“ Does my book get automatically copyrighted as I write it?” This is a question asked a lot in writer circles. 

The answer is “yes—if it is an original work.”

But, if you want extra “protection”, you can register your book with the U.S. Copyright Office. This gives you the ability to sue someone for damages who you feel is infringing on your rights. (I feel the history of your writing on your computer will prove without a doubt that you wrote the book and when, however.)

It really is as simple as that.

When I began writing, I published several screenplays. Somehow, I felt they were different than a book, so I ran off paper copies. I sent them to the US Copyright office. In a few weeks, one was sent back to me and I’ve kept it, sealed, to this day. It took a lot of work and postage to do this. I’m not sure I would ever do it again.

It’s up to you. If you have more peace of mind doing an added layer of protection, there is certainly nothing wrong with that.