Copyrights, Trademarks And Service Marks

In today’s fast-paced moving society, entrepreneurs are thriving to push their services, book publication or even business to the next level. Now more than ever, business ideas and thoughts are replacing people’s jobs or becoming side hustles. The question one may ask is: “How do I move my dream rather it is a service being offered, book publication or service to the next level?” These are all relevant thoughts great questions. If you are looking to pursue your goals and make your dream come true, keep reading.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property is often referred to as IP. There are many steps that you can take on your end which will make you proactive and not reactive. For example, you may want to begin processing the right type of paperwork prior to publicizing your information; therefore, if need be in the future or long-term you can prove that the service mark, book publication or business is actually yours because you have protected it legally. One of the most advantageous types of intellectual property is copyright. Copyrights benefit the individual who created the work because it is their intellectual property. In further detail, whenever you create any type of work the work becomes your intellectual property.

Work Made For Hire

Art or content created or developed for someone other than the developer may be considered a work made for hire. Thus, someone hired an individual to create the work and in most circumstances such as this, rights or royalties may not belong to the developer. In other cases, the work created may not have been a work made for hire. In the event that the work created is not a work made for hire, one will then actually need to file for a copyright. Filing for a copyright is very important. Owning a copyright not only protects you for the current time, but also for the future.

While this step is one of the most important steps, it is interesting that sometimes authors or artists actually publicize their work without having filed for a copyright. Please be advise. Making work public without owning a copyright maybe one of the biggest mistakes ever; make sure that your work is protected prior to publication. Copyrights are a form of intellectual property and once a copyright has filed, a copyright is honored in any country that honors intellectual property. Therefore, once you own a copyright in the United States or various other countries, the copyright is honored all across the world (countries that honor IP). Once you own a copyright, you should celebrate your success for the milestone of achievement.

In past years copyrights have taken longer to process. However, that is not the case anymore. While the process normally takes twelve months if filed electronically online, the process actually has been taking less than six months. However, you do not actually have to wait before you can publish your book.

Trademark Or Service Mark

Outside of questions about copyrights, many clients often wonder about trademarks and service marks. Both marks are important depending upon what you are offering. Once a client book has become published, the next step that he or she may take is to inquire about a trademark or a service mark. This blog will discuss the difference between both (trademark or service mark) and help you differentiate which one you would actually like or if you would like to use both.

Service mark

Sometimes after the client has published a book, the author may decide to move forward and brand themselves as a speaker promoting their book. Most authors gain engagements in regard to their book publication. Whenever an author provides services such as speaking, a service mark will be required. A service mark is a logo which brands a service that an individual offer. For many entrepreneurs with businesses outside of the world of publishing, this service mark can be used to offer cleaning, childcare, mentoring or any type of service one can think of. However, in the world of publishing authors use the service mark as a logo to brand themselves as they gain clients and speaking engagements. Although service marks may be less mentioned, it is as equally important as a trademark.

Trademarks

While service marks are used to protect those who provide a service, trademarks are not used to protect the brand of the service; Instead, trademarks are used to protect the brand of the product. For example, if an author created a new children’s book, the author may want to create a brand for the main character of the book. The author may decide to create lines of products with the main character on it; these products may range from t-shirts to bags or whatever the author desires. This becomes a line of products. Because products are being made, a service mark will not be required but instead, a trademark would need to be used to protect intellectual property. A trademark is used anytime a product is created and branded.

Now You Know

Understanding the differences between copyrights, trademarks, and service marks can be an enduring journey. While the process of determining what you require do not only protect but also brand yourself or your products may be a challenging process, it is one worth enduring and figuring out. The reason being is because many authors only begin to launch their success initiating a book publication and continue to make great accomplishments. The best achievement is to know that the hard work you placed into becoming a published author has paid off in such a way that you will gain royalties and own rights to your work because you have taken the time to research and protect your intellectual property. You may now see that you are an entrepreneur if you have published a book! You have embarked upon an exciting journey that only a few would actually travel. After reading this blog and researching, you will no longer be an artist or writer who made a mistake by not knowing more about intellectual property. Way to go! Both service marks and trademarks can be used for statewide protection or international protection. This choice is the discretion of the published author or businessperson.

Learn More: Why choose Pataskity Publishing Company ?