E-Books have quickly evolved into a booming business. The primary reasons are they are affordable and the perfect medium to reach niche markets.
According to 2021 statistics, there were over one billion e-book users worldwide, and according to Pew Research, three in ten Americans now read e-books regularly.
With the rapid rise of e-book purchases and the money that can be made from their sales, it’s no surprise that e-book authors want and need to know how to copyright their digital creations.
How Do I Copyright My E-Book? Q&A
Q. I have finally finished writing my e-book about the best hiking paths in Costa Rica and would like to copyright it before selling my e-book on the Internet. What do I need to do to protect myself? What legal documents will I need to file, and where? How long does a copyright last?
A. Your e-book question applies to the law of intellectual property. Intellectual property covers three distinct forms of legal protection. In your circumstances, you would be correct in wanting to protect your e-book through copyright law.
If I copyright my e-book, how long will the protection last?
As the author of your e-book, assuming it is your original work, you will have exclusive ownership rights to the work as long as you live, plus seventy years. After that period expires, your e-book will fall under the category known as the public domain.
When does my e-book become legally protected under copyright law?
Your right to have your e-book legally protected occurred upon its creation. In your case, that is the moment you placed the last period on the last line of your e-book. At that moment, your Costa Rica e-book became your exclusive property to use, publish or otherwise exploit as you see fit.
It also means only you, the author, can legally claim the copyright. What’s more, your job as a digital writer is protected – whether it contains that familiar copyright symbol or is filed with the Library of Congress.
The right to protect one’s property is fundamental to our way of life, which is why it is constitutionally protected. Copyright is derived from property law and applies to all original works of authorship fixed in a tangible form of expression. Publishing an e-book qualifies as a legal form of original expression for purposes of copyright law.
Copyright protection is self-protecting which means it begins when you begin creating your written work.
Copyright law not only protects literary forms of expression such as e-books, according to the Copyright Act of 1976, it also covers dramatic and musical works; pantomimes and choreography; pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works; audio-visual works; sound recordings; architectural works and many other forms of creative expression.
The Copyright Act of 1976
As of 2022, the Copyright Act of 1976 is still the primary authority on copyright law in the United States. Accordingly, the Copyright Act’s protection extends to all “original works of authorship” irrespective of the new technology used to deliver those original works.
This is true whether you sell your e-book on Amazon or publish it under your name and publishing company. Should your e-book writing later turn into a digital media publishing empire, you should know there is a second, more current, body of law that covers the world of digital media publishing on a much larger scale.
It is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, and it is worth a mention and a brief description
Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998
For most copyright issues, such as how you copyright an e-book, the 1976 Copyright Act will address most, if not all, of your legal concerns and questions.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act was enacted to manage complex commercial, regulatory, and international aspects of large-scale digital media publishing. It also governs the remedies available for infringement of digital copyright laws.
What does copyright not protect?
It’s not what you say that is protected but rather how you have chosen to express it.
Copyright protects the way you have chosen to express your ideas but does not protect your ideas. It is said that one’s ideas cannot be protected under copyright law.
The following is not protected under copyright law:
- Ideas
- Facts
- Systems
- Titles
- Names
What’s the difference between copyright and trademark?
A trademark protects words, phrases, symbols, or designs that uniquely identify the maker of those products or services alleged to belong to the party asserting the brand.
For example, you cannot decide one day to call your e-book company National Geographic even if you have established a unique type of travel publishing company. The company name, National Geographic, has been trademarked to identify a specific type of publishing product.
However, you may call your publishing company My Publishing Company, assuming no other publisher has trademarked that particular name for the same use and purpose.
Do I have to register my e-book title?
No. Registration of your copyright is entirely voluntary. Remember, your legal right comes into being when your work is created. Notwithstanding, you may want to register your copyright if your Costa Rica e-book becomes a national best-seller, but it is not required to establish ownership of your e-book.
Consumer Rights Lawyers
If you would like more information on how to copyright your e-book, we suggest you consult with an online Consumer Rights Lawyer with experience in copyright law.
