Writing

yellerpup

(12,263 posts)

7. Ideas can't be copyrighted.

Reply to Baitball Blogger (Original post)

Sat Jul 21, 2012, 09:58 AM

Jul 2012

Your script or your book should be copyrighted after they are finished so you can have proof is someone wants to sue you in court for 'stealing' their idea. I know an author whose publisher spent $10s of thousands of dollars defending her/their copyright against a person who legally had her name changed to my friends name AFTER my friend's book came out! She claimed that she had written this best seller and the original author had stolen it. I don't know why it took so long and took so much money to get such a bogus case booted out of court, but the lesson I took from it is to protect your work early because you never know when you'll have to fight for it.

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Highlight:

Question about Queries and copyrights. [View all] Baitball Blogger Jul 2012 OP

Yes it is possible. PoliticAverse Jul 2012 #1

So, even when I submit my query for examination, I'm Baitball Blogger Jul 2012 #2

That's why you should only deal with reputable agents... PoliticAverse Jul 2012 #3

Manuscripts are copyrighted, but ideas are not. pnwmom Aug 2012 #11

An idea is not a book. Ideas are easy; writing books is hard. mainer Jul 2012 #4

I often say that ideas are a dime a dozen. SheilaT Jul 2012 #5

Thanks mainer. Baitball Blogger Jul 2012 #6

Ideas can't be copyrighted. yellerpup Jul 2012 #7

Sounds like copyrighting is the way to go. Baitball Blogger Jul 2012 #8

I think she must have been crazy. yellerpup Jul 2012 #9

Thanks! Baitball Blogger Jul 2012 #10