Every person who creates something needs to protect the product of his work. I remember how painful and sad it was to find out my articles published on other web-sites signed by the names of people I did not know. It happened once or twice after I had published some materials on the social media pages. Afterwards, I was mulling over possible protection…

Does copyright protect you?

Actually, there are some rules to be known by any authors, writers, artists, composers, or other creative people. For instance, it is necessary to put the word ‘copyright’ with ‘c’ in a circle along with the publication date as well as the name of the author of authorship rights owner.

The second step you should commit is to look through the legislation acts if the copyright have to be registered to come to effect. There are some countries where it is not of crucial important, and the piece of creativity is considered to be under the copyright after having written. However, in this case it is very tough to prove when the novel had been created in case it was stolen and published under another name.

One of my mates published her pictures in the Internet on the web-page of some contest. It was the condition of this competition to download the works aimed. Her paintings were of good nature, and, unfortunately, somebody stole them and pretended to be their author.

To avoid similar occasions, she had better post the links on the web-site with artist’s portfolio because in this case it is easier to prove whom the works used to belong.

Apart from that, the developed countries have solved this problem by offering the authors to register their works in the special departments, for example, in the USA it is likely to happen in the U.S. Copyright office.

What about the time of copyright?

According to Berne Convention, nearly one hundred countries are compulsory to give the copyright to the authors who have remained their citizens. This kind of protection implies that work is officially recognized as one belonging to the author during his life and fifty years after his death.

By the way, such a type of copyright protection does not require any registrations.

Traditional publishing

The traditional publishing is defined as the process of publications of writing after making a contract with the publication house. It is widely accepted to give the specific rights to the author and approve his name as the creator of the product.

Well, one thing to pay attention to not to be frustrated afterwards sounds like that. Take into consideration if you are giving the publisher exclusive or non-exclusive rights. The latest mean that you are able to publish the story in other editions, and it will not lead to any negative legal consequences.

Then, one should obviously check if the authorship rights cover only some formats, such as print, radio or TV broadcasting, or refer only to some geographic regions.

What to do if the work is stolen?

The first step to be done immediately is to send the letter of complaint to the web-site that has published your work without permission.

Next, if you have found out that something is wrong with the traditional publications, check out the contract with the editor. In case the publisher’s behavior breaks the law, it is time to appeal to a court and defend your interests basing on the contract given. Here you may need the legal consultations where the special is going to reveal you the pluses and minuses of starting the case, so, you should definitely talk to a lawyer specializing in intellectual property rights and licensing agreement review.

It’s been a while since I have done a book review. It gets harder and harder to do the books I read any justice with a half-assed book review. I’m making an exception to my own rule of needing to finish a book before you review it, as I am only halfway through The Feminine Mystique and it is one the best books on contemporary Western (North American) society I have read, and it was written in 1963. The attitudes and perceptions of the 1960s and previous decades have had a huge impact on women, women’s perceived place in society, in the office and at home.

I’ve never focused on women’s rights because I was raised in such an equal household. I never felt that I couldn’t or shouldn’t do anything, and a lot of times I wanted to do the things that “only the boys did” just to be different.

I feel lucky to have grown up that way and it certainly influences my mindset to this day: I’ve always worked in male-dominated fields and I am perfectly comfortable with that, and if I have ever felt the influence of the feminine mystique in the attitudes of others, I generally brush it off and take on a breezy, “I’ll prove you wrong” attitude. And you know what? It’s worked out for me.

I Don’t Have To Be Defensive About Being A Woman

But this book is allowing me to stop being defensive about being a woman. I admit, I have always taken an attitude along the lines of “Yeah, I’m a woman, but I’m as smart as any guy. I’m as good an athlete. I’m funny and I can hold my own and I am not all twisted up into knots about my image and my ability to catch a man.” So even though I have always had respect for a hard-working, self-made woman, I’ve belittled the idea of womanhood for a long time. It’s because there were just too many bullshit Secret commercials (remember the one that implied the most important times of a woman’s life were her wedding and her kid’s milestones?) and ridiculous romantic comedies I could not relate to. My friends are a bunch of crude and crazy women and we don’t really get a lot of the usual female stereotypes. So I always dismissed this idea of feminism and women’s rights, because I thought “I’ve got it figured out for the most part.”

Why The Feminine Mystique Is Absolutely Fascinating

Betty Friedan proved me wrong. This book is so fascinating. Although it was more prevalent in the 50s and 60s, Friedan investigates why so many women were choosing to become housewives instead of pursuing their educations or careers. And then why those same women found themselves unfulfilled, empty and frustrated. She analyzes the huge impact Freud and “Freudian” theories influenced our roles in society, our ideas of what is acceptable and expected from men and women. She is funny, candid and a timeless writer: just like my favorite fiction authors, she captures the moment and the idea.

My favorite part by far has been The Sexual Sell. Friedan herself sums it up best:

“Why is it never said that the really crucial function, the really important role that women serve as housewives is to buy more things for the house. In all the talk of femininity and woman’s role, one forgets that the real business of America is business. But the perpetuation of housewifery, the growth of the feminine mystique, makes sense (and dollars) when one realizes that women are the chief customers of American business. Somehow, somewhere, someone must have figured out that women will buy more things if they are kept in the underused, nameless-yearning, energy-to-get-rid-of state of being housewives.”

The rest of this chapter was just as enjoyable and mind-blowingly revelatory (is that a word?)  Seriously, this books gives names to ideas we’ve all vaguely had. It’s worth reading for any man or woman who wants to understand our society. I’m just past the halfway mark, and this may need another book review, but for now, I am grateful to Friedan and the movement that came after her that has allowed me for so long to simply live my life exactly as I want, enjoy my career and find fulfillment outside the home, without ever once questioning it or feeling guilty for not being home making a sandwich for my man! (Side note: those sandwiches look really, really good).

And now, everyone, I must go back to not shaving my armpits and changing all mentions of “history” to “herstory”. <Insert additional feminazi stereotype here.>