Planning ahead and examining issues in the project planning stage is always better than dealing with problems after the fact. A variety of laws are specific to artwork, as artwork provides some considerations unique to other ed materials. Here are some legal terms to keep you informed on your rights as a selfpublisher and protect your works. Leaving such an essential intermediate step out of the kindle publishing equation leaves new self publishers confused and feeling uneasy when getting their book ready to upload onto kindle direct publishing kdp. Go ahead and use your pen name on the page in your ebook. Authors and selfpublishers need to understand basics and. We place your name where it belongs, right next to the symbol on the first page of your published book. Also consider how you will protect the in your electronic publishing project. Generally, trademark laws exist to prevent customer confusion about the source of. But with the advances in technology, not to mention ebooks, selfpublishing, as well as ing your book, can be done in a few. Many selfpublishers do not understand, yet in a few minutes.
But i contend that the page wins the prize because its probably the first page that a librarian, bookseller, or distributor looks at. The author services department is composed of knowledgeable customer service reps, publishing consultants and marketing professionals. In addition to certain guarantees provided by law, legalzoom guarantees your satisfaction with our services and support. On the flipside, youll see a bunch of scary legal information symbols, disclaimers, isbns, dewey numbers, publisher details and more. Before the selfpublishing boom, authors inhabited what we refer to as the realm of traditional publishing. Some may be under the impression that registration is a must prior to submitting their work to a publisher. Scott allan is a student success coach and inhouse content creator here at selfpublishing school. Sep 26, 2017 if you are thinking of traditional publishing, however, or accidentally sold your soul rights to a selfpub shark and are trying to fight them and get your rights back, it might be beneficiary to register for more on this later. Many selfpublishing authors find the page to be horribly confusing. Selfpublish ebooks and paperbacks for free with kindle direct publishing, and reach millions of readers on amazon. Nov 12, 20 i published two books with publish america, self publishing. The reason, because after the books are published i send the synopsis, many of them to tradistional publishers and never get them back.
I previously published my book through a different publisher. When sending manuscripts via email to anyone with whom you dont have a contract or agreement, send it in pdf form, not as a wordprocessed document. When i realized that she was both an attorney and someone who understands the world of bloggers, online publishers, and authors, i asked her to write an article that would highlight legal issues authors face, and how those issues affect self publishers. The page is most commonly found on the back of the books title page. Selfpublished books are no different, so they should include a page. With over 25 years of experience in sales and management, jodee thayer works as the director of author services for outskirts press. Publishing services for self publishing authors and businesses. Authors and selfpublishers need to understand basics and why it is critical to protect their work.
The official book ing process is a simple and affordable way to permanently protect your work against plagiarism and theft. Legal requirements, tax laws and forms for publishers two authors wrote me in the past week asking about legal requirements, forms and tax laws for self publishing or starting a publishing company. As a selfpublishing author, all you really need is the. A protects original works of authorship, such as videos, movies, songs, books, musicals, video games, paintings, etc. Ebook publishers and authors who selfpublish must be aware of several issues relating to such things as cover artwork, tables, maps and charts, and excerpts of works to be included in their ebook. If a title could be considered a trademark, you can use the trademark system to attempt to protect your title, but it will be an expensive, lengthy and uncertain process, and you may well be denied trademark protection.
Allis selfpublishing news looks at how changes to patreons business model will affect indies, new developments in blockchain, an exciting breakthrough for indies in dealing with european union tax law complexity, and the growth of the digital textbook rental market. Mar 09, 2018 a selfpublishing authors book is automatically protected when written, but authors may still want to file for protection. So as soon as you are done with your self published book or ebook, you automatically have protection. You will grant licenses to others whether you are pursuing the selfpublishing or traditional publishing route. Unless there is a compelling artistic reason to disparage a brand. May 07, 2019 learning how to a book can help alleviate all of that worry. At authorhouse, a self publishing company, we understand the amount of work youve put into your book publishing project, and ensure that you retain all rights to the content of your book throughout the self publishing process. Onestop solution for all your book printing and self publishing needs, our binding service, in addition, will give a professional look to your book. Now, that might sound like boring legal jargon, and ing is a. Generally, law is meant to incentivize the creation of original works of authorship for.
Sep 14, 2018 this feature is not available right now. Your digital book ebook does not require an isbn, but many publishers include. Generally, law is meant to incentivize the creation of original works of authorship for the benefit of the public. I understand the small print and legal jargon were enough to make. Intellectual property rights frequently asked questions. Can a self publishing author use a pen namepseudonym. How to copyright a book book copyright copyright my book. Should i copyright my book the self publishing expert. Spb works with selfpublishers in the usa and other countries to print and ship books worldwide. Since your book may go through many revisions before you have a final copy, you may want to wait until then to file the application. I remember going on the same quest myself eleven or twelve years ago and getting pretty confused. Licenses may be limited to a particular use editorial, noncommercial, educational, format print, ebook, web, duration, geography, almost anything. Authors and self publishing with the rise of ebooks and the popularity of self publishing, there are now companies that offer self publishing services such as editing, proofing, and design.
In the past, printing processes and costs prohibited small runs of books, so self publishing was difficult and expensive. The stepbystep guide to the legal issues of selfpublishing helen sedwick on. Attorney and published author helen sedwick uses 30 years of legal experience to cut through the legalese and show writers how. Or, alternatively, use your publishing company name. The law clearly indicates that as soon as the work is finished, you own the, and therefore, have protection. Amazons kindle direct publishing kdp is a fast, easy and free way for authors and publishers to keep control and publish their books worldwide on the kindle and kindle reading apps. See if they have a provision like the us does for registering the under your pen name.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading selfpublishers legal handbook, second edition. We are essentially just wanting to pay a selfpublishing entity to copy, print, and bind our family scrapbook. If someone is the author of an original work, then they typically own the in that work. When it comes to using a brand name in a negative light, authors walk a very fine line. Publishing takes less than 5 minutes and your book appears on kindle stores worldwide within 2448 hours. With the explosion of selfpublishing, authors must be aware of what they can and cant do when it comes to quoting, borrowing, and publishing works from other authors. Self publishing basics for the copyright page youtube.
I am a new author with no experience in the world of either traditional publishing or selfpublishing, and i had no idea where to begin. Onestop solution for all your book printing and selfpublishing needs, our binding service, in addition, will give a professional look to your book. If your books are written andor published under a business structure of some sort, you can list your company as the owner on your page in your ebook. Finally, artwork can be subject to rules regarding works made for hire. Copyright page template to use in your book book design. Here is a list of articles we put together to provide authors with some good self publishing guidelines for avoiding legal issues. Attorney and published author helen sedwick uses 30 years of legal experience to cut through the legalese and show writers how to stay out of court and at their desks. There is no difference in the language if youre operating as a soleproprietorship, an llc, or any other type of business organization.
Authors and selfpublishing with the rise of ebooks and the popularity of selfpublishing, there are now companies that offer selfpublishing services such as editing, proofing, and design. In the past, printing processes and costs prohibited small runs of books, so selfpublishing was difficult and expensive. This is the province of lawyers, big publishers with legal departments, and. More and more authors are choosing this route for presenting their work to the public, encouraged by impressive success stories, including accounts by bestselling writers who have moved over from traditional publishing to take advantage of greater profits and better control of their works. Uploading or attempting to upload any content for which you do not have rights can result in the rejection or removal of your book, negative impact to your account status, andor loss of royalties. Before the self publishing boom, authors inhabited what we refer to as the realm of traditional publishing.
What selfpublished authors need to know about taxes. Thus, many authors will work through a publishing company to distribute their books in an ebook. Selfpublishers get the highest quality books at a low unit cost, keeping 100 percent profit and all rights. Aug 30, 2010 many authors often confuse the terms and copywrite. Both are important elements in quality selfpublishing and your publisher should offer both lets start with often the source of a deeper misconception. This bundle of rights as provided by federal law invests the creator of a work with exclusive rights to control the reproduction. Scott has a passion for teaching strategic life skills and inspiring people to take charge of their lives. With the rise of selfpublishing, it has left many authors confused as to. Should you register your before publishing your book. Dec 24, 2012 self publishing continues its exponential growth. Copyright issues in ebooks and electronic publishing. Copyright page example of copyright pages free copyright.
It can be downloaded via the internet and read using a computer or an ebook reader. Brand tarnishment is akin to defamation, and disparaging use of a brand name is often easier to find as publishing moves to the ebook and audiobook formats. Jan 22, 20 publishing services for self publishing authors and businesses self publish under your own imprint. Authors and selfpublishing arts law centre of australia. Self publishing guidelines for avoiding legal issues.
Cnet executive editor david carnoy offers some basic tips for ebook publishing and lays out your best options for. Learning how to a book can help alleviate all of that worry. Most selfpublishers get intimidated when it comes to making their first book page. Mar 12, 2014 i use article marketing to promote inkwell editorials line of ebooks. At book self publishing, we provide printing solutions to the independent authors and small publishers.
If you are thinking of traditional publishing, however, or accidentally sold your soul rights to a selfpub shark and are trying to fight them and get your rights back, it might be beneficiary to register for more on this later. I use article marketing to promote inkwell editorials line of ebooks. While researching the legal ramifications of selfpublishing several months ago, i contacted helen sedwick to obtain a copy of her original edition of the self publishers legal handbook. Ifwhen you register your, include your real and pen names on the registration form. Kindle book copyright page examples for self publishing.
A selfpublishing authors book is automatically protected when written, but authors may still want to file for protection. Here are some legal terms to keep you informed on your rights as a self publisher and protect your works. In particular, artwork is subject to the visual artists rights act, the first sale doctrine and specific resale rights which vary by location. The kdp terms and conditions and content guidelines require that you hold the publishing rights to any content you upload for sale on amazon. Isbn and explained for us and canadian self publishing authors so that they might find peace of mind in protecting the rights of their work. Does selfpublishing ones ebook online hurt a writers chances of later selling the same book to a. This article sets out some of the important issues to take into account in your next publishing project. Mar 08, 2018 others say that the cover is the most important. These articles give you a good overview of some of the legal issues that can be involved in self publishing including getting permissions, using photos, defamation, privacy and more. I published two books with publish america, self publishing. Code, laws protect the ownership rights of the authors of original works. Although the us has relations with many nations across the world, not all countries honor us laws.
We credit everyone we can when we know the author or publications the storiesresearch comes from. Learn what actually protects and how secure your rights are before publishing a book. This means that only the holder of a book is authorized to reproduce or distribute the book. About copyright for selfpublishing books star print brokers. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Both are important elements in quality selfpublishing and your publisher should offer both. If you are interested in international laws, check out this wikipedia page.
Traditional authors usually tried to work with a literary agent, but it was tough to get one if you had no published work. As publishers its important to know that you cannot the title of your book. Lets start with often the source of a deeper misconception. Legalzoom provides access to independent attorneys and selfhelp services at your specific direction. Many authors often confuse the terms and copywrite. Most selfpublishing companies that provide registration services, file the for you once you approve the final electronic proof of the book. Updated guide to protecting your rights and wallet. Nancy starkman is a book selfpublishing expert as well as a book printing broker and book designer.
If youre feeling like you want more information on the legal issues around this, this information sheet is for you. Copyright law is pretty intricate, so on this page well break down everything the aspiring selfpublished author needs to know in order to protect. Most self publishing companies that provide registration services, file the for you once you approve the final electronic proof of the book. Copyright and copywrite in selfpublishing self publishing. Please keep in mind that lulu does not offer legal advice or protection. Nowadays, anyone can write a book and easily selfpublish it. Book copyright page examples for your ebook kindlepreneur. Your voice is your verbal fingerprint, and its important that it belong only to you. Find out how to a book and protect your rights as an author. Self publishers legal handbook is the first stepbystep guide to the legal issues of selfpublishing.
My personal thoughts are that since the book will not be sold, the laws would be more lax or not be applicable. In this article, ill go through why self publishing an ebook is a good idea, how to format an ebook for publication, exclusivity vs going wide on multiple platforms, the specific sites available for self publishing ebooks and what information you need, thoughts on pricing, and piracy. Not registering a officially may be the best thing for certain publishing mediums where it would be impractical to attempt to something such as a website, ebook you will distribute for free, etc. Oct 08, 2009 we credit everyone we can when we know the author or publications the storiesresearch comes from. Following laws is the responsibility of you as a lulu author because you retain the to your work when it is published on. Sep 18, 2018 also consider how you will protect the in your electronic publishing project. Your book must be registered before you can file an infringement suit in. But with the advances in technology, not to mention ebooks, self publishing, as well as ing your book, can be done in a few. When you publish a book, first choice books can assign your book an isbn international standard book number which is unique to your book. When you publish through kdp or ibooks, or nookpress, or createspace, or any other retailer or distributor, you are granting them a license to sell the book on their website or possibly. An ebook or electronic book is the digital equivalent of a traditional print book. How to copyright a book quickly stepbystep with examples.
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