Hello, SEers! Mae here, tossing out a question about copyright. Do you, or don’t you?

We all know that from the moment we create an original work, it belongs to us. Should it stray elsewhere, proving ownership is another matter. Yes, your work is “out there” on Amazon with a date stamp, but is that enough if push comes to shove?

When I first started snooping around the idea of publication in my twenties, I came across Common Law Copyright or “Poor Man’s Copyright.” The concept was simple: seal your work in an envelope and send it to yourself certified mail. Once received, you put it away, and if ever needed, you’re able to prove the work is yours as of the postage date. Or at least that’s the way it’s supposed to work, but a Common Law Copyright will not hold up in court.

By the time I actually…