If you write for the web, sooner or later you are going to have someone steal your work. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

It’s shocking, at first, when it happens. You can’t believe someone had the gall to rip off your words. After the shock sets in, you wonder what to do.

Well here’s the first thing you do. Contact the website owner or blogger and tell them point blank that they stole your work and you want them to take it down. To do that, send a cease and desist letter. Here’s a sample:

Hello.

I am writing to report copyright infringement by a writer on your site by the name of [NAME/USERNAME] at [LINK]

[NAME/USERNAME] has posted my copyrighted article, titled [YOUR ARTICLE TITLE] without permission.

My original article can be viewed at:

[YOUR URL]

[NAME/USERNAME]‘s plagiarized version can be viewed at:

[THEIR URL]

I hold the copyright on [YOUR ARTICLE TITLE]. I have good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright or intellectual property owner (myself), an agent, or the law.

Under penalty of perjury, the above information in my Notice is accurate and I am the copyright and intellectual property owner of the infringed material.

[NAME, EMAIL, ADDRESS, PHONE]

Signed: [YOUR NAME]

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