Popular -Acquiring a copyright for intellectual property (often defined as “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible form of expression”) is an important step in guaranteeing yourself the full legal protections and rights that come with owning your original work. In the United states, copyrights often have exclusive protections that help protect you from people unlawfully using your original creations. Having a valid Copyright Registration form completed and properly filed will help ensure that should your work ever be misused by another party, you will have the power to pursue litigation.

Copyright Registration forms come in a variety of categories and types in order to ensure that the registration is valid when filed. Copyright Registration for Literary Works can include a number of written work ranging from fiction and nonfiction to poetry, games, and computer programs. However, screenplays and stage plays fall under the “Performing Arts” category, and should be registered with the appropriate forms. Copyright Registration for Visual Arts includes protections for works of graphic art, design, sculptures, paintings, and cartoons.

Because Copyright is registered with the federal government (specifically, the U.S. Copyright Office), there is no need to use state-specific forms when attempting Copyright Registration. It is more important to use the forms specific to the medium of intellectual property that you will be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in order to ensure that your Copyright Registration goes through as smoothly as possible.