Q. I have written a short story which I would like to try and have published. Do I need to " copyright" it to protect myself before I start sending it to publishers?
A. The law gives the creators of literary works (and also dramatic, musical, artistic works, sound recordings, broadcasts and films) automatic rights to control the ways in which their material may be used. This is known as "copyright" and it arises automatically whenever an individual creates such a work. It would therefore be an offence for another to copy of adapt your book without your consent.
To qualify for protection a work must be original and contain a degree of labour, skill or judgement. There is no central registry of copyrighted works and the protection applies automatically at law once the works have been created. You therefore are not required to do anything to protect your book as such. However, as evidence that the book was created by you at a specific time you might wish to leave a completed copy of the manuscript with my firm as this may help you in the event of any future dispute.
Incidentally, for literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, copyright protection lasts for 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author of the work dies.
Should you have a queries regarding a legal matter please contact Keith Swan of Patterson, Glenton & Stracey Solicitors by email at ks@pgslaw.co.uk or by telephone on 0808 231 7043. Patterson, Glenton & Stracey have provided legal advice to the people of South Tyneside for over 125 years. For details of their full range of services and to view previous Gazette articles please log on to www.pgslaw.co.uk.
