Should You Copyright Your E-Book?

Do you need to protect your e-book from naughty web citizens?

Feb 16, 2007

Many e-book authors forgo the official copyright process, but depending on how you plan to distribute your e-book, a copyright might be beneficial.

I would venture to guess that over 95% of e-books are not officially copyrighted. I’m guessing this based on the number of e-books I’ve read over the last ten years. Most are very short, don’t contain unique information that can’t be gathered somewhere else, and are used more as viral promotional tools than as a reliable data resource. These types of books probably would not benefit from an official copyright. If someone wanted to, they could just as easily find, reorganize, and publish the same type of information without too much trouble. Additionally, anything you publish is assumed to have an unregistered copyright in your name.

A few e-books are extensive and contain the same unique information as you would find in a printed book. In fact, many of these such e-books are printed books, and the e-book is just an additional option for purchasing the content. If your e-book falls into this category, it could benefit from an official copyright.

An official copyright will protect you in the case of an unauthorized use or reproduction of your content in a slightly different way than an informal copyright claim will (also commonly known as an “assumed” copyright). In order to file a lawsuit for infringement of a copyright, the material must be registered (in the U.S.) Also, according to Copyright.gov, “If registration is made within 3 months after publication of the work or prior to an infringement of the work, statutory damages and attorney's fees will be available to the copyright owner in court actions. Otherwise, only an award of actual damages and profits is available to the copyright owner.” In the case that your material is misused, an official copyright registration will strengthen your case and result in fewer legal fees on your part.

The official copyright registration process can be completed in just a few minutes through the United States Copyright Office and costs only $45. You can expect to hear back from the office within four months, at which time you will receive an official certificate of registration. Be sure to read all of the forms and submission rules carefully. A properly completed application will allow your claim to be processed quicker. For more information visit Copyright.gov.

The copyright of the article Should You Copyright Your E-Book? in Resources for Writers is owned by Kimberly Dawn Wells. Permission to republish Should You Copyright Your E-Book? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.