Regarding Language used in Self-Publishing

[DMNinja]

I've been sitting on the idea of creating a publishing house explicitly so I'm able to protect my literary work. Both present and future.

Although my primary and only focus is on my freelance work that could turn into a full-scale business, I've found that I enjoy writing on my "down time" so to speak. And since I'm writing (and have released) literary works under no copyright, I might as well secure my IP at the very least.

Being an outsider to the writing space, my very first thought was to search online for terms relative to my current goal, but it dawned on me that I don't know the INSIDERS language at all. Can I get a few pointers of what I should be searching for? @MTF @MJ DeMarco I know you're both self-published, and it made sense to ask for your input. Any an all pointers are greatly appreciated

I must emphasize again that this is not my focus, but rather my past-time. I do not have any plans regarding making a living through writing, but I also don't want for my work to be abused and monetized by anyone else other than me. On the 40-page long work I've released, I've already had one recommendation to turn it into an audiobook. I've got another project that I wish to write and THAT one I want to monetize, due to its sheer scope and transient demand.

 

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[MTF]

You gain copyright the moment you start working on your book. I wouldn't worry about setting any entities to protect it further until you write something that becomes a huge bestseller.

Nobody will abuse or monetize your work unless you're a well-known author. And even then, setting up a publishing house won't protect you. You can't win with piracy and it shouldn't even be your concern.

 

[DMNinja]

You gain copyright the moment you start working on your book.

Nobody will abuse or monetize your work unless you're a well-known author. And even then, setting up a publishing house won't protect you. You can't win with piracy and it shouldn't even be your concern.

What do you mean exactly? The way i've been doing things is by writing (in LaTeX) and just posting the .pdf (updated) each week within the group that's reading it. I'm not monetizing this piece of work, but I'll be having a donation link for optional support.

Do you think the work's already copyrighted? Since I'm not publishing on any platform, or in any place that the author's name (mine) is "protected"

EDIT: I don't worry about piracy per se, since that will only bring more people to my works, but I DO worry about the content being transcoded into another format (YouTube, someone's website) and monetized without appropriate credit being given. I'm writing on something that's got a built-in audience, and it's mostly an instruction manual of sorts

 

[DMNinja]

So, I've started uncovering up words of the field, and I think that the following applies:

Both Greece and Cyprus are members of the Berne Convention of Copyright. Meaning that Copyright is created automatically. In Cyprus as well as in the European Union and in most countries there is no process of registering and certifying copyright. In case of infringement of copyright, however, many are the ways which can witness and evidence in court the ownership of copyright.

I'd also go right ahead and conclude that the thing that is required is PROOF of copyright, not registering copyright itself in case of protecting your work. For that there are copyright houses that must be recognized by the country the copyright is set in. A trademark is a different thing altogether, and if I look into this any further, it's a cart before the horse type of situation

 

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