The legal disclaimer examples for books shown below are given as a guideline so that you can become familiar with the legalities of book publishing. Since I’m not an attorney, make sure to consult with one before you publish any book disclaimer statements.

Now, while fiction books require very little in the way of legal disclaimers, nonfiction books are a completely different story.

Depending on your book’s topic, you may be writing in areas that are subject to strict regulatory guidelines for disclosure and you’ll therefore need to engage the services of an attorney in order to create book disclaimers that minimize the chances of being sued by those regulatory agencies.

For example, if you created a system that allows you to lose 20 lbs. in 30 days, you’ve used this system successfully on yourself plus 20 other clients and you have the testimonials to back that up, the FTC will still not allow you to claim that those results are typical and achievable by the average reader.

The same applies to investment advice and SEC regulations on disclosure.

Just make sure that you hire an attorney to craft your nonfiction book disclaimer statements so that you’re well protected.

Book Disclaimer Examples for Fiction and Nonfiction Titles

Legal disclaimers for fiction books are quite straightforward. All you need to establish is that any similarities to people and events is purely coincidental. This can be achieved with a disclaimer that is short and to the point (see first example below).

However, legal disclaimers for nonfiction books are much more involved, depending on your subject.

For instance, books on investment matters will need to abide by SEC disclosure rules and books that promote a specific set of results (e.g. Lose X lbs. in Y time), will have to abide by FTC disclaimers of typicality that require you to disclose average or expected results, as well as the FTC guides concerning the use of endorsements of testimonials.

With these caveats out of the way, let’s look at some disclaimer examples:

Example of a Legal Disclaimer for a Fiction Book

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Example of a Legal Disclaimer for a Nonfiction Book on Health (e.g. weight loss, illness management, alternative medicine, etc.)

The publisher and the author are providing this book and its contents on an “as is” basis and make no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to this book or its contents. The publisher and the author disclaim all such representations and warranties, including but not limited to warranties of healthcare for a particular purpose. In addition, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein.

The content of this book is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. You understand that this book is not intended as a substitute for consultation with a licensed practitioner. Please consult with your own physician or healthcare specialist regarding the suggestions and recommendations made in this book. The use of this book implies your acceptance of this disclaimer.

The publisher and the author make no guarantees concerning the level of success you may experience by following the advice and strategies contained in this book, and you accept the risk that results will differ for each individual. The testimonials and examples provided in this book show exceptional results, which may not apply to the average reader, and are not intended to represent or guarantee that you will achieve the same or similar results.

Example of a Legal Disclaimer for a Nonfiction Book on Fitness

The publisher and the author strongly recommend that you consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program. You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the exercise. The author is not a licensed healthcare care provider and represents that they have no expertise in diagnosing, examining, or treating medical conditions of any kind, or in determining the effect of any specific exercise on a medical condition.

You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge the publisher and the author from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of the contents of this book.

The publisher and the author advise you to take full responsibility for your safety and know your limits. Before practicing the skills described in this book, be sure that your equipment is well maintained and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training, and comfort level.

Example of a Legal Disclaimer for a Nonfiction Book on Money (e.g. money management, investment, debt management, etc.)

The information provided in this book is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a source of advice or credit analysis with respect to the material presented. The information and/or documents contained in this book do not constitute legal or financial advice and should never be used without first consulting with a financial professional to determine what may be best for your individual needs.

The publisher and the author do not make any guarantee or other promise as to any results that may be obtained from using the content of this book. You should never make any investment decision without first consulting with your own financial advisor and conducting your own research and due diligence. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the publisher and the author disclaim any and all liability in the event any information, commentary, analysis, opinions, advice and/or recommendations contained in this book prove to be inaccurate, incomplete or unreliable, or result in any investment or other losses.

Content contained or made available through this book is not intended to and does not constitute legal advice or investment advice and no attorney-client relationship is formed. The publisher and the author are providing this book and its contents on an “as is” basis. Your use of the information in this book is at your own risk.

Example of a Legal Disclaimer for a Nonfiction Book on Psychology (e.g. psychology, relationships, self-help, etc.)

Although the publisher and the author have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time and while this publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

This publication is meant as a source of valuable information for the reader, however it is not meant as a substitute for direct expert assistance. If such level of assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Next Steps

Now you have a good idea about the role that legal disclaimers play in the book trade.

This is an area where it’s better to be safe than sorry – if your distribution and promotion are limited and your book doesn’t reach a wide audience, your risk will be somewhat mitigated.

But if your book takes off in the market and reaches wide distribution (hurray!), you’ll need to be protected and the cost of an attorney early on in the publishing process will be an investment worth making.

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

The 10 Must-Have Writing Skills for Nonfiction Authors

The 7 Key Rules for Writers of Outstanding Nonfiction Books

Learn 10 Powerful Writing Habits to Fast Track Your Nonfiction Book

 

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of 6 books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, printing, distribution and marketing.

Your book’s copyright page is a key aspect of copyright protection, but isn’t sufficient on its own to fully safeguard the content of your book.

In this article I’ll share all the steps that you need to take in addition to creating a copyright page to maximize your protection against copyright infringement.

What Protections Does a Book Copyright Confer to the Author?

Copyrighting your book will protect it from intellectual property theft. In its most basic form, your copyright makes it illegal for someone else to reprint copies of your book and sell them – or even hand them out for free.

But copyright goes beyond the right to make copies of a book. For example, if you’re writing a fiction book, your copyright will also protect you from someone else lifting your plot and its characters and rewriting the same story with different character names and in a different location.

If you are a Harry Potter fan and you read an exact clone of a Potter book but with different character names and taking place in India, you’ll figure it out after you read just a handful of pages. This is precisely what copyrighting is designed to prevent.

If your book is nonfiction, you’ll likely be using your expertise in order to publish a unique solution to a problem that your target audience suffers from, from health to relationships to psychology to finances.

While specific data or procedures may not be copyrightable (they may instead require a patent for your protection), your explanation, illustration and description of your methodology is subject to copyright.

Finally, any names or expressions that you coin in order to brand your unique approach (such as “The 1-Hour a Day Diet” or “Investing Without Effort”) are not subject to copyright. Instead you’ll need to register a trademark to prevent others from using them for financial gain.

Is a Copyright Page All I Need?

It’s not as simple as that. In order to maximize your chances of prevailing in a copyright infringement suit, you’ll need to diligently document the creation of your intellectual property. This includes keeping in a safe place all of your:

• Written notes (make sure you date them)
• Electronic files
• Charts, graphs, research
• Mind maps
• Older draft manuscripts
• Email communications
• Written or electronic documentation outlining characters, plots and places

…plus any other evidence of authorship.

In short, to be fully protected don’t throw anything out when you’re done writing your book, don’t recycle any paper with information about your book, keep backups of all book-related electronic files on an external drive or a on USB stick, and keep these storage devices in a secure place.

Do I Need to Apply to the U.S. Copyright Office?

It depends. If you live in Canada or in many other countries, copyright is automatically granted – you own it the moment you write your book and you may not need to produce a certificate of copyright as evidence in an infringement suit.

But if you live in the United States, the only mechanism for proving to the courts that you’re the legitimate author of your intellectual property is to produce a certificate of copyright from the U.S. Copyright Office.

For example, if you discover that someone else has written a book identical to yours and it’s clear that your book content was stolen, the date of registration on your certificate of copyright – which is a document in the public record – will prove your ownership to the courts.

With a registered copyright, you can assert your copyright starting from the official date of registration, which allows you file a claim for infringement without having to prove others’ prior knowledge of your work.

<H2> What Are the Actual “Rights” in Copyright?

When you copyright your book, you’ll be granted the following rights:

• Exclusive right for making copies of your book: You may grant third parties permission to reproduce parts of your book or your book in its entirety for a limited time and for a limited quantity in exchange for financial compensation.
• Exclusive right to distribute your book: You may grant others permission to distribute your work on your behalf through a mutually beneficial financial arrangement.
• Exclusive right to create derivative works: For example, you may grant others permission to translate your book to foreign languages and to distribute it in those markets through a mutually beneficial financial arrangement.

What’s the Cost of Copyrighting My Book?

The least expensive way to copyright a book with the U.S. Copyright Office is to do it online through a process called Single Application (visit: www.copyright.gov for more details). This will cost you only $35.

Keep in mind that this type of application is subject to some restrictions:

• You must be the only author listed on the copyright registration form (if you’re co-authoring your book you’ll have to file a Standard Application instead)
• You must register a single work (for example, a very large book split into several volumes isn’t considered a single work)
• You must be the sole claimant (if you’re sharing your copyright ownership with others you’ll have to file a Standard Application)
• You must write the book by yourself (if you hired a ghostwriter to write the book on your behalf you’ll still be considered the copyright owner, but you’ll have to file a Standard Application instead).

If you must file a Standard Application for the reasons stated above, your cost will increase to $55 (online applications only). If you want to file a paper application and send it through snail mail, your cost will go up to $85.

What Are the Steps I Need to Follow to Copyright My Book?

Step 1: Add a Copyright Page to Your Book

This page must be placed on the backside of the title page in your book (the title page is one of the first pages in your front matter and it must contain your book title – often a reproduction of your book cover in black & white or grayscale).

Your copyright page must include the following information:

• • A copyright notification (e.g. Copyright © <year> by <copyright owner, e.g. your name, your company name, etc.>).
  • Your publisher’s name and address. If you’re self-publishing your book, then create a publisher imprint or use your business as the publisher. If you don’t want to include a physical street address, use the publisher’s URL instead. This information is only required so that others can get in touch with you if the need arises.
  • Your book’s edition followed by the date of publication – month and year will suffice (e.g. First Edition, September 2019).
  • The book’s print run if applicable (e.g. first printing, second printing, etc.).
  • A statement of rights (e.g. “All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, or through any information browsing, storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.”)
  • Your book’s bibliographical record. To request this information as a self-published author in the U.S. visit: https://locexternal.service-now.com/auth.
  • Permissions from other copyrighted works, if applicable (e.g. if you’re quoting a poem from another author in your book, you must first obtain their publisher’s permission in writing and post it on your copyright page).

 

• Legal disclaimers, if applicable. You’ll need to consult with an attorney to obtain the appropriate text for your book, especially if it’s a legal requirement by a government agency (e.g. if you offer investment advice, the SEC may require that you show one or more disclaimers. If you make claims about results readers can expect from your system, you’ll have to abide by the disclaimer rules of the FTC).

Step 2: Register Your Copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office

For maximum protection, or if you live in the U.S., file your application with the U.S. Copyright Office. As stated above, you can do so online by visiting www.copyright.gov or by mail by completing Form TX (downloadable from the same website).

Step 3: Mail Two Copies of Your Book to the U.S. Library of Congress

After you file your copyright registration, you’ll need to fulfill the mandatory deposit requirement of the U.S. Library of Congress by mailing two copies of your book to the following address (this must be done within three months of publication):

Library of Congress

Copyright Office

Attn: 407 Deposits

101 Independence Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20559-6600

Next Steps

Your book is the labor of love. Make sure you give it the best level of protection possible against intellectually property theft.

If you’re thinking about filing an application for copyright, it’s always a good idea to first consult with an attorney. They could either check your form for accuracy or fill it out and file it on your behalf.

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

How Long Does it Take to Write a Book to Help Grow Your Business?

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

The 7 Most Effective Book Promotion Ideas For Nonfiction Authors

 

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of 6 books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, printing, distribution and marketing.

The copyright page of a book is an industry requirement that must be placed on the backside of your title page (which is typically a black & white or gray scale version of your book cover).

The copyright page will be used by distributors to add your book to their databases, by booksellers to order your book and by anyone who wants to get in touch with the publisher or the author.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create a copyright page with ease, and you’ll find six useful samples that you can copy and paste directly into your book file (with some noted exceptions).

Since, as the writer of an original work you want to make sure that the authorship of your intellectual property is well protected, keep in mind that copyright procedures are different for each country. If you live in the U.S., I highly recommend once you add your copyright page and before you go to print that you file your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office by visiting the page below:

www.copyright.gov

The official copyright certificate is required in order to assert your copyright in U.S. courts. Canadian law, for example, makes this application optional since the certificate isn’t a mandatory requirement to legally assert your copyright. If you live in any other country, I suggest that you seek local legal advice.

Note that even though the processing of your copyright application may take several months or longer in the U.S., depending on their backlog, it’ll become legally effective on the date that the Copyright Office acknowledges receipt of all the required documentation. This will be the case regardless of how long it takes the office to mail you the actual certificate of registration.

(Disclosure: I’m not an attorney, so I recommended that you consult with one in matters related to your copyright application as well as any legal disclaimers that may be required to appear on your copyright page).

Before we get to the sample pages, let’s discuss the eight different components of your book’s copyright page:

1) Copyright Notice

The copyright notice is made up of four elements: the “Copyright” word itself followed by the © symbol, the year of publication (YYYY format) and finally the author’s name “by John Doe.”

e.g. Copyright © 2019 by John Doe

Incidentally, you have the choice to either use your real name or a pen name. Don’t worry if you choose a pen name for privacy or other reasons, you’ll be supplying your real name when you register your copyright with the Copyright Office as the true owner of your intellectual property.

2) Publisher Notice

The publisher notice contains the name of the publisher, their mailing address or P.O. Box (optional) and their website address (optional). If you’re self-publishing your book, you’ll need to create a brand name to use for your book – this imprint will be associated with your ISBN.

e.g. Published in the United States by ABCDE Press, 12345 Street Ave. East, P.O. Box 277, City, State, Zip code.

The goal of this section is to make it easy for anyone to reach you if they want to get in touch with the publisher for ordering, or with the author to hire your services.

3) Edition Notice

The edition notice simply informs the reader and the book trade whether this is the first edition of your book or a revised edition (e.g. Second Edition, Third Edition, etc.). Also, if your book is in print, you can also mention the print run here.

e.g. First ABCDE Press Edition, 2019

First Printing

4) Restrictions

This section identifies your restrictions as it pertains to the content that you’re publishing. There are many versions of this text out there and they all differ slightly, but you’ll find one of the most popular ones in the example below:

e.g. “All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.”

5) Credits

In this section you can give credit to those professionals who’ve helped you in the production of your book. They may include:

• Your cover designer
• Your editor
• Your book designer
• Your photographer
• Your illustrator, and so on

e.g. Cover Design: Jane Doe

Author Photograph: Jim Doe

<H3> 6) Bibliographic Record

In this section, you’ll add the bibliographic record assigned to your book by the Library of Congress. Please note that you’ll need to purchase an ISBN for your title before you can submit your request.

Visit this page to submit your bibliographic record request:

https://www.loc.gov/publish/prepubbooklink

Visit this page to purchase your ISBN:

http://www.isbn.org

Here’s an example:

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data:

Doe, John.

Title of the Book: Sub Title

1. cm.

ISBN 000-0-000-00000-00

1- Problem-Solving. 2- Self-management. 3- Success. I. Title.

BF555.A55 2019 111’.1 –ab11 12-34567

7) Disclaimers

Now it’s the time to add any legal disclaimers that are necessary for your protection. The nature of your disclaimers will depend on your genre.

For example, fiction books need to stipulate that all characters are fictitious and do not represent any person, living or dead.

If your book is nonfiction, then you need to clarify that you’re not responsible for any errors of omission, and that your information doesn’t replace the advice of experts (i.e. your content does not replace the need to consult with a physician, a lawyer, a certified accountant, etc.)

Here are some examples:

Fiction Books:

“Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.”

Nonfiction Books:

“Although this publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein. This publication is meant as a source of valuable information for the reader, however it is not meant as a replacement for direct expert assistance. If such level of assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.”

8) Third-Party Permissions

If you’re reprinting content under copyright by third parties, then you must first obtain written permission from their publisher. You’ll need to contact their publisher’s rights-department in order to make this request.

Keep in mind that reprinting grants are a source of revenue for publishers, so always expect to be asked for payment.

Here’s an example of a permission grant:

“Our deepest fear…” from A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson. Copyright © 1992 by Marianne Williamson. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishing, Inc.

Without Further Ado, Here Are 6 Ready-to-Use Copyright Pages for Fiction and Nonfiction Titles

You may copy and paste the samples below directly into your book, with the exceptions of the ISBN and the bibliographic information, which you’ll need to request from the websites mentioned above.

Example 1: Short-Length Copyright Page for Fiction Titles

Copyright © 2019 by John Doe

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by ABCDE Press – <your website URL>

First ABCDE Press Edition, 2019

ISBN 000-0-000-00000-00

Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Example 2: Medium-Length Copyright Page for Fiction Titles

Copyright © 2019 by John Doe

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by ABCDE Press, 12345 Street Ave. East, P.O. Box 277, City, State, Zip code – <your website URL>

First ABCDE Press Edition, 2019

First Printing

Cover Design: Jane Doe

Author Photograph: Jim Doe

ISBN 000-0-000-00000-00

Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Example 3: Full-Length Copyright Page for Fiction Titles

Copyright © 2019 by John Doe

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by ABCDE Press, 12345 Street Ave. East, P.O. Box 277, City, State, Zip code – <your website URL>

First ABCDE Press Edition, 2019

First Printing

Cover Design: Jane Doe

Author Photograph: Jim Doe

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data:

Doe, John.

Title of the Book: Sub Title

1. cm.

ISBN 000-0-000-00000-00

1- Problem-Solving. 2- Self-management. 3- Success. I. Title.

BF555.A55 2019 111’.1 –ab11 12-34567

Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

(If applicable, any third-party reprinting permissions go here)

Example 4: Short-Length Copyright Page for Nonfiction Titles

Copyright © 2019 by John Doe

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by ABCDE Press – <your website URL>

First ABCDE Press Edition, 2019

ISBN 000-0-000-00000-00

Although this publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein. This publication is meant as a source of valuable information for the reader, however it is not meant as a replacement for direct expert assistance. If such level of assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Example 5: Medium-Length Copyright Page for Nonfiction Titles

Copyright © 2019 by John Doe

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by ABCDE Press, 12345 Street Ave. East, P.O. Box 277, City, State, Zip code – <your website URL>

First ABCDE Press Edition, 2019

First Printing

Cover Design: Jane Doe

Author Photograph: Jim Doe

ISBN 000-0-000-00000-00

Although this publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein. This publication is meant as a source of valuable information for the reader, however it is not meant as a replacement for direct expert assistance. If such level of assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Example 6: Full-Length Copyright Page for Nonfiction Titles

Copyright © 2019 by John Doe

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information browsing, storage, or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by ABCDE Press, 12345 Street Ave. East, P.O. Box 277, City, State, Zip code – <your website URL>

First ABCDE Press Edition, 2019

First Printing

Cover Design: Jane Doe

Author Photograph: Jim Doe

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data:

Doe, John.

Title of the Book: Sub Title

1. cm.

ISBN 000-0-000-00000-00

1- Problem Solving. 2- Self-management. 3- Success. I. Title.

BF555.A55 2019 111’.1 –ab11 12-34567

Although this publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein. This publication is meant as a source of valuable information for the reader, however it is not meant as a replacement for direct expert assistance. If such level of assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

(If applicable, any third-party reprinting permissions go here)

Next Steps

You’re now armed with some solid copyright-page samples that you can put to work right away with a simple copy and paste.

Before going to print, however, check that all the names and numbers are 100% accurate since you’ll be gathering information from multiple sources.

Ensure that you triple-check:

• The spelling of your title and subtitle as well as your name
• The year of publication
• The name of your publishing company and all contact information (full street address, P.O. Box number, website URL, etc.)
• The spelling of the names of anyone being credited
• Your ISBN
• All bibliographic information from the Library of Congress
• Any permission information from third parties

Your copyright page will be used by book distribution channels to catalog your title in their inventory systems, by booksellers to order your book and by anyone else who wants to get in touch with the publisher – so make sure it’s accurate!

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

How Long Does it Take to Write a Book to Help Grow Your Business?

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

 

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of 6 books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, printing, distribution and marketing.

If you want to learn how to get a copyright for your nonfiction book, follow the four simple steps in this article for peace of mind.

Registering your book’s copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office is the safest way to defend your copyright ownership in a court of law, especially if you want to sue a person or an entity for infringement.

Although copyright is automatically assigned to the owner of a creative work by the mere act of creation, in the U.S. you can’t sue for infringement in a court of law unless you have a copyright certificate from the U.S. Copyright Office to prove your authorship.

The registration costs are very reasonable and the process quite straight forward, although if you want to make sure that your application is error free, you can always enlist the help of a copyright attorney to file the application on your behalf.

Step 1: Determine Your Eligibility

The eligibility for copyrighting your nonfiction book is quite easy to meet. To be eligible, you need to be:

• The legitimate author of your book. In other words, you have either written the book yourself or you hired a professional writer or a ghostwriter to do it on your behalf. If you used the latter, make sure that your agreement stipulates clearly that your book is a work for hire and that you’re the sole owner of the book’s copyright.
• Your book must be in a “fixed” medium of expression (such as a digital file or a printed manuscript).

It’s as simple as that. Now, just in case your copyright goes into litigation at any point in the future, make sure that you keep all the evidence of your authorship, such as notes, mind maps, any charts, research, draft manuscripts, computer files, email communications, etc.

In short, don’t throw anything away when you’re done, don’t recycle any paper with information about your book and keep backups of all book-related files on a USB stick.

Step 2: Add a Copyright Page to Your Book

Next, add a copyright page on the back of your title page in the front matter of your book. This page must include:

• A copyright notification (e.g. Copyright © <year> by <copyright owner, e.g. your name, your company name, etc.>).
• Your publisher’s name and address. If you are self-publishing, then you can create a publisher imprint, or use your business as the publisher. If you don’t want to include a physical street address, you can use a P.O. Box instead.
• Your book’s edition followed by the date of publication – Month and year will suffice (e.g. First Edition, September 2019).
• The book’s print run if applicable (e.g. first printing, second printing, etc.).
• A statement of rights (e.g. “All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, or through any information browsing, storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.”)
• Your book’s Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication data. To request this information as a self-published author, visit: https://locexternal.service-now.com/auth.
• Permissions from other copyrighted works, if applicable (e.g. if you’re quoting a poem from another author in your book, you must first obtain their permission in writing and post it on this page).
• Legal disclaimers, if applicable. You’ll need to consult with an attorney to obtain the appropriate text for your nonfiction book, especially if it’s a legal requirement by a government agency (e.g. if you offer investment advice, the SEC may require that you show one or more disclaimers).

Step 3: File to Register Your Copyright

Now it’s time to file your application for copyright registration with the U.S. copyright office. The process is quite simple and it can be done online by visiting www.copyright.gov or by mailing Form TX (downloadable from the same website).

To learn about the different fees that apply to copyright registrations, read this article: What’s the Copyright Cost for a Nonfiction Book?

To learn the steps to follow to register your book online, read this article: How to Copyright a Book: A Guide for Nonfiction Authors.

Step 4: Mail Your Book to The U.S. Copyright Office

Once you’ve completed your registration, you’ll need to mail two copies of your book to fulfill the U.S. Library of Congress mandatory deposit requirement to:

Library of Congress

Copyright Office

Attn: 407 Deposits

101 Independence Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20559-6600

Next Steps

If you want to make 100% sure there are no filing errors that could compromise your claim to copyright ownership in the future, it’s better to consult with a copyright attorney prior to filing – they could either check your form or complete it and file it on your behalf.

You’ve worked so hard to create your nonfiction book, and a formal registration with the U.S. Copyright office will guarantee that your authorship is never brought into question.

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

 

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of 6 books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, printing, distribution and marketing.

The copyright cost for a nonfiction book depends of the type of application that you need to file. In this article, you’ll learn the different fees based on your personal circumstances. The three most typical copyright application scenarios are:

1) Single Application

The single application is the most cost-effective way to register your nonfiction book, provided that you do it electronically at www.copyright.gov. The Single Application cost is $35 (available online only).

Now, there are some restrictions. In order to qualify for this low registration fee, you must:

• Be the only author listed on the copyright registration form. (If you’re co-authoring your book you’ll have to file a standard application instead)
• Register a single work. ( For example, a very large book split into three volumes is not considered a single work.)
• Be the sole claimant. (If you’re sharing your copyright ownership with another person or entity, you’ll have to file a standard application.)
• Write the book yourself. (If you’re hiring a professional writer or a ghostwriter to create the book on your behalf you’ll still be considered the copyright owner, but you’ll have to file a standard application instead).

2) Standard Application

If your copyright registration doesn’t qualify for the Single Application fee (see above requirements), then you must use the Standard Application. The cost is $55 (available online only).

3) Special Cases

Paper Applications: If you don’t want to file online, you can mail a completed Form TX (also referred to as the Literary Form) to:

Library of Congress

U.S. Copyright Office-TX

101 Independence Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20559-6000

This form can be downloaded and printed from www.copyright.gov. The fee for paper filing is $85 and must be paid via check or money order payable to “U.S. Copyright Office.”

Expedited Application: The regular application process can take several months to complete.

Your work will be dated as registered as soon as the U.S. Copyright office receives your application. However, your copyright certificate may take up to a year to be mailed to you (sometimes longer depending on the backlog of applications).

If you need to expedite the copyright registration process, you can do so by paying the expedited fee of $800.

In this case you’ll be mailed your copyright certificate in approximately one week (e.g. you’re suing someone for infringement and you need your certificate asap for the legal proceedings).

Lawyer Application: If you would rather have a lawyer complete and submit your copyright application form to ensure no filing mistakes, expect to pay around $200-$500 in legal fees plus the cost of filing and any other disbursements.

Next Steps

If you’d like to learn more about the copyright registration process, read my companion article entitled: How to Copyright a Book: A Guide for Nonfiction Authors.

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Nonfiction Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

 

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of 6 books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, printing, distribution and marketing.

In this article, you’ll learn how to copyright a book with the U.S. Copyright Office. As the writer of an original work of nonfiction, you want to make sure that the authorship of your intellectual property is well protected.

Copyright registration will allow you to have a solid avenue to go after infringers in a court of law. For the relatively low cost of registration this is really a no-brainer for authors.

(Disclosure: I’m not an attorney, so I recommended that you consult with one in matters related to copyright as well as disclaimers that may be legally required to appear in your nonfiction book, depending on your subject matter).

What Protections Does Copyright Afford Nonfiction Books?

Your nonfiction book, in particular if you’re writing a book that documents your expertise and offers unique solutions to a target audience, will incorporate many of your ideas, methods, procedures, concepts and so on.

While these aren’t protected by copyright themselves (this kind of intellectual property may require a patent), your explanation, illustration and description of them is subject to copyright.

As a simple example, if you’re copyrighting a cookbook, your lists of ingredients are not subject to copyright protection, however the text containing your preparation and cooking instructions is.

The same applies to any research based on information that you’ve collected. The information itself is not copyrightable, but your sorting methodology, your analysis and your conclusions are.

Keep in mind that if your book contains any type of branding information or names that you’ve coined as part of your solution (e.g. “The 35-Minute Workout,” or “The Anxiety-Free Smoke Cessation Technique”), those are not copyrightable either. In this case, the vehicle to protect them is a trademark.

What Specific Rights Do I Gain by Copyrighting My Book?

By copyrighting your book, you’ll be granted the following rights:

• Exclusive right for making copies of your book. Now, you may grant third parties permission to reproduce your work in part of in whole for a limited time and/or a limited quantity in exchange for compensation.
• Exclusive right to distribute your book. Here too you may grant third parties permission to distribute your work on your behalf through a mutually beneficial financial arrangement.
• Exclusive right to create derivative works from your book, such as workbooks, abridged audio versions, etc. Since derivative works also include translations, you may grant others permission to translate your book to a foreign language and to distribute it in that market through a mutually beneficial financial arrangement.

Do I Need to Register My Copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office?

Technically, you’re not required to register your copyright with the government agency to be protected since, as the book’s author, you own the copyright to your work the moment it’s written.

However, if someone else claims to have written a book extremely similar to yours at the same time and you want to sue for infringement, you would have to prove that they read your book before writing theirs – this is extremely difficult to do.

A much safer approach is to register your book with the U.S. Copyright Office. Even though it costs some money ($35 for online registrations for a single original title and $85 for paper registrations), it’s money well spent.

With a registered copyright, you can assert your copyright starting from the official date of registration, which allows you file a claim for infringement without having to prove others’ prior knowledge of your work. Also, your registration becomes part of the public record.

What are the Criteria for Copyrighting a Nonfiction Book?

In order to copyright your nonfiction book:

• You must be the author of an original work.
• The original work must be contained in a tangible medium of expression.

Note: Copyright protection in the U.S. covers the life of the author plus 70 years but there are some exceptions for works made for hire, so you may want to consult with the U.S. Copyright Office at www.copyright.gov for full details).

What Messaging Do I Need in My Book’s Copyright Page?

In addition to your copyright registration, you need to include a well-written copyright page in the front matter of your book.

In this page, you’ll want to include your copyright notice, your publisher’s name and address (this could be your business’s address or a P.O. Box if self-published), the book’s edition, date of publication and print run, a statement of rights, cataloguing in publication data, any permissions from other copyright holders, and a number of disclaimers.

Copyright Page with Standard Disclaimer

A standard copyright page may look like this:

Copyright © 2019 by Jane Doe

Published by XYZ, 1234 ABC Ave. P.O. Box 555, City, State, Zip Code

First Edition, 2019

First Printing

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, or through any information browsing, storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

<Cataloguing data goes here>

Permissions (if any) go here

Copyright Page with Additional Disclaimers

If your nonfiction book provides health, financial, fitness or other type of advice that may contain forward looking information or that may result in a negative outcome for the reader if not followed properly, you’ll need to add separate disclaimers.

The nature of these disclaimers goes beyond the scope of this article, but suffice it to say, if you provide investment advice you may want to check with your attorney to see if there are any SEC disclaimer requirements that may be applicable to the information in your book.

The same goes for health, fitness, moneymaking and other type of advice that is directed at consumers. Check with your attorney to see if there are any FTC requirements you’ll need to comply with.

As a reference, here are some basic disclaimers for nonfiction books that provide advice:

“Although this publication is designed to provide accurate information in regard to the subject matter covered, the publisher and the author assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein. This publication is meant as a source of valuable information for the reader, however it is not meant as a replacement for direct expert assistance. If such level of assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.”

If you show case studies you might want to include the following statement:

“Unless otherwise indicated, all the characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.”

How Do I Register My Book with the U.S. Copyright Office?

The easiest and most-cost-effective way to register your copyright is to do it online by visiting: www.copyright.gov.

Once there, click on Literary Works and after the page loads click on Register a Literary Work.

Then select New User and create an account. Once your account is set up, click on Copyright Registration, then click on Register A New Claim and finally click on Start Registration and complete the required fields.

Finally, pay the copyright fee and either upload or mail in your work, depending on the on-screen instructions.

Next Steps

You’ve worked really hard on your nonfiction book, and you want to make sure that your authorship is copyright protected. But you also want to make sure that you’re personally protected as well.

Before you publish your book, enlist the help of your attorney to help you craft the right disclaimers for your copyright page, since there may be consumer legislation that applies to your subject matter.

Good luck!

Ben

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to just to generate additional leads for their businesses.

 

Here are some related posts I highly recommend:

How to Write a Compelling Book in 12 Steps: A Must-Read Guide for Nonfiction Authors

How to Grow Your Business Writing a Nonfiction Book

Write Your Own Book and Become an Expert: 11 Reasons Why You Should

 

Bennett R. Coles is an award-winning author of 6 books published through Harper Collins (NY) and Titan Publishing Group (UK). He is also the publisher at Promontory Press and the founder/CEO of Cascadia Author Services, a boutique full-service firm that specializes in premium author services specifically designed for busy professionals. Our end-to-end services include writer coaching, ghostwriting, editing, proofing, cover design, book layout, eBook production, printing, distribution and marketing.