Can i copyright something by mailing it to myself

I'm glad you asked!

Unfortunately, mailing something to yourself is not a valid way to copyright it. Copyright law is a legal framework that protects original literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, such as books, songs, and paintings. To obtain copyright protection, you need to follow specific legal procedures and meet certain requirements.

Here are the general steps to obtain copyright protection:

1. Create an original work: You must create an original work, such as a book, song, or painting.
2. Register your work: You must register your work with the U.S. Copyright Office (or the copyright office of your country) by submitting an application and paying a fee.
3. Meet the formalities: You must meet certain formalities, such as including a copyright notice (e.g., "Copyright 2023 [Your Name]") on your work.

Mailing something to yourself does not meet these requirements. In fact, the U.S. Copyright Office explicitly states that "a work is not protected by copyright solely because it is mailed to oneself" (37 CFR 202.1).

Additionally, even if you did manage to mail something to yourself, it would likely be considered a prank or a joke, rather than a legitimate attempt to obtain copyright protection.

So, if you want to protect your creative work, make sure to follow the proper legal procedures and register your work with the relevant copyright office.