Tag: Copyright

Self-Publishing

The Book Doctor talks “Copyright” Protection

Self-publishing affords author the advantage of 100% content and property rights control, which makes copyright protection an important element to consider when choosing your publisher. Bobbie the “Book Doctor” Christmas shares some helpful tips…

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Q: When I send my manuscript to readers or agents, should I put the copyright c in a circle on the title page, on every page, or anywhere at all? Should a date be there also?

A: I tend to trust people and therefore do not put a copyright mark on my manuscripts, because the laws of copyright protect us—that is, we own the rights to all our intellectual property the moment we create it. Also, agents and publishers who see a copyright mark may think the person who sent the manuscript is unknowledgeable or paranoid, because it is not necessary to officially register the copyright until the work is laid out and ready to be published in book form.

If, however, you feel more comfortable marking your manuscripts with a copyright mark, the traditional method for showing a copyright is to use the symbol c in a circle or write the word “Copyright.” Either form should then be followed by the year and your first and last name, all on one line. It should appear on the title page only, and because it is not standard to have a copyright mark on a manuscript, there is no standard for where on the title page to put it. I would probably put it two lines below the name of the author on the title page.

Do not, however, go to the trouble of registering the copyright with the government until the book is about to be published. The content will no doubt change between the time you write it and it gets published, so wait until the book is in its final form before paying to register the copyright.

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Some full service self-publishing options will actually handle copyright registration with the US Copyright office for you. Be sure to check with your representative.

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Bobbie Christmas, book editor, author of Write In Style (Union Square Publishing), and owner of Zebra Communications, will answer your questions, too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com. Read more “Ask the Book Doctor” questions and answers at http://www.zebraeditor.com

Choosing a Publisher

A Few Tips for the Self-Publishing Author

From literary fiction and poetry genres to self-help and how-to, self-published books are finding their way into reader’s hands on a consistently increasing rate.  Of course it follows that custom self-publishing companies are growing in number and service options to meet that demand.  Here are a few points to consider when determining the best direction for your book:

1. Keep all of your rights and more of the profits

The intellectual property and copyright of your book is very valuable. You should always retain all your rights.  When considering a publisher, be sure that you retain all rights to your work and that their contract does not tie you down for ANY amount of time and does not penalize you for leaving early (many do). It’s your book and your future.

2. Set your own pricing

Would you rather control your retail price or leave that in the hands of the publisher? How about the best of both worlds?  The publisher should recommend a price based upon market knowledge, but leave the final decision up to you.  Look for a publisher that provides this flexibility.  A few publishers even provide online calculator to help you estimate and even set your own book pricing.

3. Full-service distribution and flexible print runs

Ingram and Baker & Taylor are the two largest book wholesalers in the United States. Many publishers only submit your book to one or the other.  Few publishers distribute through both.  Look for one that does.  Ideally, your book could sell 50 copies, or 50,000 copies.  In either case, you should never have to pay additional out-of-pocket printing costs or manage fulfillment.  But do also look for a publisher that allows you to purchase copies at low base prices in small quantities so you can manage an inventory of books on your own for things like book signings and events.

Once you have found the self-publisher that fits your direction and goals let the fun begin!




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Choosing a Publisher, Self-Publishing

Self-Publishing: Ask the Right Questions

Regardless of whether you are holding out for an old-fashioned publishing
contract or taking matters into your own hands with custom self-publishing, here are 5 questions you should
know the answers to when you decide to publish:

1 – What is the minimum number of books you have to purchase, and what does
each book cost you? Many require certain quantities to be purchased at highly marked up prices. That is how they ‘get you.’

2 – Who determines your retail price? How much is it? – Here’s another one
to look out for. You should have that control. Publishers that don’t allow that are often in the business to make money on your book. You’ve done the work. You should see the rewards.

3 – Who determines how much money you make from each book? Another good test.
Your publisher should pay 100% of the difference between the wholesale price and the
production price of the book. Most publishers pay anywhere from 5%-50%.

4 – Do you receive marketing support after publication? Free services like the Marketing COACH offered by Outskirts Press is an invaluable collection of proven tactics shared to help improve your book sales.

5 – Do you retain all the rights to your book? You definitely should. Check
the contract of wherever you publish.

Isn’t this fun!

– Karl Schroeder

Choosing a Publisher, Self-Publishing

More Copyright Information for the Self-Publishing Author

Copyright infringement is not a pleasant topic. Some self-publishing authors find themselves in trouble without even knowing it, by doing something as innocent as including the lyrics from their favorite songs in their book.

Music is one of the most protected copyrightable works; infringement of copyright can carry heavy fines for which the author is responsible. If you are going to use the lyrics from a song in your book, you will need to have permission from the original copyright holder. This includes cases where you are only using a stanza or two and sometimes even if you are using anything more than a single line.

Only song lyrics created and first published prior to 1923 are in the Public Domain in the United States. If the song was created after that, you will need permission to use it (or parts of it) in your work.

There are two great resources on the Internet for finding the rights holders for most music and song lyrics, from the two leading music entities, ASCAP and BMI, respectively:

http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?mode=search
 http://www.bmi.com/licensing

Book Promotion

Writing for Self-Publishing: Ask the Book Doctor

Pseudonyms

Q: I am simply a hobby writer. I do get the occasional how-to article published in a magazine; however, I want to write some western fiction novels. One problem, as I see it, is my surname. It is of eastern European origin and sounds strange to most Americans. If I write under an alias, are there any special rules that might apply to using a nom de plume, getting paid under the assumed name, copyrights under that name, et cetera?

 

A: Without being an attorney, I cannot give you the full and legal answer you deserve, but as I understand it, pseudonyms are not a problem in the publishing business. Your publisher will know your real name and send your checks to your legal name. Once you produce a written piece of work, the copyright automatically belongs to you until and unless you sell those rights, and the rights will belong to you no matter what name you may choose to use when and if you register the copyright.

 

What would you like to ask a book doctor? Send your questions to Bobbie Christmas at Bobbie@zebraeditor.com.