Copyright
Copyright laws vary from country to country. In Canada, work such as illustrations and manuscripts provide a tangible medium for protection. Accordingly, copyright is automatic under common law once the work has been created. However, while registration isn’t mandatory, the Canadian government has provided an avenue for statutory registration (www.cipo.gc.ca), and from an evidentiary point of view, this is important.
Many authors double-register their manuscript and mail the document to their own addresses. This is known as “poor man’s copyright.” We recommend registration by accessing the aforementioned website and following the directions prior to submitting your manuscript.
Traditional publishing and self-publishing create a myriad of copyright, and in some cases trademark, concerns for the author. We are able to address these specific concerns by introducing you to an experienced intellectual property lawyer.