How Do I Copyright My Book? A Guide for Self-Publishing Authors

Well done with your book! You worked hard and now it is the time to protect your work. Copyright is extremely important to self-publishing authors. Although your book is, technically, copyrighted the moment you set it down in writing, formal registration presents a great deal of legal protection and comfort. This guide will take you step-by-step through “how do I copyright my book”, the basics of the process to the key steps to do this.

Understanding Copyright: What It Is and Why It Matters

Copyright is a legal entitlement that secures works of authorship owned or created. It allows the author full powers over its composition, and thus grants him or her the ability to restrict people from copying, distributing, displaying, or adapting their creation. As a book, this entails that you are the only one with a right to:

• Reproduce your creation (make copies).
• Distribute copies of your book to people.
• Make adaptations (like a movie or a foreign translation).
• Present and perform your work in public (like a dramatic reading).

What you need to understand the most is that, when you put your work in one recorded medium, i.e. write it down, save it or print it out, it actually becomes copyrighted automatically. It is however such that this automatic copyright is frequently difficult to demonstrate in a court of law. Here comes registration.

Copyrighting your book with the Copyright Office of India gives a public record of your book ownership. This is essential in case you want to sue someone of copying your work since you could claim legal damages and recover court costs, which are usually far more high than what you can get without registration.

How do I copyright my book? The Step-by-Step Process

“Copyrighting my book” is easy enough, and it becomes even easier when you utilize the online system. Use this easy guide to get started:

Step 1: Get Your Papers and Books Together

You should settle on the final version of your book beforeyou even start the registration process. Also, you will have to prepare the following documents:

• An unpublished version of one of your works (your entire manuscript).
• Proof of identity and address of the writer.
• A No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the publisher in case your book is already published.
• Power of Attorney, when you are submitting the application either by a lawyer or an agent.

Step 2: Visit the Official Copyright Office India Website

Go to the official website of Copyright Office of India which falls under the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). You will be asked to create an account in case you are not a registered user. Your application can be filed online through the online portal in the quickest way possible.

Step 3: Complete the Application (Form XIV)

After signing in, you will complete the online application form referred to as, Form XIV. You will be requested to introduce detailed description of your book including:

• Title : The specific name of your book.
• Author(s) : Either your own name or a pseudonym.
• Publication Status : Public or unpublished? If it is published, when was it pubhlished, which year, in which country and all other details.
• Language : The language that is used in the book writing.
• Nature of the Work : Specify the nature of your work.

Step 4: Pay the Fee

On completing the forms, you will be redirected to a payment gateway. The fee may be paid online with a credit/debit card, or through Net Banking, or a Demand Draft (DD).

Step 5: Submission and Examination

As soon as you file the application and send the fee, the Copyright Office will respond with a Diary Number. Any objections against your application must be first filed, within a mandatory 30-day waiting period.

• When no objections are filed: The application is then analyzed by an official scrutinizer where any mismatch may be found
• When objections are made: The Registrar of Copyrights provides both parties with a hearing to bring the matter to an end.

Step 6: Receive Your Certificate

When the application has been approved, the contents of your copyright books are registered in the Register of Copyrights and a certificate of registration is provided to you.Usually the whole process lasts 2-3 months without objections.

How much does it cost to copyright a book in India?

The answer to this question “how much does it cost to copyright a book” in India is not very expensive. Regarding registration of a "Literary Work" the government fee is fixed at around 500 rupees per work. This amount is not fixed and it is always advisable to consult the Copyright office site to see the current fees.

This fee is for the government filing process only. When you decide to have your filing done by a lawyer or a third party organization, an extra professional fee will be charged. To the majority of self-publishing authors, however, find that the online process is easy enough to do yourself and this will save you money.

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