Info about Formalities (copyright, CIP, ISBN, etc.)

[SigilBear]

I just wondered if anyone can refer me to a good article that explains, in plain English and in a logical sequence, the steps self-publishers should follow if they want to apply for things like copyright protection, Library of Congress number, CIP, ISBN, etc. Merely compiling a list of services that are available would be helpful (what have I missed).

There are also a lot of special cases. For example, Amazon doesn't require ISBN numbers, as they supply their own special numbers. And if you can't get a CIP through the Library of Congress, you can buy one through Quality Books.

I've been researching this stuff for a few days, and I think I pretty much have it figured out. But I'm struck by the lack of beginner friendly resources that really pull it altogether. I'm thinking of writing an article offering advice for new publishers, but I want to make sure this topic hasn't already been covered in depth but I simply haven't found the information through Google.

Thanks!

[Cinisajoy]

Copyright is the second you publish whether it is on a website, or an ebook, or a magazine.
As per the rest, there is not one article covering everything.
There are several ebooks on that subject.
You have told me more than once that you are an expert on one word searches.
Now since I know how to do specific searches, let me see what I can find.
Oh look.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guid.../dp/1582977186
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003I6496Y/

Or here is a blog post.
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/1...f-publish.html
Between those 3, you should know everything you need to know.
PS: it is not that hard.

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Copyright is the second you publish whether it is on a website, or an ebook, or a magazine.

Actually, you can register an official copyright. There's a difference.

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

There are several ebooks on that subject.
You have told me more than once that you are an expert on one word searches.
Now since I know how to do specific searches, let me see what I can find.
Oh look.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guid.../dp/1582977186
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003I6496Y/

Have you actually read those books and confirmed that they answer the questions I related, or are you just guessing that they cover this information?

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Or here is a blog post.
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010/1...f-publish.html
Between those 3, you should know everything you need to know.
PS: it is not that hard.

OK, I'll bite: How is that blog post in any way related to my question? Since you're such an expert on one-word searches, you might visit that page again and search for the following terms: ISBN, copyright, CIP. SURPRISE! Not ONE hit.

In fact, that blog can generally be described as worthless. Unless you have time to wade through his posts hoping to find some helpful information. The word bloviate comes to mind.

Thanks for the "tips."

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Actually, you can register an official copyright. There's a difference.



Have you actually read those books and confirmed that they answer the questions I related, or are you just guessing that they cover this information?



OK, I'll bite: How is that blog post in any way related to my question? Since you're such an expert on one-word searches, you might visit that page again and search for the following terms: ISBN, copyright, CIP. SURPRISE! Not ONE hit.

In fact, that blog can generally be described as worthless. Unless you have time to wade through his posts hoping to find some helpful information. The word bloviate comes to mind.

Thanks for the "tips."

No, I am specific search not one word. I never do one word.

Here is the thing, you want to know about self publishing, but yet I lead you to the guy that is actually getting self-published authors in libraries, so you call his blog worthless.
He makes 7 figures annually self-publishing. He has helped many many authors get started and make good money at writing.

Let me get this straight, you want an isbn, cip, copyright protection and a book in a library that was actually written by someone else years ago.
You need to spend $500 on ISBN's, then spend $$$ to print your book, however much it costs to do that copyright protection and pay someone else for the cip.

And then the chances of getting your ebook in a library are still about the same as without them.

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

No, I am specific search not one word. I never do one word.

Here is the thing, you want to know about self publishing, but yet I lead you to the guy that is actually getting self-published authors in libraries, so you call his blog worthless.
He makes 7 figures annually self-publishing. He has helped many many authors get started and make good money at writing.

Let me get this straight, you want an isbn, cip, copyright protection and a book in a library that was actually written by someone else years ago.
You need to spend $500 on ISBN's, then spend $$$ to print your book, however much it costs to do that copyright protection and pay someone else for the cip.

And then the chances of getting your ebook in a library are still about the same as without them.

I just did my copyright registration for $55. I believe an ISBN is about $125. I believe a CIP is free if the Library of Congress adds your book to their collection. Otherwise, you can buy it for $100. My book wasn't written by someone else years ago; loosely speaking, it's a derivative.

And, no, the chances of getting it into libraries isn't about the same. It's still a struggle, but the odds are much, much better.

And Konrad, Konroth, Konbutt, or whatever his name is really doesn't have a clue about helping beginners. The organization of his blog says it all. Some people succeed not by offering helpful advice but by simply knowing how to promote themselves. They convince the world that they're hot stuff, and they may indeed be successful on the stage - but they don't know how to teach.

Anything else I can help you with?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

I just did my copyright registration for $55. I believe an ISBN is about $125. I believe a CIP is free if the Library of Congress adds your book to their collection. Otherwise, you can buy it for $100. My book wasn't written by someone else years ago; loosely speaking, it's a derivative.

And, no, the chances of getting it into libraries isn't about the same. It's still a struggle, but the odds are much, much better.

And Konrad, Konroth, Konbutt, or whatever his name is really doesn't have a clue about helping beginners. The organization of his blog says it all. Some people succeed not by offering helpful advice but by simply knowing how to promote themselves. They convince the world that they're hot stuff, and they may indeed be successful on the stage - but they don't know how to teach.

Anything else I can help you with?

No, I think this post says all that needs said.
Total luck with your state symbols book.

[gmw]

I thought copyright registration went out the window years ago? ... But a quick check of "copyright registration" on Wikipedia shows that in the U.S. some things are still dependent on it. (My thoughts about that would be best reserved for the P&R subforum. )

But the previous paragraph demonstrates one of the problems you face, SigilBear: the sort of thing you are talking about is U.S. specific, which reduces the field of interesting bloggers/articles.

There is the fact the the book you are talking about is U.S. specific non-fiction (which is tightly related to the next point) and the field of interesting bloggers/articles reduces more.

Your specific interest in getting into U.S. libraries (which I understand, given the nature of your material), and the U.S. Library of Congress, means the field of interesting bloggers/articles reducers further. Most Indy fiction writers are not that interested in this aspect - or not that I've noticed - we just want readers .

Given that you've asked this question on MobileRead, whose members tend to be computer/gadget literate enough to like ereaders and Internet forums (and many of whom are not fans of Indy publishing), and you have reduced your field further still. To the point, I suspect, of having reduced the chance of finding individuals well enough informed on this particular speciality to ... maybe zero?

It seems to me you might consider yourself lucky to get a response at all, especially one that at least attempted to provide something more useful than my observations in this post.

You may need to pose your questions on some more appropriate forum if you hope to get answers given with any level of direct experience.

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by gmw

It seems to me you might consider yourself lucky to get a response at all, especially one that at least attempted to provide something more useful than my observations in this post.

You may need to pose your questions on some more appropriate forum if you hope to get answers given with any level of direct experience.

Wow, good tip. I thought this forum was a little, uh "odd." I was told it was the forum of choice for people aspiring to create ebooks, but I was apparently given bum advice.

Are there any particular forums you could recommend?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Wow, good tip. I thought this forum was a little, uh "odd." I was told it was the forum of choice for people aspiring to create ebooks, but I was apparently given bum advice.

Are there any particular forums you could recommend?

I don't know who told you that but they were either teasing you or they are on some very good drugs. Or they meant actually putting together the ebook, not the writing or publishing of the book.

This entire forum is fantastic for finding legally obtained ebooks and all devices.
I haven't visited but here there is a forum here for actually creating the ebook itself. It looks busy and I know the pros go there.
Well I found 2, ebook software and ebook formats, but neither seem to meet your needs.

Sorry we couldn't be more help.

[Cinisajoy]

And I know where you might get help but I refuse to mention them by name. Google writers cafe.
Just don't tell them who sent you.

[Krazykiwi]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

I thought this forum was a little, uh "odd." I was told it was the forum of choice for people aspiring to create ebooks, but I was apparently given bum advice.

Perhaps if you stuck to one thread, it would help. You have a dozen asking essentially the same things.

That said, "people who want to create ebooks" and "people who want to get their books into libraries" are sets that practically mutually exclusive.

Traditionally published authors, who can get into libraries relatively easily, are not creating their own ebooks.

Independently published ebooks essentially do not get into libraries - if you do, it's in a separate catalog in Overdrive, not the main one that most libraries subscribe to. I know you don't want to hear this because you ignore it every time it comes up, but it's the truth.

Independently published hardcover non-fiction books, might have a shot (perhaps if you load up your car and hand-sell them), but you keep asking about ebooks.

In any case:
https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2010...should-get-it/
http://hollowlands.com/2017/02/world...sni-istc-oclc/ (in the comments to the above)
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...libraries.html

And all over Jane Friedman's site: https://janefriedman.com/ - she has a ton of videos, blog posts and other resources that address your questions: such as this one: https://janefriedman.com/selfpub-dis...ion-libraries/

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Wow, good tip. I thought this forum was a little, uh "odd." I was told it was the forum of choice for people aspiring to create ebooks, but I was apparently given bum advice.

Are there any particular forums you could recommend?

If you're not happy with the advice given, then you may wish to look for other sites that suit your personality and preference.

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

If you're not happy with the advice given, then you may wish to look for other sites that suit your personality and preference.

Actually, I am happy with MOST of the advice I've received here, with one spectacular exception who seems to be addicted to me. But if you read the other posts in this thread, you'll see a comment where someone suggests this forum might be a little too specialized for my interests, on a different tangent, whatever.

So I asked for some recommendations, and someone posted some links to other forums. Which makes your comment rather useless.

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by Krazykiwi

Perhaps if you stuck to one thread, it would help. You have a dozen asking essentially the same things.

You really expect me to put all my questions in ONE thread??? And, no, my questions don't ask the same things. If I ask a question, and the answer leads to another question, then I'll either ask another question on that thread or start a new thread. A lot of forums don't like it when people ask multiple questions on one thread.

Thanks for your other tips, though.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Actually, I am happy with MOST of the advice I've received here, with one spectacular exception who seems to be addicted to me. But if you read the other posts in this thread, you'll see a comment where someone suggests this forum might be a little too specialized for my interests, on a different tangent, whatever.

So I asked for some recommendations, and someone posted some links to other forums. Which makes your comment rather useless.

Sorry gave up all addictions over 10 years ago.

Though yes I have always been spectacular and you can ask numerous people but I am also usually the exception. Makes me unforgettable.