Last year, we were awarded the registered trademark for WriteShop. It may not sound like that big a deal, but for us, well, what can I say? It’s all such a wonder for two ordinary homeschool-moms-turned-authors-and-publishers!
Anyway, we just got some more good news: we’re the proud parents of twins! Well, it’s a little less dramatic than that. Actually, we’re simply the owners of two more brand-new trademarks:
INSPIRING SUCCESSFUL WRITERS®
and
TEACHING WRITING HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER®
It takes about a year for a mark to go from application to approval, so when we finally did hear from the Patent and Trademark Office, it was pretty exciting!
A bit of trivia I learned through this process:
- When you see the ® symbol in connection with a name, slogan, or symbol, it means that mark has passed through the application process and has been approved. It is a registered trademark.
- The TM symbol, on the other hand, does not officially designate ownership. It simply means you claim rights, intend to register the mark, or are in the process.
Here’s the official lowdown, according to the US Patent and Trademark Office:
Any time you claim rights in a mark, you may use the “TM” (trademark) or “SM” (service mark) designation to alert the public to your claim, regardless of whether you have filed an application with the USPTO. However, you may use the federal registration symbol “®” only after the USPTO actually registers a mark, and not while an application is pending. Also, you may use the registration symbol with the mark only on or in connection with the goods and/or services listed in the federal trademark registration.
So do you feel informed and enlightened? 🙂
