How to Copyright and Publish a Book
- 1). Complete the manuscript to your satisfaction. You could do rewrites forever, but it's important to simply get a final draft done that you are happy with. This should be the version that you copyright.
- 2). Request a copyright form from the U.S. Copyright Office (see Resources). You can obtain the form by printing it off the Internet, or you can request that forms be sent through the postal service to your home. There are several types of copyright forms. When it comes to a book, you want to request Form TX.
- 3). Pay the fee associated with the copyright, and submit your manuscript to the United States Copyright Office in Washington, D.C. The address is: U.S. Copyright Office, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, D.C. 20559-6000. If you have further questions, the phone number is (202) 707-3000.
- 4). Research potential publishers for your work of literary art. The Writer's Market is a great website for finding thousands of book publishers and agents. Writer's Write is also a viable option. (See Resources.)
- 5). Start submitting your manuscript to agents, publishers and managers as soon as you receive the copyright certificate. This typically can take up to 8 months, but it can also happen much faster if you choose to do the process via the Internet. Some people elect to go ahead and submit the book to publishers before receiving the certificate.
- 6). Submit multiple copies of the book at the same time. In the best-case scenario, you'll have several options to decide between. You'll have the comfort of knowing you are upping your chances by getting your work in front of several different people. Creating opportunities for your work is what it's all about.
- 7). Consider self-publishing if you are certain of its quality, yet cannot get a publisher to take the leap. This is best done if you already have some sort of following, or if you have a great deal of personal commitment to marketing your book. Publishers like Lulu and Cafe Press put the publishing power in your hands.