What does copyright grant to the creator of an original work?

Copyright grants the creator of an original work the right to exclusive legal ownership of that work. This means that the creator has the sole authority to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, or license their work. This legal ownership helps protect the creator's efforts and investment in their intellectual property, preventing others from using it without permission.

While selling their creations may be one way that a creator monetizes their work, it is not the primary function of copyright. The right to modify other works can be related to derivative works, but copyright does not inherently grant that power; it protects the original work instead. The idea of receiving an annual income is not a guarantee provided by copyright; rather, it is contingent upon the creator's ability to monetize their works. Thus, the essence of copyright lies in the exclusive legal ownership it confers to the creator.