Intellectual property

[Gerrit]

First of all: this is a serious question, just not sure where else to put it but in the break room ...

I was wondering, since I write very often (a whole variety from proza to articles and essays) ... Sometimes I spend a lot of emotional energy on my writings, or hours and hours of research. The times when I feel proud about the result (which happens not all the times obviously) I do feel like I would like to "copyright" my writings.

In my native country there is an organisation which deals with intellectual property, ranging from songs to literature and essays. People can register their writing in a sort of "depot" and thereby become the official owner of their creation. Even while I live abroad already for several years, the organisation in my native place was the first one where I checked. Registering your writing is easy, but it's bloody expensive. 30 to 40 euro per piece, for one writing with a relatively high frequency that's a bit disencouraging. I will probably inform as well how things are elsewhere where I'd have the right to do it (I'm not sure if you can register your writings anywhere you wish or if it has to be in either your country of citizenship or country of residence)

Anyways, since many young artists probably want to use such protection, I'm sure an affordable option must exist? Does anyone know about this and have some hints for me?

PS: not claiming that I'd be a talented writer, I just write to vent my emotions. However, regardless if other people would like my writings, they are my creations and there is an emotional connection with them. Hence why I'd like to register them in my name, even when I know I probably won't be the next big novelist

 

[Gerrit]

Well, I did a lot of research and calling around and appears that here it is quite cheap. Less than 5 € to register a piece of proza, a collection of poems, an article or collection thereof, ... Easy and cheap

The one thing I still didn't grasp is the difference between copyright and intellectual property. It was explained to me by one guy working for the local governmental office for intellectual property as follows: "copyright is basically a sign indicating not to copy the creation - it is mostly used for programs, designs and technical items. When you want to prove your authorship and hold the rights (= legally own ??) your poems or articles or proze, you don't have to care about copyrights but about intellectual property". The latter can be registered at the local governmental office for less than 5€ per item you register ; but is the explanation above true that intellectual property gives you the rights to what you wrote (= you legally own it) and that copyright is a totally different thing?


PS: intellectual property is valid in all countries who signed the Bern treaty (which in practice is like 90% of the world) and the intellectual property/authorship is valid until 70 years past the death of the author. That is what I was explained.