question here.

I'm going to merge this thread which you started in Ask An Agent with the similar thread you started in General Publishing Questions.
 
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