Can you copywrite an idea for a book before you have actually written & published it

Question

I have heaps of ideas I am working on but I am just wondering if I should somehow copywrite them or something otherwise once I get round to finishing them then someone could have something similar out there and it might seem like I had got the idea from their work rather then just having my ideas sitting aside for a while.

How do I go about copywriting something? Thanks

Answer 1

well take some of what u writen copy it and send it in the mail to ur self the post office with stap it with that date and all that that way u have some proof of the date u writen after that finish it up do the same things then i dont know how u copywrited it exactly but u have proof of the date u did it and if anyone takes u can use that to take em to court also dont open it once u get it keep it sealed and put of somewhere untl u get it published

Answer 2

Any idea cannot be the subject of a copywrite for several reasons.  First, you can't show that no one has ever had that same idea.  Only an original work -- the book -- protected.  

Answer 3

Well ideas so long they are not translated in black and white, are not entitled for copyright protection. These have to be expressed in some material form. Once the idea is transformed to some material form and even though it is not published, it will be the property of author capable of copyright protection subject to the condition that it must fall within the definition of "work".