Copyright question.

[Patient7]

Okay, Rev. Powell suggested I start up a thread on this and thinking about it it's a much better idea.  Anywho, I am currently working on a book, I'll be done soon and before I start with the whole process of sending copies to publishing companies I need to know if they do all the copyright crap for me or if I need to get that done first myself?  Also if anybody's in publishing or knows about it do I send a copy or a basic plot summary?

I would post the title and everything but I should probably get all the copyright crap taken care of before I release that.

[Derf]

If you go to www.copyright.gov, you should be able to find out all the info you need to officially copyright a book. As for getting said book published, get an agent rather than sending sample chapters to publishers. Unless you personally know an editor at a publishing house, you're not going to get anywhere going that route; publishers have all but quit taking unsolicited manuscripts. There are books that can help you in finding an agent (I don't recall the titles offhand). Basically, you send the first chapter and a synopsis of your book to an agency, and they will send you a rejection letter, or at least that has been my experience  . Prepare for a lot of rejections. Good luck, though, and may you have much better luck than I ever have.

[Menard]

You need to ask the publisher that question. Some of the big publishing houses will copyright material for the author in the author's name, some will copyright it in the publisher's name; you need to check that first to avoid setting yourself up to have your work stolen by your publisher. You can protect yourself by getting the copyright yourself. You'll have to check; I don't know if there is a requirement to have a published copy of the work in order for it to be properly copyrighted. You can find useful information here:

http://www.copyright.gov/

http://www.writersdigest.com/GeneralMenu/


I have never filed for copyright myself as I have only published online; though I could have filed if I wanted to. I simply placed the copyright notice on my work; it is effectively considered copyrighted when you create it, but if you intend to have it published, you will want to file it with the copyright office; writing that it is copyrighted by you won't necessarily protect you should someone decide to steal your work.

[Rev. Powell]

Patient7:  Anything you create is automatically copyrighted!  Ain't that cool?  I've had stories published, and I never bothered to copyright them.

The reason to register a copyright is that you can't sue in federal court for a copyright violation unless you have the copyright registered.  But, you can always register the work after you discover a violation.

I imagine a publishing company would handle copyright registration for you, but I've never had a book published, so I don't know.

If you want to register, you can do it online for $35.  You still have to mail the Library of Congress a copy of the work.

Your first step in contacting a publisher is to send a query letter.  Here's an article on how to write one.  Be sure to read "The Writer's Guide" at your local library to find the addresses of publishers and get some tips on submitting.  

Congratulations on nearly completing your book!  Good luck on getting it published.  You're my hero if you can get a book published while your still in your teens!  

(I see Derf beat me to the punch, and gave better advice too!)

[Patient7]

Karma to all of you for the advice, (figuratively for Menard).  I still need to read through it and make sure I'm okay with it before I send it out so it may be a while.  As for getting it published in my teens, I figured some company will think about the massive success that came from Eragon and think.  "If that little plagarist can sell THAT many copies imagine what THIS will bring in."

Now...

TO WAR!!!!!!!!

[akiratubo]

Good luck to you.  I'm probably going the self-publish route for my book.