DON'T Pay for a Copyright Unless...

About this video

Dale argues you do not need to pay to copyright a book because, citing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, copyright is secured automatically when an original work is fixed in a tangible form — typed, written, spoken or recorded — with no publication or registration required. Registration still matters in specific cases: establishing a public record with irrefutable proof of ownership, pursuing or defending an infringement lawsuit (with timing conditions he tells viewers to check on the USPTO site), and filing with U.S. Customs to block imports of infringing copies. Whether to register depends on your goals: a hobbyist unlikely to sell many copies probably does not need it, while someone building a business may want the protection, depending on discretionary budget. He says registration costs $55 online or $85 by mail through the USPTO, warns against spending thousands, and points viewers to Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur for a walkthrough. The video also promotes the 6th Annual North Street Book Prize Competition.

Key takeaways

• Copyright is automatic when a work is created and fixed in a tangible form; registration is not required to claim it.
• Registering creates a public record, supports infringement lawsuits, and enables filing with U.S. Customs to stop infringing imports.
• Hobbyists may not need registration; authors building a business should weigh it against their discretionary budget.
• Dale says filing costs $55 online or $85 by mail via the USPTO — do not spend thousands on it.
• He refers viewers to Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur for a step-by-step registration walkthrough.

Episode details: published June 29, 2020 · 7:00 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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