Legal Definitions - literary work

Definition: A literary work is a type of creative expression that is expressed in verbal, numerical, or other symbols, such as words or musical notation, and embodied in some type of physical object. It is one of eight general categories that are eligible for copyright protection.

Examples: Examples of literary works include books, poems, plays, and essays. These works are expressed in words and are embodied in physical objects such as books, manuscripts, and computer files.

Explanation: A literary work is a type of creative expression that is protected by copyright law. To be eligible for copyright protection, a work must be original, presented in a fixed medium, and involve some creativity. Literary works meet these criteria because they are original expressions of ideas that are presented in a fixed medium, such as a book or manuscript, and involve creativity in their creation. Examples of literary works include classic novels like "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, as well as contemporary works like "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and "Harry Potter" by J.K. Rowling.