THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MYTH ABOUT BUILDING A BUSINESS ON SUBSTACK (AND EVERYWHERE ELSE)

• The most common copyright myth—that “automatic ownership” means automatic protection—gives creators a false sense of security when placing their work into the creator economy on Substack or anywhere else.

• Copyright protects the creative work itself—your writing, art, music, choreo, and so on. Trademark protects the brand identity behind the work. Most creative entrepreneurs need both.

• Federal copyright and trademark protections alone are not sufficient to protect creators based on how their work lives and moves in the creator economy. Only an integrated approach provides complete protection.