Under copyright law, what must a creator do to gain protection for their work?

To gain protection under copyright law, a creator must create their work and fix it in a tangible medium. This means that the work must be expressed in a form that can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated. This tangible medium could include physical formats such as books, paintings, or recordings, as well as digital formats like software or online content. The fixation of the work is crucial, as copyright protection automatically applies to original works of authorship at the moment they are fixed, without the need for registration or publication.

While registration with a government body can enhance protection and provide certain legal advantages, it is not a prerequisite for copyright protection. Similarly, immediate publication or selling the work does not confer copyright protection, as the work must simply be created and fixed in a tangible medium to receive that protection automatically.