First we need to educate ourselves about copyright laws. What can be copyrighted, when is it copyrighted, how do we copyright it, should we copyright it. There are several outstanding web sites dealing with copyright, so I won't delve into it in detail here. I will, however give you a brief summary, with links to additional reading. Anything you write down.
Exceptions are extremely short writings, such as a few words, and very simple line drawings.
Pictorial, graphic and sculptural works are copyrighted. Facts and ideas can not be copyrighted. Works that have not been fixed in a tangible form of expression. As soon as it is written down. Whether it be on paper, on a floppy disk or saved to your hard disk, it is copyrighted.