Author: rshahabuddin

Are you wondering how to copyright your work?

A copyright can protect your work by providing proof of creation and can strengthen the defense against copyright infringement by another entity.

First, check out my post on 10 lessons on self-publishing:

10 Self Publishing Lessons

Today, I will share 6 steps on how to copyright your work.

# 1. Types of Applications

You can use the Standard Application to register most works. 

Watch this video for the standard application:

https://www.copyright.gov/eco/standard.mp4 

Here are videos for other types of applications: 

https://www.copyright.gov/eco/tutorials.html

# 2. Register an Account

To get started registering your work, create an account in the Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) Registration System.

https://eservice.eco.loc.gov/siebel/app/eservice/enu?SWECmd=Start

# 3. Submit Application

Step through the application process and enter all the required information.

• Type of Work
• Titles
• Publication/Completion
• Authors
• Claimants
• Limitation of Claim
• Rights & Permissions
• Correspondent
• Mail Certificate
• Special Handling
• Certification
• Review Submission

# 4. Pay Fee

Pay the required fee and submit your application.

# 5. Send Work 

Determine if a physical or electronic copy is required and send a copy of your work being registered.

# 6. Copyright Certificate 

When a copyright is registered, it is published in the U.S. Copyright Office’s searchable database. 

Because it is a public record, it is easy for people to find and see that it is a copyrighted work.

You will also receive a certificate by mail.

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That’s it!

My lessons are for informational purposes only. 

If you are interested in copyrighting your work, here is a good place to start: 

https://www.copyright.gov/registration

If you enjoyed this, please:

• Subscribe to https://meanseriesbooks.com 
• Share this so others can learn as well

If you have any questions, ask away.

Are you thinking about publishing an eBook?

First, check out my post on 10 lessons on self-publishing:

10 Self Publishing Lessons

Today, I will share 5 steps on how to publish an eBook on Amazon.

# 1: Kindle Create

Kindle Create is a formatting tool that works well with most books you want to publish on Amazon.

Download for free on Mac or PC.

https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Create/b?ie=UTF8&node=18292298011

# 2: Import Manuscript

For novels, biography, or essays, upload a doc or docx file.

For picture books or comics, upload a pdf or jpg file.

# 3: Preview

Preview what your readers will experience on different devices such as tablets, phones, and Kindle e-readers.

# 4: Export File

Export your Kindle Create eBook in kpf format to publish on Amazon KDP.

# 5: Publish on Amazon

Create an Amazon KDP account and upload your eBook manuscript in kpf format and publish. 

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US

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That’s it!

My lessons are for informational purposes only. 

If you are interested in publishing an eBook, here is a good place to start: 

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GYVL2CASGU9ACFVU

If you enjoyed this, please:

• Subscribe to https://meanseriesbooks.com 
• Share this so others can learn as well

If you have any questions, ask away.

My children and I started a new children’s book series! 

We want to share exciting and funny stories about “mean” teachers at school.

My 13-year-old son, Shazeb, came up with the stories, and my 10-year-old daughter, Samia, illustrated all the pages. 

I helped put the books together and self-published them using Amazon KDP.

Our first book took over 6 months, and the second book took less than 2 months.

I learned a lot about self-publishing. If you want to give it a try, check out:

Lesson # 1: Just start

If you want to publish, simply start. It is easy and free with Amazon KDP. 

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US

I did it because I wanted to encourage my children to try something new and work on a creative project together.

Lesson # 2: Genre

You have to pick a book genre. Fiction, non-fiction, thriller, mystery? 

Based on what you choose, there are a ton of resources available on Amazon KDP.

Lesson # 3: Format

You can publish your book in eBook, paperback, or hardcover. 

Publishing your content in multiple formats maximizes your reach.

For eBooks, it is preferable to use Kindle Create.

https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Create/b?ie=UTF8&node=18292298011

I published our books in two formats: e-book and paperback formats.

Lesson # 4: Print Options

You will need to choose your ink and paper type, trim size, bleed setting, and cover finish.

I chose a premium color interior, 8.5 x 8.5, bleed, with a glossy finish since our books are for children.

Lesson # 5: Illustrations

You can include illustrations in your book. You can create digital art or scan drawings. 

For our children’s books, my daughter used Procreate to create spreads, and then we turned them into book pages.

https://procreate.art

Lesson # 6: Categories

You can select only 2 categories when you publish. However, you can contact Amazon to add your book to 8 additional categories.

I would not have known this without doing additional research.

Lesson # 7: Series

You can publish a single book or start a series with any book format (i.e. eBook, paperback, or hardcover). 

You don’t need to have all books in your series complete before creating one.

Lesson # 8: ISBN

ISBN is a book identifier and is assigned to each separate edition and variation of a publication. 

Although Amazon KDP provides free ISBN, I purchased them from Bowker in bulk, so I am not limited to publishing on Amazon KDP only.

https://www.myidentifiers.com

Lesson # 9: Copyright

A copyright can protect your book by providing proof of creation and can strengthen the defense against copyright infringement by another entity.

I registered our books with https://www.copyright.gov.

Lesson # 10: Website

A website is a great way to connect with your readers.

I created https://meanseriesbooks.com to showcase all the books in our series in one place.

Conclusion

My lessons are for informational purposes only. 

If you are interested in self-publishing, here is a good place to begin your research: 

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help

I will unpack each lesson and share it in future posts. 

I plan to explore Apple book publishing next.

If you enjoyed this, please:

• Subscribe to https://meanseriesbooks.com 
• Share this so others can learn as well

If you have any questions, ask away.