How to Copyright a Book Before Publishing: Book Copyrighting Benefits
August 5, 2025
How to Copyright a Book Before Publishing (& Why)
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As a writer, you probably spend your days thinking about character development, plot, and storylines—and haven’t given much thought to how to copyright a book, or if you even need to. While your literary work is automatically protected by intellectual property law from the moment you begin writing, it’s a good idea to officially register your work with the U.S. Copyright Office before publishing to avoid any potential legal drama. After all, you never know when someone may try to infringe on your work or you may need to prove that your book was your original idea. When it comes to book copyright laws and the question of “Do I need to copyright my book before publishing?” it’s always a good idea to be as protected as you can be.
Book Copyrighting 101
In the U.S., when you create a piece of original work in written form, it is automatically copyright protected until 70 years after your death. This is true whether you have published the work or not, and you have the exclusive rights for reproduction, distribution, and creation of derivative works. If you would like to take things a step further and get a public record of copyright ownership, you will need to go through the formal book copyright registration process with the U.S. Copyright Office. You’ll have to provide a digital copy of your work, fill out an online application, and pay a fee (typically around $50).
Do I Need to Copyright My Book?
While there is no requirement to officially copyright your book, registering your book’s copyright comes with many advantages. Not only does it provide you with a public record of copyright ownership, offering protection in the case of legal disputes, and it also allows you to file copyright infringement lawsuits or seek statutory damages in lawsuits, should the need arise. Additionally, when you register for an official book copyright, you increase the value of your work. Going through the registration process shows that you have taken the necessary steps to protect your intellectual property rights, giving you more credibility as an author. Plus, when you register your book’s copyright, you add a valuable asset for your publishing company, who can then officially license and sell your work when you transfer the copyright registration to them.
What Do Book Copyright Laws Cover (And Not Cover)?
There is a lot of gray area when it comes to book copyrighting. If you want to know how to copyright a book and are wondering about the specifics of what book copyrighting laws cover, we’ve put together a quick guide on what you can and cannot protect with copyright.
Book Copyrighting – What’s Protected:
- Book text
- Illustrations and artwork
- Layout and design
- Cover design
- Novels, biographies, memoirs, cookbooks, and nonfiction books
- Collections of shorter works, such as books of poems or short stories
- A compilation of pre-existing works (Note: in this case, the copyright is only for the new content that is prepared for the collection, but not the stories themselves)
Book Copyrighting – What’s NOT Protected:
- Ideas, themes, concepts, plot lines, and facts
- Book titles, names, and short phrases
- Familiar symbols and designs
- Listings of ingredients or content
- Real-world events
- Book characters and settings
As an author, you’re probably wondering why you can’t protect your book title under copyright law. It’s because book titles are considered names, which are not protected by copyright. However, you can trademark a book title by registering it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to keep it from being used by others. Trademarks, unlike copyrights, protect words and phrases that identify products or brands.
How to Copyright a Book Before Publishing
Now that you know the scoop on book copyrighting and why it’s important, it’s time to talk about those pesky details – when to register and how to register for your book copyright. Many authors ask “Do I need to copyright my book before publishing?” and the short answer is “yes.” The best time to start the copyright registration process is when your book’s final draft is done but before you start the publishing process. You will need a final draft of your work in order to register, so you want to wait until you have a completed version before you begin registering. However, don’t wait too long to submit because it can take 6 to 13 months to receive your copyright approval.
If you have already published your book and haven’t registered for a copyright yet, don’t sweat. There is a helpful amendment to the Copyright Act that allows you to collect statutory damages and attorney fees in a copyright infringement lawsuit as long as your book was registered for a copyright within three months of publication. So, long story short, when looking into how to copyright a book, be sure to get it done either before publication or within three months of your publication date to protect yourself.
How to Register to Copyright My Book
Book copyrighting might not be the most glamorous task, but it gives you ownership of your work and peace of mind that your hard work is protected. If you’ve finished your final draft, you can get started with the copyright registration process now. Just follow these simple steps:
How to Copyright a Book:
- Go to the U.S. Copyright Office website at Copyright.gov.
- Click on “Registration,” followed by “Literary Works,” and then “Register A Literary Work.”
- Create an account.
- Go to “Copyright Registration” and select “Register A New Claim.”
- Click “Start Registration” and complete the form.
- You will need to pay the registration fee and submit your manuscript, then wait for approval.
The Importance of Book Copyrighting
As an author, there is nothing more important than your written words. Keeping them protected is worth the time and effort it takes to get an official copyright registration. If you were on the fence about book copyrighting before or didn’t know how to copyright a book, now you can walk away understanding the value of copyrighting your book, especially in today’s world, where stealing intellectual property has unfortunately become so commonplace.