Information About Agents, Copyright, and Other Business MattersDo I need an agent?
Not necessarily. When you're first starting out, getting an agent is even more difficult than getting published. So, it's best if you do the work of an agent (researching the publishers, submitting your work, and negotiating contracts) yourself at first. However, if you want to get published in the United States, where most publishers only accept manuscripts from agents, you will likely need an agent. A list of Canadian Agents can be found here.
How do I protect my copyright?
First, always remember that you can't copyright an idea—you can only copyright the written expression of that idea.
In Canada, you automatically have the copyright to your finished work. On a cover page, type the year and the symbol © to indicate that you own the copyright.
However, if you wish to protect your copyright, you can take your manuscript and put it in an envelope, seal it, and mail it to yourself by registered mail. Once you receive it, put it aside in a safe place (do NOT open it). If you ever need to demonstrate to a judge that you wrote your work before someone else did, you have a dated package that will prove it.
You don't need to register your copyright, but the official documentation that doing so provides is extra protection against infringment. For more information on registering your copyright, go here. | 
