By Jennifer Braddock – Editor
Every new writer has that one fear: What if someone steals my story? You’ve poured your soul into your manuscript.
The idea of someone swiping it and cashing in is the stuff of literary nightmares.
Take a breath. The good news? You have more protections than you think, and they’re easier to access than you realize.
Ways Writers Can Protect Their Work:
- Copyright Automatically Applies: The moment you put your story into a fixed form, like typing it in a document, saved in the cloud, or printed out, it’s automatically protected by copyright law. You own it, even if you haven’t registered it.
- Register with the U.S. Copyright Office: While copyright is automatic, registration adds teeth. It gives you the right to sue for statutory damages and attorney’s fees if someone actually does steal your work. It’s cheap insurance, about $45 to $65 to register online at copyright.gov.
- Keep Good Records
Save dated drafts, emails to critique partners, and notes to yourself. Metadata and timestamps can be useful evidence of originality and creation dates.
- Use Trusted Sharing Platforms
If you’re sharing with beta readers or critique groups, choose platforms with built-in version tracking. Google Docs or Dropbox are good options. If you’re really concerned, ask your readers to sign a simple non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This isn’t common in most writing circles.
Myths to Avoid:
- Poor Person’s Copyright: Mailing your manuscript to yourself is outdated and largely useless in court.
- Someone Will Steal It Just Because You Shared It: In reality, theft of unpublished stories is incredibly rare. It’s good to have confidence that you have a great story. Most professionals have enough ideas and are too busy creating their own work to bother with stealing yours.
- Your story deserves to be heard and not hoarded: Equip yourself with the facts, take a few simple steps, and then speak up boldly. After all, the bigger risk isn’t theft, it’s never letting anyone read your work at all out of fear.
Your Call to Action:
Ready to protect your writing and publish with confidence? Share this post with your writing group and check out our guide to registering your first copyright step-by-step.
Do you have questions or comments? Ask Besty Bot about the writing craft and how to publish your book with Best Chance Media!
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💡Worried about your story getting stolen? Learn how to protect your work, what counts as first publication, and why fear shouldn’t stop you from sharing. #WritingTips #Copyright #AmWriting #IndieAuthors #WritersCommunity https://bestchancemedia.org/2025/01/09/how-to-safeguard-your-manuscript-from-theft/
