Do the research on copyright and it is not necessary to go through the copyright office to hold a legal claim to your works. It is necessary to have proper documentation and the copyright symbol on whatever you write whether it be a story, poem, or brief. Copyright symbol is a circle with a C in the middle of the circle. A date is helpful but not necessary from what I read.

The problem with going after a thief who has stolen one's talents is finding a lawyer who is knowledgeable and inexpensive. Most writers are struggling to make any kind of profit. A lawyer can be a real deal breaker if their prices are $600/ hr or more. What would be a big help to all writers is have a lawyer's pool where a lawyer who understands and dealt with copyright thieves. His or her expense would be a whole lot cheaper if they already know all the legals, has all the forms, and only needs to fill in the proper spaces to get the legal challenges started.

As long as there are things worth stealing there will be thieves stealing whether it is designer clothes, shoes, trade names, stories, etc. The list is endless and it seems so are thieves. There are many I consider not worthy of life and thieves are on that list. When they steal another's property, talents, they are stealing part of that other person's life. It took someone hours, days, weeks, months, years possibly to acquire what they worked for. That part of their life can never be returned or replace.

What I consider mine is not for I am only a steward of all I possess. God created it along with this life. I borrowed it for a little while. Too soon it becomes time to return it.
always
Barb