A. Well, the short answer is no. Generally speaking, the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) does not allow for titles or character names to be registered as trademarks. You can register the name of a series, however! The purpose of a trademark is to connect a product to a producer – when a reader sees “The Chronicles of Narnia” on a book, we want them to associate it with the same quality-crafted material they have read in other books with the same title. It is possible to register character names (or in some cases, logos of characters) for trademarks as well. Ultimately, the USPTO looks at the overall fame and notoriety associated with a proposed mark to decide whether a trademark is warranted. Applicants often find that having a strong, clear, and consistent brand can help provide a strong foundation for a trademark application. That strong brand presence may often include things like offering merchandise beyond the books – apparel, stickers, posters, etc.

A. Generally speaking, the answer is yes! While there are some exceptions, you can’t usually register your real name as a trademark. However, if you meet the criteria required by the USPTO, you can register a Pen Name as a trademark to better protect your name from others.

A. A copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression. What does “original” mean, exactly? Well, that’s been left intentionally vague. The most straightforward answer is one where the work is independently created without the influence of others, or without directly copying. If you’re unsure whether your work might qualify as copyrightable material, it never hurts to speak with an attorney to see what your options may be!

A. While copyright exists automatically in an original work of authorship once it is “fixed” (the legal term for your work being made permanent in some manner), registration improves the protections you receive – most notably that registration is necessary to enforce the exclusive rights of copyright through litigation. Registration can take place at any time, but generally speaking, the earlier the better.

A. It may be more than you think. Many types of works qualify for federal copyright protection – paintings, photographs, illustrations, musical compositions, sound recordings, computer programs, books, movies, poems, blog posts, and in some cases, even handouts made by your business!