Copyright FAQ

If you're self-publishing, or if you're publishing with certain traditional publishers, you'll probably want to register the copyright on your work.

Good news for American writers: You can still file an electronic copyright request during the government shutdown!

Do you have questions about what can and cannot be used in a book, such as song titles, how much of a song lyric, titles of other books, etc?

Here's a Copyright FAQ published by the US Copyright Office. And below I've put together a table of contents so you can find the answers to your questions more quickly.

Page 1:

• What is Copyright?

Page 2:

• Who can claim copyright?
• Copyright and national origin of the work

Page 3: 

• What works are protected?
• What is not protected (what you can use, such as titles, etc)
• How to secure a copyright
• Definition of Publication

Page 4

• Notice of copyright (Do you need to add one? Where should you put it if you add one? etc)
• How long copyright protection endures 

Page 5

• Transfer of copyright
• International copyright protection

Page 6

• Copyright registration
• Registration procedures

Page 10

• Effective date of registration
• Corrections and amplifications of existing registrations
• Mandatory deposit for works published in the United States (copies for the Library of Congress, not fees)

Page 11

• Use of mandatory deposit to satisfy registration requirements
• Who may file an application form?
• Fees (rates not actually included as they may change--describes how to pay)

Page 12

• Search of copyright office records
• For further information (includes contact info)

If you're e-filing, the current rate for manuscripts is $35. You can e-file at the US Copyright Office site. (There are tutorials. To actually file, click on the icon with text saying "Electronic Copyright Office")