Poetry contest copyright question?

Question

I'm submitting a poem I wrote to a poetry contest, do you think it's a good idea to copyright it first?

Answer 1

No. Your original writing legally belongs to you as soon as you put pen to paper. You can purchase a certificate for your copyrighted work at www.copyright.gov, but this is NOT necessary. As long as you are submitting your work to a legitimate institution and not an online scam, you are perfectly safe and protected.

Some people might suggest that you mail yourself a copy of your work and leave the envelope sealed and dated, as proof of authorship. This is called "poor man's copyright" and does NOT work. It has never been upheld in court. You can read more about it on the copyright.gov page.

Answer 2

To get your poem marked with 'copyright' you have to have your matter registered under the purview certain law(Printing & Publishing law), and for that you shall have to consult a lawyer.

Answer 3

i really dont know but you probably should.