Whats the best way to approach this?

Ambergold · Feb 25, 2007

Hello,

I’ve had so much differing advice on this that I’m at my wits end. I’ve been told not to put the copyright symbol at the top pages of my work as this supposedly looks amateurish, however I don’t feel entirely comfortable sending it out to agents and publishers without it. Are there any agents or writers who can advice me on this?
Thanks.

triceretops · Feb 25, 2007

Just my personal opinion here, Amber. It's not necessary. I've never done such thing. As far as the comfort thing, I don't know what to tell you. Script and book theft (or even ideas) is something that orginates in our head and grows to alarming proportions, especially with newer writers. It's definitely one of the first questions that pops up in a brand new writers group. Like the Lock Ness monster...she aint happening.

Sorry, Nessie.

Tri

Judg · Feb 25, 2007

Ambergold, as always, look at who is giving you the advice. Published authors, editors, agents, publishers would be credible. Aspiring writers, especially ones who tell you stories of cases they heard about from their aunt, are not.

I'd give you advice, but I'm just an aspiring author. (Hint, listen to Tri. It jibes with everything I've ever heard from people who know what they're talking about. Tri also fits into the category of people who know what they're talking about. 'Nuff said.)

rugcat · Feb 25, 2007

Ambergold said:
I’ve had so much differing advice on this that I’m at my wits end.

I don't know where you're getting your differing advice on this. Every editor, agent, and published writer will assure you that it is completely unnecessary and indeed, counterproductive.

kristie911 · Feb 25, 2007

Don't worry about it. No one is going to steal your work. It will always be easier for a publisher or agent to work with an author than to steal their work...especially a first time author. If it's good, they're going to want more from you...not steal your one work.

Maprilynne · Feb 25, 2007

You have plenty of evidence on your computer that it is your book. No one wants to steal you book, and even if they did (which again, they don't) it would totally be a losing battle.

BTW, no one is going to steal your book.

Maprilynne

Oh, if it makes you feel any better, your book should have a running header that has your name and the title of the book on it. That way, even if someone wanted to steal you book (which they don't) they'd have to re-type out all of your pages. I personally think your running header is all the protection you need. (Not that you need any.) . . . Am I being too subtle?

Stacia Kane · Feb 25, 2007

Not only is nobody going to steal your work, but I've never understood how a copyright symbol is going to stop them if they're set on doing it anyway.

Lady · Feb 26, 2007

Maprilynne said:
Oh, if it makes you feel any better, your book should have a running header that has your name and the title of the book on it. That way, even if someone wanted to steal you book (which they don't) they'd have to re-type out all of your pages. I personally think your running header is all the protection you need. (Not that you need any.) . . . Am I being too subtle?

What's a running header? (puts on the dunce cap)

Ambergold · Feb 26, 2007

Oh, if it makes you feel any better, your book should have a running header that has your name and the title of the book on it. That way, even if someone wanted to steal you book (which they don't) they'd have to re-type out all of your pages. I personally think your running header is all the protection you need. (Not that you need any.) . . . Am I being too subtle?

Thanks to you all of you for taking the time to advice me. I suppose as a relative newbie to the writing world I'm still quite wary about protecting my work, which is understandable.
I have to say that I do like Maprilynne's adivice about the running header. That way I don't look overly paranoid and I get some reassurance (Fabulous name btw.)

Judg · Feb 26, 2007

Lady, a running header is one that appears on every page, something along the lines of

Title, by Fabulous Author, [email protected], (xxx) 555-1212, page X

More to the point, it ensures that if your manuscript gets separated from the cover sheet, they will still have all the most important information, and if they drop it on the floor, they can put it back in order.

victoriastrauss · Feb 26, 2007

Ambergold said:
I’ve been told not to put the copyright symbol at the top pages of my work as this supposedly looks amateurish

It does. Never do this. Not only does it look amateurish (because it suggests you don't understand copyright, or think the agent doesn't), it's not necessary. Your work is protected by copyright the moment you write it down, and adding the symbol provides no additional protection.

A good agent or publisher won't risk their reputation by stealing. It's a whole lot easier, anyway, just to work with you on getting your work published than to steal your work and go to all the bother of pretending it belongs to someone else. Don't worry about theft--on the long list of things writers need to be concerned about, theft is at the absolute bottom.

There's information about copyright, plus links to helpful resources, at Writer Beware's Copyright page.

- Victoria

johnzakour · Feb 26, 2007

if you are going to put a copyright symbol on your own book before sending it out to publishers and agents, you might as well just stamp: PLEASE DO NOT PUBLISH THIS... across every other page.

If you write you great book you won't have worry about copywriting it because a publisher will do it for you.

ORION · Feb 26, 2007

I just got my uncorrected galley from my publisher and IT WAS SO COOL!!!!
They have:

Copyright (c with little circle) 2007 by Patricia Wood

AND I DIDN'T DO A THING --IT JUST HAPPENED!!!!

OK so you get my point. Don't do it. You'll just look like a nitwit.
For definition of nitwit please see today's post in my blog
http://pkwood.blogspot.com

Best wishes
ORION

Lady · Feb 27, 2007

Judg thanks for answering me. I like to write mostly for myself, so I haven't pushed for publishing anything. I might change my mine dependin on how my story is going so far I like it.

Ambergold · Feb 27, 2007

Thanks to all of you again. Another question. Can I put a running header on the synopsis as well?

ORION · Feb 27, 2007

I put my contact information in the header if my synopsis was close to being a full page or aligned to the left if it was not. I have never made my synopses longer than a page. My agent has not said it is a problem. My friend, on the other hand, had to do a detailed synopsis (6 pages) for her editor and she had a running header and page numbers. I think it depends on what it is for.

Whats the best way to approach this?

Ambergold

triceretops

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

rugcat

Lost in the Fog

kristie911

Happy to be here

Maprilynne

Author Waiting in the Wings

Stacia Kane

Girl Detective

Lady

Ambergold

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

ORION

Sailed away years ago

Lady

Ambergold

ORION

Sailed away years ago