Question: Copy right and email!?
If you write a poem or story and email either to a friend/family member or yourself can that show that it was yours if you also have proof that it start with you!?
I resently trusted a friend to help me edit a story I'm working on!. We had a falling out and I'm not sure I can trust her any longer!. I don't want her to be able to take credit for something I've worked to hard on for so long!. This will be the last time I trust anyone to help with my work, but for now its too late!.
What can I do as of now to protect my work!?
I have a few close friends that can and will state in court that the work is mine if it comes to that, but I want to nip it in the butt now if possible!.
Again I will never trust anyone else like this again!. I have learned my lesson!.
I'm not asking for opinions on copy rights!. I want to know how I can protect my work from someone stealling it and claiming its theirs!. I personallyWww@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Mailing or emailing work to yourself does not enhance or take the place of copyright!.
However, you can breathe easier than you were, because the moment you create a work and save it to a fixed medium (paper, computer, tablecloth, wall), it is copyrighted!. The part where you contact the Library of Congress' Copyright Office is the *registration* of your existing copyright!.
How can you protect your story after your falling out!? You can make sure you save all emailed or written correspondence about the story in question!. You keep your notes and research!. You keep early drafts!. You keep all paper or electronic copies your friend might have edited or marked!. Your statement in court that this is your work won't carry much weight without a "paper trail" to back it up!. (Neither will your friend's!.)
In the end, the best thing to do is a substantial rewrite, making changes that both improve the work and make it different from anything your friend contributed to!. Change the setting, in terms of place, time, or both!. Make the protagonist someone older, younger, from another culture, of the other gender!. Change the end!.
Then you can freely sell that puppy, knowing it's entirely your own!.
FWIW, it's hard to sell a story, so the chances of your friend succeeding at selling your story as hers are not all that high!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
If you end up in some kind of battle to demonstrate who wrote the story and who owns the copyright, yes, the e-mail trial and computer history of the document would be good evidence!.
The only sure way to keep people from stealing your work and claiming authorship is to never show it to anyone, but that defeats the purpose!. The next best thing is to keep good records showing when you wrote it, etc!. Have a witness you showed it to!. Keep e-mails, etc!. This doesn't prevent stealing, but should help you prove that it is yours when someone falsely claims otherwise!.
I take you at your word you don't want an answer telling you about copyright!.Www@QuestionHome@Com