Copyright & Your Creative Work
Own a book, photo, song, or design? You already hold the copyright the moment you create it — no filing required. Plain-English guides to what registration actually gets you, statutory damages and attorney’s fees, and how to handle copyright demand letters and image “troll” scams without panicking or ignoring a real claim.
All Copyright & Your Creative Work guides
- Copyright Registration: What It Actually Gets You
Copyright registration doesn’t create your rights, but it decides how you can enforce them. Statutory damages, attorney’s fees, the right to sue, and why timing matters.
- Do I Need to Register a Copyright to Own My Work?
Do you need to register a copyright to own your book, photo, or song? No — copyright is automatic the moment you create it. What registration does (and doesn’t) change.
- Copyright Demand Letters and Image “Troll” Scams: Know Your Rights
Got a scary letter demanding thousands for using an image? How copyright demand-letter and “troll” schemes work, what the law actually requires, and how to respond wisely.