C is for Copyright

In this Instagram reel, I talk about what copyright is.

Copyright is a form of intellectual property, and it’s your ownership in a tangible work. So, once you create something — a painting, a photograph, a piece of website copy, a book — you own the copyright for it.

Owning that copyright protects you and your intellectual property from being stolen. You’re always able to send a cease and desist letter to request that someone stop using or take down the infringing work (even if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). However, if you want to file a lawsuit against a copycat, you will need your copyright to be registered federally.

This isn’t necessary for a lot of creatives, but I do recommend it for some, including:
-People who write music
-Painters or fine artists, especially if you want to sell prints or license your work
-Authors

What questions do you have about copyrights?

Leah Weinberg

Leah Weinberg – founder of Weinberg Legal – is an attorney, a recovering wedding planner, and the author of The Wedding Roller Coaster. She spent a decade planning weddings in and around New York City as the owner of Color Pop Events before returning to her roots as an attorney in 2023 so she could provide legal counsel for wedding and event professionals as well as other creative entrepreneurs who want to feel better equipped to weather the ups and downs of running a small business. Leah’s work and insights have been published online and in print with Vogue, the New York Times, People, CNN, CNBC, Bravo, Martha Stewart, and The Knot, among others.

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D is for Deposit

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B is for Boilerplate