1. Review your copyright options with an intellectual property expert. Intellectual property laws in the United States are designed with precise language to avoid confusion or duplication. Pro bono lawyers and academic experts are available through a local university or law school.

2. Ascertain the correct forms and requirements for your particular type of digital intellectual property. There are different copyright forms for publications, music, movies and other media.

3. Keep multiple copyright applications separate from one another. The U.S. Copyright Office encourages applicants to send multiple copyright requests together but they should be separated in a logical manner. Filing fees, supporting documents and applications need to be connected in the correct order to ensure a successful process

4. Create enough copies of the applicable product to send with your application. Literary works and documents created after 1978, for example, require two complete versions of the latest edition of the material.

5. Make yourself aware of the special deposit requirements that may apply to your intellectual property. Motion pictures, software programs, and CD-ROMs are only a few examples of copyright materials that have unique application requirements.

6. Edit your copyright application before submitting it for approval. Each application requires a small fee for processing, which can add up if you are submitting multiple products for registration. Mistakes on the application can be corrected with Form CA provided by the Copyright Office but the process will take weeks longer to finish.