You've finished the manuscript, and now you want to protect your work so that it is recognized as exclusively yours. One TX form can solve this quickly, so read on to find copyright your work.
Instructions
1. Click on the Short Form TX PDF document from the Copyright Forms page.
2. Enter (or write, if you've printed the document out) the title of the manuscript on Line 1.
3. Fill in your name, address, email address and phone number on Line 2. This step is important because if the Library of Congress needs to contact you, this information must be accurate. Otherwise it will delay your registration. It is not a good idea to use public fax numbers, especially if you don't have regular access to them, because you never know when the Library of Congress may have to send you something.
4. Insert the year when the manuscript was created in Line 3. If you started on this manuscript in 2003 but did not finish it until 2008, write 2003. The idea of the creation date is to tell when the manuscript was first put on paper.
5. Enter the date and nation of publication if this manuscript has already been published on Line 4.
6. Click or write a check mark next to each box in Line 5 for all that is included in this manuscript. If you have images from a photographer that is not yourself, make sure that these images have not already been copyrighted. If they have, remove them from the document or make sure to have the copyright symbol and name for the photographer or artist who has claimed these images in plain sight.
7. Sign your name on Line 6. The Copyright Office will accept digital signatures, but it must be a legitimate signature, not a copy of one.
8. Mark the check box if the contact information from Line 7 is yourself, but if there is an additional person who needs to be contacted about your copyright registration--such as a lawyer, literary agent or business partner--include their information here.
9. Write or type out your name and full mailing address in Step 8. When the TX form is mailed back to you, it will be in a window envelope with your printed address, so please make it neat. Sloppy handwriting can delay your TX form's return.
