Copyright Trademarks etc!

I know this information is all over the Internet but I'm sure someone will save me some time and answer the questions!! ;) Thanks!

I am about to start a blog with what I think is quite a catchy name and is currently not any trademark. There is no other blog like it that I can see so there is a gap in the market for it. At the moment I'm only doing it for a laugh but it is easily possible to see how IF it got a good follow how it could be picked up and products sold from it. However, I don't want to spend hundreds of pounds registering the title for something that may or may not happen and is just insurance!
 

In addition a friend will be doing the pictures for the blog which I would certainly want copyrighted because you could easily see them being used. Again, if down the line the Blog took off down other avenues the pictures would be part and parcel of the "line".
 

What is the best way to protect our work without spending hundreds of pounds?! is there indeed a way?
I came accross this site http://www.protectmywork.com/ Is that an option? Would it cover me for someone taking the idea and Blogging something similar, would it protect the title and would it protect the pictures?

I intend to buy all the domains with the title in them so no-one can register the title in any domain which is probably sensible?  

Thanks!

Speak to 4Ner Karen Hensman

Kev

Thanks Kev

Ok you have two points there, copyright is automatic in the UK, there is no requirement to reigster it anywhere!! I personally would not bother with Protectmywork as it doesn't strengthen your rights in anyway.  That said it is my opinion and I know others may disagree.  What I would do is keep accurate dated copies of work, even to the extent of sending it to yourself in the post so that it gets independently date verified by the post office.  Almost all copyright cases will come down to who can prove they created the work and when they created it.  That is all companies like ACID and Protectmywork are doing, giving you an independent date.  More of an issue is that if someone else is creating the work for you, technically, they own the copyright.  You should get it assigned over to you formally or make sure there is a paper trail or terms and conditions that clearly state you own the copyright.

Trade Marks, you can register these yourself online for as little as £170 and it lasts for 10 years.  If someone copies your name, or uses something similar and you don't have a registration you would have to rely on unregistered rights (passing off) and that can be very costly and complicated to prove.  How valuable is your name?  Only you can decide but if it does go big I would strongly recommend you register it quickly.  If you don't feel confident about undertaking the legal process of registration yourself then give me a shout.

Buying all of the domains you would be worried about a third party using is a good strategy but you will need to be sensible otherwise it will get quite expensive quite quickly.

Happy to chat if you think it would be useful.

Cheers Karen

Trouble is, I am actually only just doing it for a laugh. It's what I do as a sideline for myself and sometimes for friends. I don't consider it work, it is a laugh and a challenge. BUT, in Googling for similar things found nothing, just one American site that sells a book by an individual that does the same but in America without a blog just sells a book and a review points out a fundamental flaw in what he does. There is nothing. So the Blog in itself fills a gap. So whilst I'm doing it for a hobby I'm savvy enough to realise that if it got picked up at all (if of course the writing is of any decent level!!!) that products could come from the services which could come from the Blog because again there is a gap in the market for it. Having now seen this gap, I could in theory get a business plan together and start a new enterprise but to be perfectly honest I can't actually be bothered!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ten years ago I would have sunk my teeth into it and it would have been succesful without doubt but now with a four year old in tow I know how much work is involved in starting a new business and I don't really want to do it! So even forking out a couple of hundred quid seems steep when I'm not seriously looking at developing a business.

However! That said, I know what I am like and if there is a glimpse of possibility I know I'll want to develop it. Ideally go in with someone and even be a silent partner who just comes up with ideas!

I do have a friend who I hope will do the illustrations for the Blog. He'll be doing it as a favour to me as we won't be making any money. However, 1) he's good and I wouldn't want his work copied and 2) I'd be happy to go into business with him (I know you shouldn't with friends!) and would want to do it fairly. So there is another question there. I MAY provide services from the site which wouldn't need any pictures so would envisage all profits being mine? But products would all have images and my writing. What would be the cut/percentage?

As I say I'm doing it just for a laugh really but do see the potential and don't want to be kicking mysefl 6 months down the line when someone nicks the idea.

Posed the question on LinkedIn as well and someone suggested http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/  is that as pointless as the other one do you think? Don't these sites help in proving dates and evidence of existence for web content which you can't post to yourself?

Was thinking of buying the domains .org .uk. and .com

Thanks!!

Any cut or percentage is purely on negotation, there are no set standards, each case is different.

That other website is the same as all the others, there are hundreds out there offering to register your copyright, all they are doing is giving you a date.  If you cannot think of any other way of proving a date then by all means use them, it just seems a pointless waste of money when you don't actually need them as there are other ways of proving dates yourself which are free, all you need to do is think about them in advance.

If its just for fun and you are not worried about anyone copying it then don't worry about protecting the IP!!  Its a business decision really, is it valuable - if so then do something about it, if not and you don't care because its just for fun and you would take it down if it offended anyone and you don't care about others doing it then don't waste your money, its entirely your choice.