How to Copyright a Book in 7 Steps

Copyrighting is when a creator establishes a public record of their intellectual property. Even though all creative work made by an individual or group automatically belongs to them, a copyright is how they can prove it. As the owner of the artistic work, only the copyright holder has an exclusive right to make copies, distribute, publicly display, and create derivative works based on the original work.

While no other entity may profit off the copying or distribution of your material, copyright protection does not extend to ideas or facts. All work available for copyrighting must be in a tangible form and your own creative output.

A copyright can protect your book by providing proof of creation and can strengthen the defense against copyright infringement by another entity. For example, a copyright can prevent a bookstore from making and selling its own copies of your writing for profit. A copyright can also keep another author from plagiarizing your work.

Whether you’ve gone through the professional publishing process or are self-publishing your own book, your authorship of the work automatically establishes your ownership according to United States copyright law. However, in the U.S., filing a copyright registration after a work is produced is necessary if you later need to take action against infringement and obtain statutory damages.

Without a formal copyright registration, you would need extensive proof that you are the sole copyright owner, and that another entity purposely infringed on your book—which is harder to prove without a prior notice that the work already existed.

In the United States especially, if you’re looking to register your literary work, you must submit a copyright application with the U.S. Copyright Office. The following is a step-by-step guide for copyrighting a book:

1. Visit the Official Copyright Website.

Set up by the Library of Congress, copyright.gov is a site that allows you to fill out and submit registration forms online by completing a few simple steps of the registration process.

2. Select the Proper Category.

Click where it says “Register a Copyright,” then select “Literary Works.”

3. Create an Online Account.

If you don’t already have an online account with the U.S. Copyright Office, create one to access the portal.

4. Select the Standard Application.

Once you’ve logged into the site, navigate to the left side of the screen where it says “Register a Work.” Beneath that, click where it reads “Standard Application.”

5. Fill Out the Appropriate Forms.

Click “Start Registration,” then complete the form with all the appropriate information regarding your book.

6. Pay the Fee.

Pay the U.S. Copyright Office filing fee.

7. Submit Your Written Material.

Send in the final polished version of your manuscript to the U.S. Copyright Office. Learn more about finding an editor for your book in our complete guide.

While it doesn’t provide extra safety, adding a copyright page to your book will let any viewers know that your book is copyrighted work. This will hopefully deter them from attempting to copy it in the first place. The page should contain your name, the year of publication, an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) for identification, a reservation of rights, the book edition, the copyright symbol, and a disclaimer that informs the reader that any advice or information taken from their book is entirely at their own discretion.

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