In an earlier post on how to make a book, I explained the role of the copyright page:
Copyright page—Usually the verso of the title page, this page carries the copyright notice, edition information, publication information, printing history, cataloging data, legal notices, and the books ISBN or identification number. In addition, rows of numbers are sometimes printed at the bottom of the page to indicate the year and number of the printing. Credits for design, production, editing and illustration are also commonly listed on the copyright page.
Now I’d like to look at the all-important copyright page in a little more detail. This page and its contents are the way your book is represented to librarians, bibliographers, other publishers, quantity sales buyers, writers wishing to use quotations from your book, and production planners of future editions.
What Has to be on Your Copyright Page No Matter What
The single most important element on the copyright page is, no surprise, the copyright notice itself. It usually consists of three elements:
- the © symbol, or the word “Copyright” or abbreviation “Copr.”
- the year of first publication of the work; and
- an identification of the owner of the copyright—by name, abbreviation, or some other way that it’s generally known.
Together, it should look like this:
© 2009 Joel Friedlander
At one time you actually had to print the copyright notice in an acceptable form to receive copyright protection in the U.S. but this is no longer the case.
Because the © symbol isn’t available on typewriters or computer terminals with only lower-ASCII character sets, the copyright symbol is often approximated with the characters (c). Unfortunately, this form of notice may not stand up in court.
What Else You’ll Find on the Copyright Page
Many of these items may not be applicable to your book, but this is where the publisher has to fit all the legal notices and other information for use by the book trade. Keep in mind that a reservation of rights is vital, and the publisher’s contact information is practical and appropriate. So here’s the rundown of other elements on the copyright page:
- Your reservation of rights, where you outline what rights you reserve and which you allow. Usually a nod is made to fair use, which can hardly be prevented in any event. Because further permissions will involve the publisher’s approval, you will also find here…
- The publisher’s editorial address. Larger publishers will likely include…
- Ordering information including quantity sales, individual sales, college texbooks or course adoption requests and orders by trade bookstores or wholesalers. In each case specific contact information may be included.
- Any trademark notices the publisher may hold to names and logos of the publishing company or its imprint,
- A statement regarding the environmental friendliness of the products and processes used to produce the book, like a notice that it is printed on recycled paper or with non-toxic soy inks.
- Cataloging-in-Publication Data, either from the Library of Congress for participating publishers, or from another source such as Quality Books, a distributor who will provide this data block for a fee. This is primarily of interest to library sales.
- An edition of the book. For instance, a second edition might or might not be noted on the title page, but will certainly be indicated on the copyright page.
- Printings and years indicators. These are the odd strings of “funny numbers” often seen near the bottom of the copyright page. Typically at the left margin will be years, and on the right a series of numbers to indicate printings. Next year, if a new printing is needed, the plates for the book do not need to be remade. The pressman simply erases one digit off each series of numbers, effectively updating the notice. This is for the use of the publisher’s production department, and is likely to become an artifact as digital printing takes a larger share of the publishing pie.
- Lastly, some enlightened publishers use the copyright page to credit the contributors to the book including designers, production managers, proofreaders, indexers, and editors.
Think of the copyright page as the place where the publisher tries to get all its work done, take care of legal and bibliographic necessities, before getting out of the way of the author.
When you come to creating your own copyright page, pick the elements that seem most suitable to your book. Keep the whole thing as unobtrusive as possible and you can’t go wrong.
Want to know more about copyright? Need some sample copyright pages to drop into your book? Confused about the things you read online about copyright? Check out this 30-page easy-to-read guide. Click The Self-Publisher’s Quick & Easy Guide to Copyright for more info, or Buy Now as PDF or Kindle.
Photo: Blue Diamond Gallery
C, I understand and completely agree. I never include an author’s home address on the copyright page. Yes, a PO Box works well. And address changes happen. When we reprint a book, we change the address then. We also put the website address of the publisher below the snail mail address or at least that if no street address is available.
Hi…
I am self publishing a book. I have created an LLC which i am publishing under, however I am hesitant to put my home address down on the copyright page. I have considered getting a PO box, but what happens if i move and no longer keep that po box.
I have delaying the LLCN and copyright process because i am trying to get the best answer as one has to put an address associated with these processes.
Is there any way to get around putting an address on the copyright page?
thanks in advance
What do you do if the book is a subsequent edition? For example, let’s say that there have been three editions, each one is substantially improved over the last and the copyright has been re-registered each time with the Library of Congress. Let’s say 1990, 1995, and 1998, for example. Do you put:
Copyright © 1990, 1995, 1998 by John Doe
or is it OK if you only mention the latest edition and say:
Copyright © 1998 by John Doe
Also, what if there where different publishers for the previous editions? Is it important to mention them and the year they were published in the book? Is it required? For example:
This edition published by Echo Books, 1998
First published 1990 by Harper Perennial
Second edition published 1995 by Penguin
Thanks!
Manuel, the copyright page goes on the back of the title page.
Where should the copyright page be placed in the book , front page or back page?
Hello,
I’ve already written my book, and it’s being self-published. It will print within a day. I will also apply for my copyright within the next day. The copyright page is a part of the document. Is it okay to submit the copyright page to the US Copyright Office when I apply for it, or should I remove that page from my written work?
Bridget, please see this article: How to Copyright Your Book.
When i send my self written book for copyright protection do they give me the ‘copyright page’ to be put inside of my book?, or Where do i get the Copyright Page from?
Hello
If i am a self publisher and am having my book printed in China- who would i write down as a my publishing company?
Roxy, publishing a book and printing a book are two different things. The printer just prints/manufactures the book; they do not publish it. You are the publisher and whatever kind of company you create is your publishing company. This article offers good information on setting up a company: https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2009/12/how-to-create-your-publishing-company/.
What if you are publishing through amazon? What would need to be on the copyright page if you publishing on there?
G.T., your copyright page should contain all the information discussed in the article above–it doesn’t matter if your book is being printed using CreateSpace or a short run or offset printer or is an e-book.
If my work is registered with the Writers Guild and also the Library of Congress, do I need a copyright? Would a publication date page suffice?
Hi, Carmen,
You still need to file for copyright registration within 90 days of your publication date.
Cool. Thank you
If I have not submitted to copyright protection, can I still put the copyright page?
Mariano, the copyright page and the copyright protection (which you get after you file for the copyright) are two different items. The article above has everything you need for your copyright page–which every book should have. This article, https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2010/03/how-to-copyright-your-book-2/, will help you with the copyright application process.
Hi, I have simple question.
I registered the copyright to my book in Sept. 2015. I will publish it this summer 2017. Which year do I use in the interior copyright text page? Additionally, if I’m applying to a contest that accepts books only published in 2017 or 2018, how do I make this distinction on the interior of the book?
Appreciate your advice on this matter. Thank you for your response!
Angela, it doesn’t matter when you registered the copyright before the book is published. The important date is the publication date. That’s the date that goes on your copyright text page. Then you need to register the book with the copyright office within 90 days of that publication date. (FYI: it can take up to 6-14 months to receive the copyright paperwork, but you are covered.) You can apply for the contest if they accept books published in 2017.
Hello, I have a very silly question, almost to the point of being rather stupid, really. I self-published my own book last month, and I am currently working on my second one. In this book, I’ve concocted an imaginary publishing company one of my character uses for her own work…Now, on the copyright page, where it gives you an opportunity to put the name of a publishing company (I obviously don’t have one) on it, can I put my fictitious publishing company name there? Does this question make sense? Will I be ridiculed if I do? Thanks!
Gabe, it’s not a silly question. The copyright page should have the name of your legal publishing company, which should not be the same name as the fictitious one in your book.
Gabe, once you self-publish you ARE a publishing house. If you plan to use that the publishing company in your story as your real publishing company, that’s perfectly fine. If not, I agree with Sharon.
I had a book published and offered in print by a company with an assigned ISBN several years ago. I have updated content and want to self publish on Amazon.
How do I reference the updated material and date on the copyright page?
Elizabeth, the Chicago Manual of Style is the manual used by the publishing manual. They advise this: “Each new edition of a book is copyrighted, and the copyright dates of at least the most recent previous editions should appear in the copyright notice. If the new edition is so extensive a revision that it virtually constitutes a new publication, previous copyright dates may be omitted.” Here’s an example:
(c) 2002, 2017 by The University of California
All rights reserved. First edition 2002.
Second edition 2017.
Hi. Thanks for all the advice. I’ve noticed when checking the ‘look inside’ pages of books on Amazon that most have the words ‘copyrighted material’ on the header and footer of each page. Is this something I should do? Thanks
Kath, Amazon does that for you. You just need to send them the PDF per their specs and they take care of the rest.
Should copyright registration happen before or after formatting a publication?
Anon, you should do your copyright registration after publishing the book.
Can I list myself (author) as owner of the copyright even the imprint and publisher is published under by my corporate business entity. https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2010/03/isbn-for-self-publishers-answers-to-20-of-your-questions/
And how does this change the liability – I know you are not an attorney but htere must be “accepted wisdom” in the insdustry. And maybe you’ve written an article blog on liability, disclaimer pages, and or what types of author insurance are available and how to shop for it?
Hi, Mark,
Mark,
You ask a lot of really good questions. Yes, you can list yourself as the owner of the copyright. Some suggestions for you: read any of Helen Sedwick’s articles that she has written for The Book Designer blog, read this one especially, https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2016/02/why-indie-authors-need-a-business-hat/, and contact an intellectual property attorney for the specifics of your situation (what state you are in, etc.).
Sharon
You did not mention pen names in this article.
Since people use pen names for privacy, is it correct to list the pseudonym as owner of the copyright, at least so far as the USA is concerned?
Mark, Helen Sedwick has a terrific article on pen names, https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2014/09/should-you-be-using-a-pen-name/, including a section on how to file a copyright.
Old post but new comments! 🙂
Any reason not to put the copyright page at the back (for ebook)? I’m seeing a mini trend for this practice, especially for shorter works where front-matter real estate for the 10% “Look Inside” is extremely valuable. I have a novella series releasing soon, the first book is only 80-100 pages, so using one of the 8-10 pages for copyright seems a waste. Why not just throw it in the back, as European publishers have been doing for eons? Whatcha think?
Harald, my experience has been that the 10% Look Inside is randomly chosen by Amazon–not necessarily the first 8 to 10 pages. Leave the copyright page where it is.
My self published book by ShieldCrest of Aylesbury is only as far as the proof copy. They have deleted, omitted and changed text. Moved and changed titles of chapters, changed the general layout all without consultation and authorisation inspite of an email stating that I want the chapters left as they are. Wrongly reformatted it causing spaces etc.-admitted but now denying it. Terminated the contract because I would not pay for their errors in formatting but say that the contract is not terminated. I made a query, was informed that they would publish my words with all of the errors, remove their name and logo so that it would not sit on the shelves with professionally published books. So I set up a review where they refused to move forward with my book until I removed the review-Breach of Contract. They now threaten me with either publication with errors or just the PDF. I want a full refund. Comments please.
Carol, I’m sorry for the troubles you’ve had getting your book into print. From the description, it sounds like you need an intellectual property lawyer to get you out of that contract completely.
I have a print book with three versions: CreateSpace softcover, IngramSpark hardcover, and IngramSpark softcover. I have assigned three ISBN’s to them.
How should I display (and label) the ISBN’s on my title page? I’d prefer not to have a separate title page for each version, but rather list all three on one title page.
Jay, if the CS and IS paperbacks are the same book, I’m sorry to tell you that they should have the same ISBN. Once you get rid of the extra ISBN, just show the other two on your copyright page, indicating which is which:
ISBN 978-0-000000-0-0 (ppbk.)
ISBN 978-0-000000-0-0 (ebook)
Thanks – I see this answers my earlier query. The PDF version will have to have a separate ISBN to the printed version.
“Your reservation of rights, where you outline what rights you reserve and which you allow. Usually a nod is made to fair use, which can hardly be prevented in any event. Because further permissions will involve the publisher’s approval, you will also find here…”
What if you are self-published? Can you allow more rights in the copyright session, without the self-publisher’s approval?
I am self-publishing and found that Blurb can assign free ISBN numbers to my products. However there’s no way to know ahead of time what the number is to include in my copyright page. Is it necessary to have the ISBN number on the copyright page or can I exclude it? Thanks!
Hi
I am Ebrahim Shahiwala , I wish to publish GRATITUDE JOURNAL . I wish to print 100 quotes ( One on each page ) of well known teachers/ authors . i will give credit to each of them .
In this case shall I need their permission ?
Thanks
If I am publishing a phonograph record originally copyrighted in 1982 but I am licensing it for official reissue in 2016, how should the copyright P symbol read?
Ⓟ 1990, 2016 Name
Ⓟ 1990 & 2016 Name
Ⓟ 1990 Name
Or something entirely different?
Any help appreciated.
Lol 1990 throughout, not 1982.
What a great resource, we will be updating our copyright page in our upcoming book LeadershipYOU to include the credits to contributors, and our group sales contact info. Thank you Joel!
Two years ago, I published a children’s book through Createspace using my own company’s ISBN, which I listed on the copyrights page, plus my company name as the publisher. This year, I’ve decided to use Createspace’s free assigned ISBN so that I can get my book listed with Baker & Taylor’s and make it available ONLY to libraries and schools for this particular edition. I’ve excluded my company name, since Createspace is its publishing platform. I’ve also changed the cover and minimally edited the interior on some dialogues and paragraphs, so I’m calling this my 2nd edition. The 1st edition is listed on Amazon but not the new one as I only want it listed on Baker & Taylor’s.
Is this the correct thing to do? If not, what is your recommendation?
Also, is it appropriate to include 2nd edition (2016 Library Edition) printed on the copyrights page?
How can I improve copy right for my web template
No idea. Here’s where you might find the information: http://www.copyright.gov
Hi there
Please help. I have self published a children’s book and the printers have sent my books to me and the copyright page has been placed at the back of the book as the last page as opposed to in the front of the book next to my title page. Is this a problem or can I still market and sell them as is?
Thanks
Lisa
Perfectly fine, that’s not unusual for children’s books.
Thank you. I have a series of children’s book about to be published with IBSN’s for the first time, because we have changed our distribution model. Previously, they were only available to subscribers to a membership website. (I am up to number eight already). I wanted the copyright on the last page, and I am happy to see this.
Hi Joel-
I’ve searched for this online as well as on your site and don’t see the answer.
Do I need a separate copyright for the electronic version and for the physical version of my book?
Thanks.
Hi Winnie,
If the content is the same, you don’t need another registration, one will cover all formats of the book.
From the site where I purchased my ten ISBNs in Australia, it appeared I would need a separate ISBN for the electronic Pdf version, and for the printed paper version of exactly the same book. So far, only one book has been printed in hard copy (without an ISBN as it happens, because it was a limited release for a specific event).
If we do move to printing the PDF version in hard copy, do we really need an separate ISBN for that, if there are no alterations at all?
Question about the proper way to credit a chapter contributor to a history book. A friend wrote a short local history book and had someone contribute a short chapter to it. I’m helping self-publish this book. How do we correctly give credit to this person for their chapter? Right now the Chapter itself has a “WRITTEN BY SO & SO” line right before the first paragraph and the Acknowledgments page thanks him for his contribution and there is a reference to his contribution in the About the Author and Sponsors section (the book’s production was sponsored by a local organization so they are the sponsors). Does he also need to be listed on the cover somewhere? Or the copyright page?
Not only do you not require permission to use the name Disneyland, you don’t even need to use (and uglify your text with) the trademark symbol. Google ‘nominative use trademark law’ to see what I mean.
I am writing a children’s e-book about a child’s visit to Disneyland® Resort. I have not gotten Disneyland’s permission to do this, but I will be selling the book online. I plan to honor their trademark by using “Disneyland®” in the work, and am wondering if this is legal, or do I need to worry about a potential lawsuit from them? If they did sue, would the first step be a cease and desist order? If that is all, I would simply remove the book; otherwise, if they aren’t concerned about my little story, I will just leave it up.
WHEN YOU OWN AN ISBN CAN YOU DISTRIBUTE YOUR WORK WHEREVER YOU CAN WITHOUT ANY OBLIGATIONS TO ANYONE ELSE.
FOR E BOOK AND BOOK IN PRINT ONLINE ?
ALSO IF YOU PURCHASE AN ISBN AND ANOTHER COMPANY UPLOAD YOUR DATA TO NIELSON DATA ON YOUR BEHALF DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHTS TO THIS ISBN OR DO THEY ? EG IF YOU WISH TO LEAVE YOUR BOOK/S TO SOMEONE AFTER YOUR DEATH ?
You know, people are generally more willing to help if you don’t shout. Ow. Anyway, ISBNs aren’t copyrightable, so each one will attach to a book only for as long as it’s in print (either actual print or e-ink).
Thank you for taking my question and I hope you can help. I am an author and I’m writing the biography of an old country music singer and songwriter. I wanted to include some photos of my guy taken with some other musicians like Webb Pierce, Dottie West, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Roy Acuff, Minnie Pearl etc. As one can imagine, all but one of these folks are dead. These photos date back to 1960 before photographers signed, watermarked or officially copyrighted their material. Several photos were taken backstage at the Grand Ole Opry or on the Louisiana Hayride, etc. I contacted the archival department at those organizations and to no avail, they stated they would have no idea who took the photos. My guy I’m writing on is in his 80’s and doesn’t know who took the photos. How might I proceed? Secondly, I suppose I need to contact the families of the deceased persons in the photos. What is the copyright law on photos being included in books? BTW, none of these persons I’ve named have a Trademark on their image. Thank you.
Not sure about the copyright laws in your country. Normally anyone who takes the photo is the copyright owner, not the person in the photo. There is a time period for photos then they come into the public domain. Maybe its 50 years or more?
But if someone pays a photographer as a business transaction to take their photo and the copyright can then be passed onto the buyer.
You need to know when the photos were taken. Check on the time period for photo copyright.
If you’re in the US then you’re in luck, because the law before 1976 stated no copyright notice equals no copyright. 🙂
If you’re planning on using these characters in a story, then don’t, that will get you sued. If you plan to critique these characters, on the other hand, then you should state that the characters belong to whichever company that has no affiliation with you. The third option, simply mentioning them, is de minimis use and non-infringement. For example, I could describe a child watching a cartoon in which Yogi Bear is taking a bottle of Mountain Dew out of a picnic basket, and neither Hanna Barbera nor PepsiCo would be entitled to any redress or even a mention.
I am trying to write a book that has cetain ideas/characters that are copyrighted by a another company. What I want to know is if I should put, on the Copyright page, whether those ideas belong to that company or not. Will I get sued? Should I put those things have been copyrighted by that company? In other words, should I say that those ideas belong to that company on the Copyright page.
I am no lawyer but using ideas/characters that are already under copyright is stealing! Even if you add the company name on your copyright you need permission from the copyright owner.
Can I just be able to mention it in the book? Like not taking ideas, but justing mentioning one thing. Is that still considered stealing?
can you claim copyrights for an isbn which is not bought by you and is printed on your paperback for your ebooks
Author Annie,
You cannot, to my knowledge, copyright an ISBN. Besides, since you didn’t create it, you wouldn’t be able to copyright it anyway.
Great articles and great responses. I am writing a children’s book and use the term ‘lucky charms’ in the text a few times. Do I need trademark or copyright approval? Or just acknowledgement on the Copyright page.
If you’re talking about lucky charms on a bracelet or something, then it’s fine as it is. If you mean the cereal, however, then you should write it Lucky Charms, but no approval is needed.
Thank you for quick response. Yes it is the cereal I am referring to and I use it in a positive manner in the book but was concerned because it is a trademark name of General Mills. So, if I understand correctly, you are saying I do not need to seek approval for this reference.
Google ‘nominative use trademark law’. You should be okay.
Awesome. Thank you.
@ Bob Blondin: You’re very welcome.
No, I’m pretty sure that’s illegal (IANAL, however). I’ll tell you what, though. I’ve seen plenty of instances where the printer’s copyright has stood in for the author’s copyright on the relevant page. An example is Doctor Sleep by Stephen King, in which the copyright page declares 2013, but the final page of the story states that he started writing the book on 05/01/2011 and finished on 07/11/2012 (American date format).
Sheogorath, these dates are pretty much irrelevant since the copyright date will reflect when the work was first published, regardless of when it was written. And it’s perfectly fine for the publisher to copyright on behalf of an author’s work for which they hold the rights.
Joel,
I self-published an ebook in 2013, for sale on Amazon Kindle. I did nothing with it in terms of marketing, thus it got buried under an avalanche of titles and sold only a handful of copies. I didn’t register the copyright– just informally wrote Copyright 2013 on front page. Now (2015), I want to turn it into a paperback, and aggressively market it. My question is this: Can I change the Copyright date to 2015 on the paperback version, so it doesn’t appear to be 2 or 3 years old?
As you will now make this into a printed version format, meaning you will need a new ISBN. Register the book as 2015. Since you only sold a handful of E-books, who will know its 2013 or 2015, only you. Personally its not a big deal, nobody will care. 2015 is the year the book form is published as a paperback.
Thank you so much,Roger, it’s great advice!
David, unless you change at least 10% of the content, it will not create a new edition which you could logically publish with a new ISBN and copyright date (which would apply to the new material). I would show both dates on the copyright page so that it’s apparent to someone digging in that deeply that it’s the same book. And unless your book is about technology or politics, it’s likely people will be more interested in the value of your content than in the year it was first published.
Thank you, Joel, it its a great help. So glad I found you guys!
Historian here. Please include the date. We are always interested in when something was published, as exactly as possible. We use all sorts of books for all sorts of purposes – social history for example. Your work may feature in someone’s thesis a hundred years hence!
I’m using a pen name. I registered the copyrights through the Canada government and waiting on my ISBN. My question is what do I have to all include on the copyright page beside (c) name and year of publish. I had my cover page done through a graphic artist (using a stock photo)and an editor both through fiverr. Do you have to include them or what do you go about doing that.
No, you don’t have to include your cover designer or Fiverr vendor on your copyright page, it’s completely optional.
Hi! I think this post’s formatting code got a little broken. The code for starting an unordered list has a break in the middle of it, and all the list elements except for the first one are contained inside a text box. It’s hard to read. Just thought I’d let you know. (I’m using Chrome Version 41.0.2272.101)
Thanks Ash, not sure what happened there, but it’s been fixed.
What’s the purpose of the CIP? I see some books with it and others without. Do I need a CIP? Thanks
Carlen, you’re in luck. I’ve written an article about CIP that answers your questions, and you can find it here:
CIP: What It Means, How to Read It, Who Should Get It
Make sure you check out the comments, there are a number of helpful links there too.
What’s the purpose of the CIP? I see some books with this data block and others without it. Do I need a CIP?
Hello – There is a book about our family that was written in German and published in Germany in 2013. One of the two authors copyrighted it in her name. We have gotten it translated into English and will take it to a printer who will do a small run, for family and friends. The German author who has the original copyright also formatted our English translation, which was a good deal of work. My question is who should copyright the English version – the German author, me, me and my 2 sisters? We don’t plan on selling the book anywhere. If someone in the family wants to reprint it in, say, 20 years, it would be unlikely that they could find that German author to ask permission. Do you have any guidance for me? Thank you!
The way I see it the book is still under copyright by the author both German and English versions. You should have legal permission from the author to print it.
Thanks. But from what I’ve read online, a translation is a whole ‘nother book. I’ve looked at a couple of translated books and they have a separate person copyrighting the translation. Any other takes on this?
Dude, U.S. copyright laws have nothing to do with German copyright law, of which I am uninformed. The law is too complex to address this issue in a blog comment, and I’m not a lawyer so cannot offer you legal advice. Ff you have concerns I advise you to consult with an intellectual property lawyer to clarify the situation. Having said that, it seems to me that if you do not offer the book for sale, it’s unlikely you will run into any trouble.
Thank you. I put a call in to a lawyer today.
Hi Joel,
I am a graphic designer who is updating a book for a client. The first printing of the book was done by the original author. She passed away, and the business was inherited by the new owner, who copyrighted the second-fifth printings of the book. My question is, do we need to still include the © and name for the original, deceased author?
Thanks!
Hi Joel,
I am releasing my first book in August through WordFire Press. They want to know what name to put on the copyright. My husband and I own an Incorporated biz. that I use to pay for all of my book expenses. I was planning on having the royalties be paid to this corporation and pay myself through that payroll (paying taxes legally etc.) – Is there some reason I should just have my own name on the book for copyright instead of using the corporation? Does it mean that the corporation ‘owns’ the book – and if so – what does THAT mean exactly? There is only my husband and myself in the corporation. – Thanks!
Joel,
I have just finished the final edits of my novel. The changes are basic mechanics and some content. It’s copyright was originally registered back in 2004. I would like to re-register the copyright now to make sure it is all up to date. On my copyright page, would I need to put 2004 and 2015 or just 2015? It will be registered with the Copyright Office under both years but do I need to include both? Thanks.
Scott, you don’t say whether the book was published in 2004 but it sounds like it wasn’t. You wouldn’t be in this situation if you followed the standard practice of only registering your copyright upon publication, but that’s water under the bridge. Yes, you should list both dates on your copyright page, since both records will exist in the copyright office.
Hello,
Thank you so much for making this information about copyrighting so easily accessible, it is incredibly helpful. There’s just one thing I want to make sure I’m clear on. I have submitted my book for copyright with the US government, so technically my book is copyright pending?
My question is, do I still put © 2015 My Name on the copyright page, or do I need to put Copyright Pending instead? (And if the latter, do I then change it when my book is officially copyrighted?)
Thank you!
Amy C said: I have submitted my book for copyright with the US government, so technically my book is copyright pending?
No, the only IP that can be announced as pending is patents. Luckily, however, your book was automatically copyrighted from the moment you completed your first full sentence under US law. The registration is only necessary to claim statutory damages and attorney’s fees should you need to sue an infringer (although a Cease and Desist letter is the best first move).
Okay, thank you for this clarification. On the copyright page then, should I just put Copyright 2015?
Hi! Would it be acceptable to put the copyright page on the last page of a children’s book if needed? I have a client who didn’t account for it and the illustrations can’t be shifted by one page to allow for it due to certain spreads. Or would it be more appropriate to try to create another page in the front to balance the spreads back out if at all possible?
Copyright info goes in the front because that’s where everybody expects to find it, but you could create a blank page in the back of the book to balance out the spreads within it. That’s the best advice I can give you.
Heather, although the practice of putting the copyright page following the title page is a longstanding tradition, that’s all it is, not a rule. So there’s no reason you can’t move it to the back of your book if you like and if that works better for you.
Ok, great! Thank you so much! I’m trying to talk him into adding a dedication page so I can keep it on the back of the title page since I do prefer it there, but it’s nice to know that I can put it in the back if needed.
If you’re in the US, then releasing a work under a made up name will shorten the term of copyright depending on your age at the time. However, if you use a nickname as a pseudonym, then you get the full term of life + 70. See the following link for full details: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl101.html
Apologies, I see my questions has been asked and answered already 🙂
many thanks for taking the time to share your wealth of information. An invaluable service.
many thanks
regards
Simon
Good Morning Joel
this might a tricky one. I am releasing a book under a penname.
When adding the copyright phrase, can I use that (as it is a made up name) or should I use my own?
Simon
Hello everyone, very interesting discussion, thank you.
Regarding the copyright page for a self-published author, what contact details best to leave? Not about to publish my home address, don’t want the hassle of a PO BOX, so would a designated email address suffice?
I will be publishing with Amazon KDP and Creating Space – but this won’t make them my publishers, right?
What would you do?
Much appreciated,
Olga
You can absolutely use a dedicated email address, just be prepared for a full spam filter. As for your other question, since using Amazon KDP and CreateSpace (print on demand) as platforms counts as self-publishing, this makes you the publisher, not the companies.
Ahhh, yes – the spam filter. Anyway, during my coffee break I sort of realised that the best things to do would be invent my own publishing company, and basically use it as a front. Now I need to think of a name, and whether to use a designated email or real-deal, safe address.
Many thanks for your input,
O.
You’re welcome, Olga.
What if the pressman is a presslady? I believe that “press-person” is a more correct and ethical term to use, unless we are specifically referring to a pressman that is a male. 🙂
I am self-publishing an Ebook on Amazon utilizing a pen name. If I simply leave a copyright statement as provided in this article with my pen name, will that be enough? Or do I need to include my actual name as well?
I’m using a pen name because I don’t want people looking me on Facebook.
Absolutely. However, depending on the laws in your country, the length of protection could be less on the grounds of the book being a pseudonymous work.
Perhaps if I leave my email address after the copyright, that will help to negate any “false identities” as I can still be easily contacted. Especially since Amazon is capable of pulling my actual identity.
Thank you.
Putting your email addy on public view is never a good idea unless you want to get spammed and phished. Plus, it would do nothing to negate any false identities since it’s a pseudonym you plan to use, not an alias. Simples!
I’m publishing a book of short stories by 5 authors. Do I need to copyright their work (vs just mine), and do people need to ask their permission as well to reproduce their work?
As the publisher you would copyright the whole book as a compilation. This cost $35 the last I heard.
So if someone wants to reproduce one of the stories, they would ask me. Then I would ask the author?
Pretty much, yeah.
Thank you so much for clarifying the protocol!
You’re very welcome, Ivy.
Hi!
I’m thirteen years old, and this will be my first time publishing a book using Createspace(c) through Amazon. I’m a little confused. Do I need to make a page for my book with an ISBN/copyright, or do they do it for me? And why do I have two ISBN’s?
Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Sonia
Hi Sonia. Yes, you should create a copyright page for your book. It’s usually the back of the title page and, unless you’ve contracted with CreateSpace to create the interior of your book, they probably won’t do it for you. If you’re only producing a paperback at CreateSpace, you only need 1 ISBN. Good luck!
Hi,
I’m looking to set up as a small publisher to publish a series of fantasy novels, which I will run through my existing ltd. company.
The ltd. company has a very boring engineering name, engineering is my main work (so can’t change it). So, I will be releasing the books under a trading name, which is a little more appropriate to the style of book I will be selling and I know that I am allowed to do this.
My question is when I put my copyright notice can I use:
(c) 2015 Fantasy Publisher Trading Name,
or legally will I have to use:
(c) 2015 Very Boring Engineering Company Name .ltd?
Not a huge thing I know, its just I think it will look a bit odd having the engineering name in there.
All help appreciated!
Kind regards
Will
Will, in the book you can certainly use “Fantasy Publisher” on the copyright page, although you might want to note somewhere else on the page that “Fantasy Publisher” is an imprint/division/subsidiary of “VB Engineering.”
That’s great, thanks for the quick reply Joel!
Hi Joel, I have purchased a doll who was born in “1963.” I would like to use her as a model in a book I’m writing. She would be on almost every page with a brand new wardrobe. Could you please tell me how the copyright law would apply to this? Since she is 51 years old, is she still copyrighted? The company is still in business, but I understand there are new owners. How do I find out who owns the copyright, if there is one?
Carlyn, a book copyrighted in 1963 would still be protected today. However, you’d probably be better off leaving your question on this post: http://www.thebookdesigner.com/2014/11/trademark-lets-meet-copyrights-half-sister/
Carlyn, there is probably no copyright on the doll since the only possible type for such an object is design copyright of twenty years duration. I would double check this fact with the USCPO or a copyright lawyer, however.
USCPO should read USCO. Sorry.
To: Sheogorath
Thank you so very much for your answer about my doll’s copyright.
I sure appreciate it.
You’re very welcome, Carlyn.
Hi Joel,
My boyfriend had his book published by an online publishing company. He couldn’t afford an editor and so after its already been printed he wanted to go back and make a lot of changes that he found. The book has only sold about 400 copies in the last two years and hes almost done with a sequel. He would like to get a revised version out when he is able to publish the sequel/ What kind of process would he have to go through to be able to revise and then reprint the original book? I imagine that the lack of sales wouldn’t make it too difficult, I thought of it like when a movie is made about a popular book and they decide to reprint it with a new cover. Any information would be helpful, thanks.
Joel, I’ve been told by Ingram Spark that I have to remove the country of printing (Printed in the U.S.A) from the back cover and copyright page because with POD the book may be printed in the UK or Australia. Ingram includes the country on the last page of the book with their barcode. How do I handle this in my book? I’ve always done offset printing in the past and the country of printing was required on the copyright page and also on the back cover if the publisher’s city and state are there. On the copyright page, can I add something like: This book is available through print on demand, and may be printed in the U.S.A., United Kingdom, or Australia, depending on where the order originates?
Frances, yes the world of POD is vastly different in some respects from when we were printing all our books offset. I think your solution is a good one.
Hi Joel,
I just received permission from Harper Collins to use an excerpt of theirs for my novel. They are stating in the agreement that “The copyright and credit notice is to be printed…” on my copyright page. What exactly are they stating? What would it look like? and Where should it go on the copyright page?
Hi Joel,
I have learned so much from your site. This is my first book and your site has helped me so much.
I am working on my copyright page and I am confused about the year. Although I finished writing the book in recently. It will most likely not be available or published until 2015. choose my year be 2014 or 2015.
Hi Barbara,
You’ll want the copyright date to be 2015, for two reasons. First, because the book will be published in 2015 and, second, because if you use the 2014 date, it will appear “old” on January 1, 2015.
Sir,
I am reprinting an very old indian historic book, and want to publish the same on my name and copywrite it. The book is with the family of the legend who composed the book. Plz suggest how to go about it.
Interesting…
I also like to know its answer
Your question is not specific enough for a definitive answer. How old? In what country was it originally published? If you think it’s in the public domain, and you can publish it, why would you try to copyright it in your own name, since you are not the creator?
Joel, I think what shiv meant is publisher’s copyright, which I don’t know about the existence of in India. However, if it does exist there, it would arise automatically without any requirement for registration, and would only exist for a limited period such as twenty-five years for publisher’s copyright in the UK.
Hi,
I copyrighted my book in 2009. Now, I am changing the title. Everything else is the same. Do I have to re-copyright with the government?
Please advise,
Paul
Dear Sir,
Is the Publisher’s full address is a must in Copy right page?
What is the4 legal position in it.
Advanced Thanks
There is no “legal” position, but this is where people will look when they want to contact the author or the publisher.
Hi Joel,
Are you familiar with Five Rainbows? Are they legit? I sent an email inquiry and never received a response. I telephoned (and it wasn’t easy locating their number), but they just hung up on me when I said I needed help with the check out process.
Thank you for your help!
Sue
Sue, I wouldn’t necessarily say that Five Rainbows is a scam outfit (defamation laws!), but they definitely don’t seem to know the first thing about good customer service. I would take your business elsewhere if I were you. Sorry I couldn’t help better.
Hi Joel,
I m a graphic designer and as apart of my degree I made a recipe book. I however went the extra length and made up the recipes, baked and took photos of everything. I got 50 printed for family and friends but now I want to look at getting it published correctly. So many websites are telling me I need to do different things. I understand I need to get an ISBN to sell it but seeing as this is the second edition I need to up that but I’m not sure about the copyright stuff and who I need to see or apply to that for. Can you help me?
Cass
Casper, see this article: How to Copyright Your Book
Please how are if I am not the author.
But a written permission is granted. Where do I place it. And how do I mention the authors name in the book and lastly there is aanother contributing author who helped in the translation of a page and I was told to mention her. Where do I place her. Thank you.
Hi Maria,
You are saying you have a book that was written by someone else. You have permission to print it. This makes you the publisher?
Then the author name should be on the cover, title page, copyright page etc. It appears to me the author owns the copyright of the book, you being the publisher only?
If I am both author and publisher, which owns the copyright for my book? Should my copyright read;
(c) 2014 Carey Conley, or:
(c) 2014 WriteSpeak Media & Publishing LLC?
Carey: from what I’ve seen, you would copyright as the author. Copyrights under corporate names are either as the publisher only or where the book was created as a work for hire/during the course of employment. Even the Nancy Drew books were copyrighted under the name of Carolyn Keene, the pseudonym of the various authors that wrote the books for the publishing company.
Help! I don’t see this particular question. I’m publishing my new book under a pseudonym. Copyright already taken care of. I realize that if I want to do direct with DRM for Kobo and I-Tunes, I’ll need to get my own ISBNs. If I purchase under my real name are they traceable to me? I mean Kobo and Itunes have my real name, but I don’t want sellers to. Am I worried about nothing?
VM, best strategy is to purchase your ISBNs under the name of your publishing company or imprint.
Hello Sydney,
You should have some sort of contact address, home address, PO Box, E-mail? In my books I use a web site address as I sell online. So if someone sees my book and wants to buy one they can go direct to the web page. I don’t know why someone will contact you for permission, to do what?
I have heard you don’t need an ISBN for a kindle book, some say its a good idea to use one though. Your ISBN for kindle and print book cannot be the same, each one has its own ISBN.
Hi,
Is it a good idea to put a PO BOX as the publisher’s address? If not, how will someone contact you for permissions?
Also, if after publishing the book I get kindle edition, I don’t need the Kindle ISBN on the copyright of printed book, right?
thanks for the help!
Joel,
Thank you so much for everything. I’ll send you a copy.
Hey Joel,
You have been extremely helpful throughout this process more than you know. I decided to put it on the copyright page.
Do you think this is good??
Photo Credit:
1 “Majesty of Egypt” (cc) 2013 is copyright by flickr.com member Christopher Michel and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
2 “Tour Effiel Panoramic Shot” (cc) 2006 is copyright by flickr.com member Richie Diesterheft and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
3 “Panama City from the Sky” (cc) 2005 is copyright by flickr.com member “dsasso” and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
4 “China-6417- A Branch in the Great Wall” (cc) 2006 is copyright by flickr.com member Dennis Jarvis and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
5 “Le Meridien Bungalos (Motu Tape – Bora Bora)” (cc) 2007 is copyright by flickr.com member Sergio Calleja and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Looks good to me, good luck with the book.
Thanks Roger for you responding….
Joel, thank you for your fast response. I guess I’m just having trouble figuring out where in my book to put the link back to each image. All the images (a total of 5) are on the same page. I used them for a sample vision board. I want it to look as professional as possible.
Kevin, you can put them on the page with the photos, on the copyright page, or on a “credits” page you can add to the back matter of your book.
If the photos are still under copyright you will need written permisson from the owner. The owner of the image is the person who took the photo.
If you have many photographs you could make a page at the back of the book. Listing page numbers and names. One of the best ways is just at the bottom of each image in brackets eg. [Mr. John W Reed]
Joel,
Thank you for all of your articles. They have made this self publishing venture a lot easier.
I have a question. I have created a goal setting workbook in which I have included a few images that I got from flickr.com under the creative commons licensing rule. In order to comply with the terms I must give appropriate credit to the photographers. How do I do that, do you have any sample, and should I add that to the copyright page?
Thank you in advance
Kevin
Kevin, if you go to the individual pages for the photos you’re using, click through to the Creative Commons license and it will indicate the kind of attribution that’s requested. Usually it’s a link back to the original photo on Flickr.
Well there are two ways to publish, go to a publishing company or do it yourself? Are you expecting to make money from your book?
Try some publishing companies, see if they are interested?
Otherwise you can do it youself. Softcover or hardcover, what size? You will need to format and have it print ready. Then go to a book printer, print run, 500, 1,000? Then see if the bookstores will sell it.
Thank you. I was mainly just looking to get 20 copies made for friends of mine.
Ok, only 20 copies, its easy enough, just go to those POD web sites, they can be setup and small numbers printed.
Thanks!
How would I go about getting my book published without too much hassle? I am currently working on finishing a poetry book I have been working on the past 4 years and would like to have it published.
Joel, I am going to POD from a previously published book and am not sure how to indicate this on the ISBN page. It will be the first reprint and I don’t want to change the information every time. Is there a generic form to use? I was thinking “Subsequent reprints begin 2014” but don’t feel that will be adequate in a few years. Thanks for your help.
Hi Richard,
From what I have seen around, here are my thoughts. You will republish a book, which means a new copyright page and ISBN or are you just going to reprint of your book, with no changes? I have republished a couple of books. If you are changing details, design, text, images etc from the original maybe then its a new book. If you are just doing a reprint only, it seems nowadays nobody worries about adding the new year each time. Eg. “Published 2012” “Reprinted 2014”, “Reprinted 2015”.
Maybe Joel has different thoughts on this?
I am self-publishing a photo book.
Is it true that a self-publisher cannot get an LCCN number? Only publishing houses can?
No, you can participate in the Library of Congress’ PCN program, details are here: LOC PCN Program
Mr. Joel,
to my prior question about copyrighted material, what if it is something like the title of a song, but is also used as a quote by someone else? May I use it if that is the case?
Thanks.
Hello Bella,
If the material is still under copyright, you cannot use it without the owners permission. You will have to find the owner and get permission, if you cannot then you must not use it in your book.
Mr. Joel,
I’m working on a new book, and I wanted to use song titles, lyrics, already copyrighted things. If I do not know the owner and am not able to get permission, is there any way that I can cite that the material does”t belong to me? Would that go on the copyright page?
Thanks.
Ms. Bella,
If you can’t get permission from the copyright owners, I strongly advise you to not use the content since you will open yourself to legal action against you.
I am self-publishing a novel. I cannot seem to get the copyright page to be the verso of the title page. I am working in Word. How do I accomplish this? Thanks.
Hi Joel. Thank you for this article. Great information on copyrights. I’m new here and just have one question that I can’t seem to find the answer to anywhere. I’m self publishing a novel. I registered my mss with the copyright office and received my certificate in December 2013 – two weeks before the end of the year. Due to a hectic schedule, I’m just now ready to publish. Can I use 2014 on my copyright page to make the book current or do I have to use the year that I registered my copyright which would be 2013? Thanks again and I love your site!
Kimber, the standard practice is to publish the book first and then submit your copyright registration. If you had done that, your book would be © 2014. But since you’ve already registered it, you can’t change the copyright date just because you want to. 🙁
However, you can make it small and add a line like “First Edition 2014” to the copyright page. That might help!
Thanks Joel.
Mr. Joel…I want to self-publish first book. I understand POD concept. But…I want to say ‘First Printing’ in the front matter, regardless of how many times I go to printing this book. If I did 100 copies at one a time, can I still say ‘First Printing’. Does this make sense?
Copyright 2014 Nick…
First Edition, First Printing, First Book Author
Nick, for POD books, “first printing” has become just about meaningless. You can still put it in there if you like, but it’s mostly symbolic these days.
Good Morning,
I read through all the copyright questions and answers and, honestly, I am still confused. I am finalizing an illustrated children’s book and the copyright page is left. I am using createspace to get it out for printing and bought my own ISBN numbers and just received my LCCN number. It is a fairytale, so see no need to worry if any of the characters are based on real humans so skipping that portion unless it is important.
So far I have this:
“Copyright © 2014 Seaway Press. All rights reserved.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.”
ISBN-10: 0996013202
ISBN-13: 978-0-9960132-0-8″
I looked through a lot of copyright pages and just got more and more confused. Where do I put the LCCN I received a few days ago? If somebody wants to order the book like a school or library where would they go to order it? Would they automatically go to Amazon? Who would the “publisher” be? Seaway Press? Would I add an address? Email?
Hello;
I will be self-publishing under a pen name. What would the copyright page for a pen name, since copyright does not extend to pseudonyms? Would it still be (C) 2014 Pen Name?
HB, that’s exactly right. You can show the copyright either under your pen name, or your publisher name. On the copyright registration for the book you’ll list both the pen name and your real name.
Thank you so much for your response! Is copyright registration mandatory for self-publishing?
More specifically, is copyright registration mandatory for those self-publishing with Amazon?
Copyright registration is voluntary for all publishers. Copyright itself is automatic when you create a work. However, it’s prudent to register your copyright because, if your work is ever infringed, you will have a much stronger case, and the ability to recover litigation costs, that you won’t have if you don’t register. It has nothing to do with retailers like Amazon or any others.
Thank you!
Hey Joel!
We are having a book reprint from a previous edition (2004). The manufacturing party (is also the co-editor) insists we do not need to specify in the copyright page that this is a reprint, also they claim we do not even need to include “2014” in the copyright page since is a direct reprint from the 2004 edition. Is that possible?
Hi Akruin.
If you treat this edition as simply a reprinting of the 2004 original, there’s no need to change anything about the book.
Hello, I am planning to self-publish through Create Space/Amazon. Can you tell me at what point should I seek copyright i.e. after I get the first copy they print for me to proofread or before I upload my manuscript to them?
Secondly, I wanted to know if my cover page design (front and back covers) should be included in my copyright registration submission. Or should it just include the actual manuscript in pdf and they view the cover pages when I forward the printed copies to the Library of Congress?
Donette, you’ll copyright your book after it’s published, and the cover will be an integral part of the books you submit with your copyright registration.
hello!
can you teach me how to make a copyright page?thanks a lot.
You can find a sample on this web site.
Dear Joel, I have self-published my third book called, “The Crazy Cat Experience” It is comedy and poetry. I am having trouble marketing it at this time. Do you know of any publishers that would pick up my book and market it for me? In Iowa or across the country?
There’s quite a few blog posts out there on copyright pages but I’m glad I ran into this one. You don’t need to wade through a bunch of filler to find what you’re after. You’ve clearly laid it out, short, sweet and to the point.
Copyright page is very important in today’s world of online piracy. I should know.. it’s my job to stop ebook theft. (hope this is ok) http://stopebooktheft.com
Going to bookmark this one. Thanks
Then its a new book, so why do you want to include the old book name?
I have republished books. Even same title, cover and inside, nearly a carbon copy. I never refer to the original book on the copyright page. Unless it was a reprint, then I would list as “1st printed in 19**” “2nd printed 20**”
I want to include the old book name so my readers aren’t mislead into thinking it’s a new book (new interior) because it has a new cover and new title. Without mentioning it somewhere the misunderstanding can occur, right?
Originally thought just to use the old ISBN with the new cover but was told I can’t do that.
I think you will only confuse people, two books wth 2 different titles and ISBN, but you are saying are the nearly the same?
Anyway do people ever read the copyright page. When I quickly look at a book in a book shop. I am not interested in the copyright page.
Joel, great site. I use it as a source all the time. I scrolled through your articles and didn’t see a response to my question. Forgive me if I’ve missed it.
I’m planning to do a reprint of a previously published work. The work has a new title but somewhat similar interior. How do I list this work on the copyright page? It will have a new ISBN.
New Book Name
Copyright (c) 2013 by Stefanie Graham
Old Book Name
Original Copyright (c) 2009 by Stefanie Graham
Does that look about right?
Thanks,
S
Why are listing the old book name from 2009?
You are saying new title, inside changed and new ISBN. Seems to me a new and different book.
To clarify, the interior is 95% the same. Mostly updates, spelling corrections, etc. The title change and the cover image change is why a new isbn is needed.
Hello Joel,
I find your articles very helpful to me.
My question is regarding the copyright page. I will be a publisher for a friends book, format the book, deal with the printer, all the running about etc.
The story a bit complex as an unpublish manuscript held in the library, the copyright owner has given permission for my friend to use. The manuscript is large 150,000 words, revised down to 35,000 for her book. added her own words for an introduction chapter. The library has given permission to use photos from their collection.
I know the basic details for the copyright page. Author has copyright of the book. Can you help with wording to list the copyright owner of the original manuscript. Also the help and assistance for the images from the library collection.
Thanks
Hi Joel — this has been a super helpful article and comments section! I am self publishing and printing a children’s picture book. It’s all set to go to the printers but now i have a question about the copyright page location. When you open the cover, the first page on the right side is blank, then I have the copyright page on the left side (page 2) and on the right side is the title page (page 3) and then books starts on the 4th page. I did not put any additional pages in the beginning for cost reasons. But now I have have read in a few place that the Title page MUST be before the copyright page. Is that true and if so why would that be necessary. While they are side by side, my title page is technically after the copyright page. I would SO appreciate some clarity on this. Thank you.
I wrote a book back in 1988 and gave a publisher the exclusive rights to publish it. Last year I rewrote the book to update it and kept the same title but called it the 2012 edition. Would the publisher have the exclusive right to print this book too, or could I self publish it? Thanks for your help.
Rick, you really need to look at your contract. If it’s a new edition of the book, it would supersede the old one, killing its sales, and that could be a problem. My advice would be to consult with an intellectual property attorney before publishing.
Hi,
I have a poetry chapbook that was accepted by a university press. They want exclusive rights and second and third serial rights. The rights don’t expire until they stop printing the book (they are still printing books and chapbooks from ten years ago). Everyone I know who’s published a chapbook was able to publish the poems in a later full-lenght collection–will signing this contract prevent me from doing so? Should I try to negotiate a different contract or should I just accept this–there’s no doubt I’m very lucky to be published and I love the press!
Hello Marie,
I have a couple of questions to your message. Are you paying them any money to print the chapbook? Do you know their print run? How much money will you get from each booklet?
They want exclusive rights to published your Chapbook. Then you have lost control?
Marie, I’m not a lawyer and can’t offer you legal advice, but in my experience it’s common for publishing agreements to contain a clause that allows the publisher to keep the right as long as the book is in print, and/or sells a minimum number of copies per year.
The rights, no matter what other authors got in other contracts, are spelled out in the contract they’ve presented to you. You’ll need to balance your desire to be published by this press against your desire to print these later in another form.
Don’t ignore the fact that the publisher might give you permission for the use you want to make of your work in the future, and may well be open to negotiation right now, before the contract is signed.
Hi Joel,
I have read all the comments on here and it’s very useful information, thanks.
One question I can’t find an answer to. I plan to send by book to kindle and have written it under a pen name. I don’t want to put my real name in the copyright so if I put my pen name, will that give me copyright on my material.
I did find a link about copyright and pen names but that gave information about completing forms.
Thanks
Tony
Dear Joel,
I’m days away from sending my book to the printer, and though I’ve done a tone of research and have already created a copyright page (thank you for the information), I have a problem I hope you’ll be able to solve.
I’m an artist, and I’m self-publishing this book under my solo-proprietorship business–Mili Fay Art–as a work of art. My problem is that I do not want to print my private address on the copyright page. I also believe that renting a P.O. Box is a waste of money, because I do not expect to receive a lot of mail. My question is this: Do you think I can leave the physical address out and just place an e-mail and my website as sources of contact information?
I have an ISBN number and have registered my address with CIP, but I do not want to have it printed in the book.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Mili
Mill, you are fine with the copyright page the way it is. As long as you’ve provided contact information, as you have with your email and web address, that’s all you’ll need. Good luck with the book!
Thanks for the quick response. 🙂
Dear Sir,
I have a copy of my first flash fiction and poetry book that I am going to list as a ebook on Kindle Direct Publishing and I need to include a copyright. When I send the book to the Library of Congress to apply for a copyright what form does the book need to be in? A completed finished copy with the beautiful cover page or can I send in a unbound version? Thank you.
Wow, I know this post is from years ago (something that I noticed after reading the article) but I’m hoping there is still someone out there that can answer my question or maybe even you Joel.
I just finished writing a novel and want to get it published and have been looking into Amazon ebooks as a self publishing option. You mentioned in an earlier response to a comment that Amazon is not a self publishing venue so what does that mean for the copyright page? It asks to be included and I have no clue what to place there if anything at all.
I see that you still respond to comments so I am hopeful for a response. After failing to get my book noticed by any publishing companies I am hoping that Amazon can grant me my dream of becoming a “published” auther and would love your expertise.
Hi Aliesha,
Amazon is a book retailer. Their CreateSpace.com division is a print on demand vendor where many authors publish their own books. And their Kindle Direct Publishing service allows authors to publish their own ebooks. Your copyright page is your own responsibility because you will be the publisher, and that’s why I wrote these articles to give you some guidance about what to put there.
Also see this post: Copyright Page Samples You Can Copy and Paste Into Your Book
Thanks Joel for the good info.
One important question that I cannot seem to find the answer to is where a copyright page legally must be shown in terms of the page order. “Usually the verso of the title page” seems a bit vague when talking about such a specific and technical subject.
I think that seeing legal language as on of the first page a user sees is just ugly. Can we place it in the rear and still be protected? In the era of conventional printing publishers usually had to “fill up” the spreads. Now with digital printing each page costs money.
Thanks.
rg
Joel,
I wrote a book 20 years ago and copyrighted it then. It was never published. Now that there are easy self publishing options I plan to go forward and publish it as an e-book. I would like to use a 2013 copyright date rather than a 1992 date. Is there any way I can do this so that it appears to be a “new” book? I have made some changes to the story, but they are relatively minor.
Dear Joel, I am going to sell another poetry and comedy book. This time I want to make it homemade like a chapbook. But instead more like a booklet. What are your thoughts on instead of a folded four chapbook, this book could be more like a two column booklet still resembling a chapbook? I would just have a piece of construction paper and fold it down the middle and punch holes in it and sew it up. I actually have no expertise in this area so I though you might have some. Thanks.
Joel,
I have two questions,
1) What software would you use for a fantasy novel
and
2) How do you get the page size to get smaller when you print it out? Is there a special printer for that or is it software?
Thanks!
I’m so glad I found this website. I watched your video where you told Jamie she didn’t need a copyright on every page. I hope I’m not having you repeat yourself when I ask about that. I am a brand new freelancer at the ripe age of 41 and received my first contract to write an Ebook. My employer writes: “Also, it would need to show the copyright at the bottom of each page with the title.”
I’ve seen so many different versions of copyrights at bottoms of pages, I’m not sure what I should put. Plus, I’m using a pen name as this contract is for something my dear sweet grandmother might get the vapors from reading, so do I put that on the copyright or am I required to put my legal name?
This is not due until November 30th, 2012, so I’m not too worried yet, but the vagueness (or just my naivete) of the employer’s request is something with which I’m not sure of myself.
Thanks,
Carrie
Carrie,
The only time there might be a reason to put a copyright on every page is if the book is likely to be distributed at some point as single pages, like if it’s a looseleaf. Other than that, there’s nothing to gain from doing it, since the entire work is covered when it’s created, and the publication of the copyright notice doesn’t create any rights in and of itself. I guess if the client is worried about piracy you could put something like “copyrighted content—do not copy” on the pages, but do you think that will deter someone who wants to steal the content? You can do the notice in your pen name, just make sure when you complete the copyright documents to send to the Copyright Office that you list both the pen name and your legal name.
Joel,
Thanks for your reply. The E-book would be able to be broken down into different articles if needed, which I think might be the employer’s goal. I guess I should just ask them what they want listed on the pages, it would save me a headache!
Carrie
Joel,
I’m an author and I was wondering, does the writer type the copyright page, or does the publisher?
Thanks in advance,
Danny
Danny, it’s fine to include a copyright statement in your manuscript, but the copyright page as a whole is the responsibility of the publisher. Keep in mind that if you publish the book yourself, you’ll need to create your own copyright page.
My co-author and I are publishing our first book with createspace and we are very unclear about Library of Congress Control Number. How do we obtain it? What’s the purpose? Can you answer these questions or refer us to a good resourse? CS charges $49 to assist with this but its unclear what we actually get and it apparently takes 10 days. I appreciate your assistance on this subject.
Carol,
I don’t think it’s worth paying $49 unless you find it difficult filling out a form. You can find complete information about this at the Library of Congress website. Hope that helps
I am writing a book about bullying and suicide in our schools. I would like to include pictures of a few of the kids and quotes from their parents, to drive home the devastating tragedy of what is happening in our schools. Their stories and pictures are available all over the internet, but I don’t know what I could legally quote in my book or whether I could use any pictures without tracking down the families etc. Thanks for your help!
Carol,
Unfortunatley, just because something is “all over the internet” does not mean you can use it without permission. In the case of photos of people you will definitely need written permission from the individuals or a signed model release. In addition, whoever took the photos owns the copyright to them and as copyright owner, they own the reproduction rights. You can re-tell the stories in your own words, but don’t use anyone else’s material without permission.
Dear sir:
I’m going to public my art-work for my copyright, but I am a new person for this area. Could you tell me where and how I can public my artwork? they are some newspapesr or magazine?
Thanks!
Zhuanli
Joel:
Thanks for the article. My wife is about to finish her first book. We will have it published as an eBook. I will apply for a copywrite on it but am not sure how long that takes to get approval. Can we put a copywrite page in the book before notification of approval?
Also, if we publish through an online publisher they will provide an ISBN number after we submit the book. Does the ISBN number have to be on the copywrite page? If so, how can it be added at a later time?
Thanks again.
Chad,
You want to publish the book first, with the copyright notice, then register the copyright after publication. You don’t need any “approval” since the work is already copyrighted, this just registers your copyright with the Copyright office.
Thanks for the article. Extremely helpful and easy to understand. Great information for writers.
Re the Copyright page where you have to put the author’s name, is it ok to put the pseudonym if you want to maintain anonymity? Is there some sort of legal process that has to be done to link the pseudonym to your real name?
Thanks in anticipation
Tamara,
See this information from the Copyright office about how to copyright a pseudonymous work: Pseudonyms in copyright. It explains how to do it by using both your real and pen names on your copyright filing.
So if I obtained my copyright in 2011 but am not getting it published until 2012, it should say 2012? Also, I’ve changed the subtitle since I filed. Does this affect my copyright?
Thanks! You’re the best.
Karen, if you’ve already copyrighted the book in 2011, that won’t change. Most books are copyrighted after they’re published, so this isn’t an issue. You would have to change at least 10% of the content to justify a new edition, and therefore, a new copyright filing.
im making a childrens piture book for my chool book report and i didnt know how to do the copyright page this page really helped me thamk you
Hi Joel,
I have a question. Do we have to personally print the copyright page or will the publisher themselves will print it for us?
Dear Joel,
I didn’t see this question addressed and may have just missed it, but do self-publishing outfits like Amazon retain any rights over your work, such as publisher’s rights, which would prevent the book from being re-published, more or less as is, by a commercial printing firm like, for example, Charles Scribner’s & Sons, etc.?
Thanks
Jim
Hi Jim,
Amazon is not a self-publishing company, it’s a book retailer just like Barnes & Noble or the indie bookstore in your town. Their print on demand subsidiary, CreateSpace, acts as a printer and distributor but holds no rights to the books it produces. Scribner’s is a publisher, and publishers acquire the right to publish through a licensing arrangement known as a publishing agreement made with the owner of the material. The agreement spells out exactly which rights are being granted to the publisher.
Hope that helps.
Note that using both the C-in-a-circle and the word “Copyright” technically violates the notice requirements of Title 17 Section 401(b)(1), which clearly states “or,” not “and/or.” Choose one or the other.
Thanks, Mandy, I’ll make the correction.
Dear Joel:
I self-published my deceased husband’s poems in 1981 and included the (c) as you suggest. Now, a lawyer has contacted the family to obtain permission to use a poem in a musical composition. How do I legally give permission? That particular poem had previously been published in a leading poetry magazine. Do they give permission as well?
Thanks for your help.
I’m going to assume you held onto the copyright and only licensed the poetry magazine to reproduce it. And keep in mind I am not a lawyer, I don’t give legal advice. In my opinion, you can negotiate as the copyright holder with the lawyer. It’s not usually a good idea to negotiate directly with a lawyer unless you have a lawyer yourself. But usually a permission is given in the form of a letter, and states the exact use to which the material will be put, any limitations on the use, and the compensation that will be paid to the rights holder. The kind of lawyer you would want to query about this is an intellectual property lawyer. Hope that helps.
Loved the article!!
Could you please tell me what “BVG” means. I’ve seen this on copyright pages and have been unable to find a definition… Thanks!!
Hi, Joel —
Thanks for your articles. (I’m a new subscriber.)
Two copyright questions:
I’m going to publish an existing print book as an ebook through Amazon.
1.) Should the copyright page read something like:
Original Source: The Wild Place, by Barbara Goodheart
Copyright © 2005 by Barbara Goodheart, Inc.
Hardcover Edition ISBN- 13: 978-0-595-80017-9
Paperback Edition ISBN- 13: 978-0-595-34995-1
Hardcover Edition ISBN- 10 :0-595-80017-3
Paperback Edition ISBN- 10: 0-595-34995-1
Kindle Edition: Copyright © 2011 by Barbara Goodheart, Inc.
(followed by Amazon’s ASIN)
2.) Do I need four ISBNs?
Thanks in advance,
Barbara Goodheart
Hi Barbara, great to have you as a reader.
1. Unless you’re changing the title, I see no reason for the “Original source…” line.
You don’t need to list both 13- and 10-digit ISBNs, the 10-digit is not in use much anymore, just on books that were originally published before the 13-digit ISBN was introduced.
You don’t need to list the ASIN since it is a proprietary stock-tracking number specific to Amazon. You can, however, assign an ISBN to the Kindle edition.
2. You need 1 ISBN for each unique edition, so:
1 for hardcover
1 for softcover
1 for Kindle (if you decide to use one)
1 for ePub (this ISBN is for all e-book vendors who are selling the same ePub file)
Hope that helps
Joel,
I am planning to publish a book that contains Civil War items. They are my great great grandfathers diary(which was handed down to me), 60 letters from my great grandfather (which I had tracked down and were given to me by non family members) and about 60 letters from his brother(which I found in a library). I know you can have things that have been willed to you copyrighted. I believe I should list myself as editor. Of course I would be adding much info about all of them in an introduction. I will probably publish an ebook. I am wondering about having it copyrighted.
Doris
Doris, the unpublished materials are covered by copyright. When you publish them in a book, you’ll register the copyright to the entire book at once. If you need to know how to do that, see this article:
How to Copyright Your Book
Hi Joel!
Thank you for all the helpful information! I have a follow-up question related to copyrighting specific images. I am doing the layout and some illustrations for a kids science curriculum. The organization (a non-profit) is self-publishing the book, and then selling it to secure some returns for the organization. So my questions are….
1. This constitutes commercial use, right? (Even though we are a non-profit, we are planning to sell it)
2. While some of the illustrations are mine, some are also clip art from open sites that allow for commercial use. Do I need to distinguish which ones are mine (i.e., do they need to be marked differently?)
3. My boss wants a copyright at the bottom of every page. Is this necessary?
Thank you!
Hi Jamie. Did you see the video where I answered your questions? If not, here’s a link:
Copyright questions [video]
Helpful! Thank you for this article.
I have one question about the copyright page:
I’m a design student, and have got some freelance work designing a book for a local author. He is getting an ISBN and all that sort of stuff. I think he also wants to include a sentence indicating where the book was printed and bound. (I see a lot of these in mass-market books: “Printed and bound in the USA,” etc.) However, since we are using Blurb, I can’t include this. Blurb sends their files to different printing companies in many different countries, and by the sounds of it there’s no way to tell where our books will be printed.
So, I was wondering: is this sentence necessary? I am assuming not, since I don’t see it mentioned in this article (unless I am quite blind). Can I convince my client to leave this out?
Thanks in advance!
Karen,
I would be quite surprised if Blurb were printing books overseas and shipping them back, the costs would be rather high. Have you inquired directly with Blurb? That’s where I would start.
The statement of origin is actually a good thing to have on your copyright page. See this article for some examples:
Copyright Page Samples You Can Copy and Paste Into Your Book
Hmm, thank you! I will try contacting them before proceeding.
Out of curiosity, why is the statement of origin important?
Thanks again in advance!
Well broken down! The only thing I could think that might improve this article would be an example paragraph concerning the rights ie. All Rights Reserved blah, blah, blah.
Joleene, take a look at this:
Copyright Page Samples You Can Copy & Paste Into Your Book
This article was very helpful to me. I just finished writing a book and I do not know what steps to take next. I am looking towards being a self-publisher. I wrote my book in Microsoft word format but it is not in “book format.” What steps do I take next?
After you edit it, you need to format it per the requirements of your publisher. You can find the details on their website (example Smashwords.com, CreateSpace.com, etc.)
Hi Joel:
New subscriber to your page and you have very helpful information. I am completing my first work and working with Lightning Source through my Not for Profit as the publisher. A couple of questions. Can you refer me to a site that has a couple of samples of the copyright page? My editor did my title page, however after reading your article I would like to do a copyright page also. Also best program recommendations for typography and transforming the text into PDF files for Lightning Source. I finished writing and content has been edited by professional. Now I need to complete the typset…help?
Chris,
See the article here: Copyright Page Samples You Can Copy and Paste Into Your Book
Most book designers use Adobe InDesign for layout and typography. However, this is not a particularly good solution for someone who only wants to do one book. Your choices would be buying an expensive piece of software and learning to use it, doing the book in a word processing program, or hiring a professional to do that part for you.
Thanks for this page it helped me.
Suzanne, thanks for visiting. Usually you send the book to the Library of Congress after it’s been printed. You print the copyright notice in the book, of course, then fill out the forms that accompany the book.
Hey Joel –
If you are interested in reviewing my work …
HL
HL, this is not the right place for your request. Please use our contact form instead, thanks. Here’s a link: Contact Form.
Dear Joel, thank you for your advice with copyright. I published my first poetry book and sent my copyright in first before I printed the book. Your advice is to have the printed final copy of my novel sent in after it is published, correct? This will be my second book.
Thank you, Suzie Birchmier