Copyright information?

Question

I would like to make some T-Shirts with witty (hopefully) original slogans on them and sell in a public forum such as a website or Ebay. How do I copyright the sayings so that no one else can profit from them?

Answer 1

Here's a fun presentation from the copyright office made especially for students and teachers. It's easy to watch and understand, and it should answer your question:

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/copyrightmys...

But I don't think the copyright office will register witty sayings and slogans:

The Copyright Office cannot register claims to exclusive rights in brief combinations of words such as:

    * Names of products or services

    * Names of businesses, organizations, or groups (including the name of a group of performers)

    * Names of pseudonyms of individuals (including pen name or stage name)

    * Titles of works

    * Catchwords, catchphrases, mottoes, slogans, or short advertising expressions

    * Mere listings of ingredients, as in recipes, labels, or formulas. When a recipe or formula is accompanied by explanation or directions, the text directions may be copyrightable, but the recipe or formula itself remains uncopyrightable.

Generally, anything you create is copyrighted the minute you create it and publish, or show it.

You can glean some good information from creativecommons.org:

http://creativecommons.org/international...