From the same source comes most valuable comment regarding the
importance of a fuller knowledge on the part of the short-story writer
of the exact bearing of the copyright law upon his work, being the
statements upon recent opinions handed down as a result of litigation.
Briefly, these opinions are to the effect that a magazine copyright
covers the matter contained in each number only to the extent to which
such matter is the property of the magazine. It therefore follows
that in the case of a story, of which only the magazine rights have
been sold by the author, the magazine copyright leaves him absolutely
unprotected in his dramatic and, theoretically at least, in his book
rights. To save whatever he reserves, he must take copyright, also,
in his own name, fulfilling the necessary formalities, such as paying
a separate fee, depositing two copies of the book in the Library of
Congress, and seeing that his notice of copyright appears upon the
story when published in the magazine.[28] The attorney for the Authors'
League advises as follows:
"So long as this and similar matters remain in doubt, both authors
and publishers should, for their own protection, agree on some
system whereby the dramatic and all other rights are thoroughly
safeguarded. This can be accomplished in either of two ways:
(_a_) The editor can copyright each story or article separately in
the author's name, printing at the bottom of the first page thereof
a proper copyright notice, as follows:
'Copyright, 1913, by John Doe'
The author should then, immediately on publication, mail one copy
of the magazine to the Register of Copyrights in Washington, in
conformity with the requirements of the present Act, enclosing the
fee of One Dollar. This is perhaps the simplest way, although it
involves a separate registration of the magazine for each story or
article so copyrighted.
(_b_) Or the author can sell his story outright to the editor
or publisher, and safely reserve his equitable interests in the
dramatic or other rights thereto by attaching to his manuscript a
'rider' or slip somewhat as follows:
'This manuscript is submitted with the understanding that, if
accepted for publication, the same shall be copyrighted by the
publishers, and all rights under said copyright (except that of
magazine publication) shall be held in trust for the benefit of the
writer or his assigns, and will be reassigned to him upon demand.'"