How to Copyright a Book

Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video.

Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from ssproductions and more videos in the Getting Published category.

You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at http://www.howcast.com/videos/new or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at http://www.howcast.com/filmmakers/apply.

You've written the great American novel, and you want to make sure that your story stays yours. Register your copyright and preserve your intellectual rights.

To complete this How-To you will need:

A copyright registration form
Internet access
The registration fee

Step 1: Get a copyright registration form

Get a copyright registration form from the U.S. Copyright Office. Go to their web site at copyright.gov to fill out an electronic version of the form.

Tip: A printable hard copy of the registration form is also available but could take much longer to process.

Step 2: Complete the form

Complete the form by filling in basic contact information and specifics about your book, such as the title and date you completed it.

Step 3: Pay the registration fee

Pay the copyright registration fee using either a check or a credit card. If you pay electronically, you'll receive a confirmation page. If you mail your payment, after it's processed you'll receive a shipping slip.

Tip: Register your copyright online to save money on the fee.

Step 4: Send your book to the Copyright Office

Send your book to the Copyright Office by either uploading it electronically after you receive confirmation of payment, or mailing it with the shipping slip.

Step 5: Reproduce your book

Reproduce your book with a notation of your copyright registration. Use the copyright symbol: the letter "c" with a circle around it, followed by the year and your name. Now your book is under copyright until 70 years after you die.

Thanks for watching How To Copyright a Book! If you enjoyed this video subscribe to the Howcast YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=howcast

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• HotHowTos
• copyrighting
• book
• writing
• publishing
• copy
• right
• copywrite
• novel
• registering
• rights

[cabosikeqen]

what if you post your original work to yourself and keep the envelope closed in a safe place?

[mexicanfood100]

thank you so much for this!!!

[ulcministry]

This video is complete rubbish. You automatically own the copyright to anything you create. The only reason you would do this is to prove to courts that the copyright is yours by being the one who registered it first, but just posting a copy to yourself and not opening the package/envelope works just as well as evidence of your copyright in court, so doing this is frankly just a complete waste of time and money.

[lovepigz2007]

@cabosikeqen yep.that tworks too. ive heard it from accomplished authors.

[BossHoneycutt]

@theJeNyfi It's $35 to file online. It's only 165 if you want some kind of certificate back from them, which is unnecessary.

[Taruigi]

where can i buy this 'internet acces'

[godzilla1985freak]

I have to pay?! Oh damn it all.

[Ninjuh021]

@cabosikeqen They are making a tutorial of how to Copyright a Book. So stop being a smartass and a fucking hater.

[theJeNyfi]

@BadassCeino is actually $165 for a whole book... I thought it was going to be cheaper then that.

[DaCoopLoo]

to clear some stuff up

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and aW The Berne Convention has a number of core features, including the principle of national treatment, which holds that each member state to the Convention would give citizens of other member states the same rights of copyright that it gave to its own citizens < so in a way what it means that if ure country is a signatorie ( nearly the whole world ) and ure peice of work is litrature u already copyright it

[10tally]

Would it be copyrighted if I just put the sign on there from Open Office Writer? They have symbols on there. So...would it be copyrighted automatically if I did?