Copyright

Ok, we all deal with this. The worry that our work will get stolen.

First off, it can’t get “stolen” unless someone physically takes it from you.

But the fear is that it will be copied, or more to the point, someone copying the concept, idea or work and then claiming that they did it, or even worse, making money off it while you are not.

I can see where they might be a problem for you. But fear not. Because at the end of the day, most of us, if not all of us at some time or another, have downloaded a song or movie for free.

So stop worrying, you just ‘copied’ an idea that was published, full and complete, put in print, CD, DVD, even cellophane for all I know. It was given all kinds of numbers and registered with the copyright office and all that jazz. And… well… that did not stop it from being taken. So why should you fret?

If you put your work on the net, it is copyrighted by default. You made it, it is your work. But people will copy it anyway, that is, if you are LUCKY, people will copy your work. If not, they point, laugh and copy someone elses work.

I’d be like “HEY! Hey get back here and copy this Stuff! It’s worth stealing damn it! I worked hard on that drawing, and I don’t want you to steal it because it is mine, but can you like please steal it boost my ego… please…“

So, don’t worry about your idea or story or anything, even if you do get into a book, or printed, or what have you, if someone is planning on ‘copying’ the work, they will.

You won’t stop them by hiding it, you will only stop yourself from expressing it.

End of story.

You will not write one word better, you will not sing one song better, and you will not stop one day from passing by worrying about it.

Will it deprive you money?

Oh yah. Just like those music tracks deprived the artists money, works the same way in the end of things.  But, such is the way of life. Before the internet people stole books and paintings. They made copies of ideas and sold reprints. It is the nature of people. Huddling that next great thing the basement just means mold will steal it from you, it won’t protect it.

Last I checked. people even copied and sold money passing it off as the real deal. Not like you see the government saying “I guess we might not want to let people play with our money if they are going to copy it”.. NO! They make it harder and harder, each time with the challenge “Try and copy this one!”

Success gets you 20 years in prison, once they catch you, or a really good job at trying to make it harder for the next guy to copy the money, maybe both. Because even counterfeiting is an art form, just like printing the money in the first place.

But truthfully, like the lyrics of a song or the ingredients of a recipe, an idea for a book or story like is subject to the talent of the artists. No one is going to copy your chapter 1, because then they have to write chapter 2 and if they don’ have your talents they will fall flat.

I could give the same plot and story idea, even the story line to a thousand people, and at the end of the say get a thousand different stories back, all written different ways. I could even give them the cast, the back drop, and a few cute fuzzy dice and still get completely different stories back.

Each person will think of things differently, they will develop their own way to weave a tale and that is what makes an author special. Not an idea, not a plot, not some words on a page or a chapter here and there.

It is the overall package that sets them apart. Steal my chapter 1, you will never mimic a chapter 2 as well as I can write it, and you can’t guess what I have planned for chapter 27.4 so HA!

No one can steal creativity, they can only copy what the creative have made.

So when you put your work up, and ask others to review it, or what have you, do so knowing that no one can take your talents, no one can steal your creativity.

But at the same time, if you don’t do something, no one will ever see your work.

Find out more about Copyright at the Copyright Office.

Display Fearlessly.