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How do I copyright my book?

Hi, I am wondering how to actually get the work copywrited before you send it in to a publisher. The book is not yet finished, does that matter?


Dave's Answer:

I passed your question to Kevin Savetz, author of Copyright Your Web Site, a helpful e-book that shows how and why to copyright your online work and author of quite a few books of his own. Kevin wrote:

I recommend registering the copyright on your book -- finished or not -- before you submit it to a publisher. It's just cheap ($45) insurance that you work won't be used without your permission. Certainly, major publishers are generally quite ethical and wouldn't dream of publishing your work without your permission, but why take the chance?

Registering the copyright for a book (or portion of one) is quite simple: just download the PDF of Short Form TX and fill out the one-page form. If you've co-written the book or the manuscript incorporates uses
some previously published material, you'll need to use the longer version of Form TX instead. (Don't worry: it's only two pages.)

Both versions of form TX are straightforward, with clear instructions. If you haven't sent the book to a publisher yet, write "unpublished" in space 4 of Short Form TX. If you have sent it to a publisher, write the date that you mailed it in that space. (To the Copyright Office, "published" simply means distributed, not necessarily printed in a book and sold.) In space 5, "Type of Authorship", you define exactly what you have created: if the book is text only, write "text" in space 5; if it also includes diagrams or photographs that you created, write "text and diagrams" or "text and photographs".

Now, print out your manuscript. Print one copy if you are registering it as unpublished, or two copies if you're registering it as published. Send the completed and signed form, the printouts, plus a check or postal money order for $45 made out to "Register of Copyrights", to the Copyright Office at the address on the form.

It will take several weeks or months before you receive confirmation of your registration back from the Copyright Office. You don't need to wait for that confirmation before distributing your book to publishers: the copyright registration date will be retroactive to the date the Copyright Office receives your registration packet.

Thanks for that helpful answer, Kevin. Again, if you need more information about the strange world of copyright and how to ensure that your intellectual property is protected under the law, you might well invest in a copy of Kevin's Copyright Your Web Site.



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Comments

Hi Dave,

I love your site and this is the first time I have to take issue with something posted on your site. From what I can tell, the person providing the advice here (on a legal question) is not even a lawyer. Mr. Savetz appears to be a technology journalist -- but not a lawyer. The question here is entirely legal and the advice is simply incorrect.

Mr. Savetz advises registering the copyright as cheap insurance. Registration doesn't give you a copyright -- the copyright is automatic. In fact, you AUTOMATICALLY have a copyright the instant your work is fixed in a tangible medium. You don't need to do anything. What registration gives you is the right to sue for statutory damages and attorneys fees. These are nice things (and make a difference in a lawsuit). However, what most people do is just register their work after they discovery the infringement (which works nicely).

Just my $0.02.

Posted by: Copyright Lawyer Guy at September 13, 2006 11:39 AM

Good morning,

my novel is completed, do i have to send the coplete printout of my book to be copywritten? or my disk as well. someone told me to only send the beginning and the end of my novel..please tell me if this is correct.

Posted by: ROSMARIE REY at January 8, 2007 9:10 AM

Dave,
First I have to say thanks so much for being "out there"!
I am co-authoring a book (a first timeer) that involves many (about 50) entries of people sharing personal experiences. I am thinking I should copyright a sample entry as it it the exact template & questions for all other entries. do you suggest doing that or waiting until the entire book is complete?
Also, if that has been copyrighted, do the individuals participating in the book need to sign a confidentiality agreement to protect the idea or does the copyright cover that?
Thanks so much!
Laila

Posted by: laila at March 26, 2007 2:28 PM

Dear Dave,
i too am a first timer when it comes to writing a book. I've finished it over 300pgs and now i was thinking of sending it to the U.S. Copyright office is that what i should do? You wrote something about having the manuscript registered first? Plus i'm in Kenya right now but my legal residence is in nyc...

thank you


Joseph Governali

Posted by: Joe Governali at June 5, 2007 5:44 AM

Should I register my manuscript before it goes into print? I would like to have the copyright printed into the book, but I wasn't sure if I needed to register it first in order for it to be printed in the book, or if that is something I put in the book myself?

Posted by: Lori at February 18, 2008 12:31 PM

I have a lot to say, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!









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