Do I Have To Register A Pen Name

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Writers take adopted pseudonyms or pen names to disguise themselves for a number of reasons: to hide their truthful gender (Alice Sheldon writing every bit James Tiptree, Jr.), to hide their work in a unlike expanse (Isaac Asimov writing juvenile science fiction as Paul French), to hide the sheer volume of their work (Robert Heinlein writing every bit Anson McDonald and under other names) or just their existence writers (Michael Crichton as Jeffrey Hudson). Pen names take also been created by publishing houses to unify book series, such as "Franklin W. Dixon" and "Carolyn Keene" for the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mystery serial, and "Kenneth Robeson" for the Doc Cruel and Avenger series. Regardless of the reason for authors writing under a pen proper name, the U.S. Copyright Office provides protection for works written as a pseudonym. Hither'south how to copyright a book with a pen proper name.

Steps

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Make up one's mind whether you want to reveal your name to the Copyright Office. You do not have to give your real (legal) name to the Copyright Office to register your copyright. If you choose not to requite your real proper noun when registering your work, it receives copyright protection for either 95 years from when it was published or 120 years from when it was created, whichever flow ends before. If yous choose to give your real proper noun, it remains part of the Copyright Office's records and cannot be removed later. Nonetheless, the length of time your work receives copyright protection becomes the aforementioned equally if you lot had written and registered information technology under your real name, the author's life plus another 70 years.
- If you choose not to give your real name at the time you annals your copyright, you tin can provide information technology to the Copyright Function at a after time. If you register a subsequent work using your existent name as well as your pen proper name, previous works written under that pen name are so given copyright protection for the author'southward life plus seventy years.
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Consider pre-registering your work. Preregistration does non supercede registration, just it permits you to sue for copyright infringement while your work is still in development if yous feel there's a likelihood of someone doing so earlier yous complete it. (This would exist most probable if you're writing a book in a genre made popular by the phenomenal success of a particular work, such as the Harry Potter or "Twilight" books.) Preregistration is also available for works of music, sound recordings, estimator software, move pictures and photographs used in marketing or advertising.
- You can only pre-register a piece of work online by submitting a clarification of it no more than than 2,000 characters (nigh 330 words) in length and a filing fee, which tin exist paid by credit card, through the Automated Immigration Business firm (ACH) network or through an account you previously established with the Copyright Office. (You lot do not include the work itself.) For more than information about preregistration, see http://www.copyright.gov/prereg/help.html#how_to.
- Once the Copyright Office processes your preregistration application, they will notify you past e-mail. The e-mail notice will include the information you sent, a preregistration number and the appointment on which preregistration became effective. You can get a certified copy of the notice from the Copyright Role's Certifications and Documents department.
- Once yous pre-register your work, you lot must register the copyright within 3 months of publishing it or within a month after y'all larn someone has infringed your copyright. If you don't annals inside this time, you lot'll exist unable to bring arrange confronting an offending political party until more than than 2 months have passed since yous published your piece of work.
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File your registration with the Copyright Part. Y'all may do so in 1 of 3 means: using the online electronic Copyright Office (eCO), downloading fill-in Class CO and completing it on your personal estimator or obtaining a newspaper registration form from the Copyright Function. Whichever method you lot employ, you must fill in the "Copyright Claimant" space and besides check the "Pseudonymous" box to indicate that you lot're using a pen name. You lot must include the required payment with your application.
- To access the electronic option, select "electronic Copyright Office" from the Copyright Role website (http://world wide web.copyright.gov/). You'll be asked whether yous intend to submit an electronic or a hard copy of your piece of work. (You may submit either an electronic or hard copy of any unpublished piece of work with this option.) Filing electronically lets yous file for less money than the other 2 options, and too provides you with faster processing, the ability to pay electronically, e-post acknowledgment of your submission and online tracking of the condition of your application.
- Fill-in Form CO tin can be obtained by selecting "Forms" on the Copyright Office website at http://world wide web.copyright.gov/. This grade includes a barcode that permits the Copyright Office to process the form with its scanners; considering each barcode is unique to the registration awarding, you can only use Form CO to register the piece of work for which yous requested it. Afterward completing the form on your computer, you then impress information technology out.
- Requests for newspaper forms must exist addressed to the Library of Congress, U.S. Copyright Office-TX, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20559-6221. (The relevant form for a book is Course TX.) Use the aforementioned accost to submit a copyright registration and your payment past mail; a completed Fill-in Form CO is sent to the aforementioned address. (You may also print out your electronic registration grade and send it by mail service if y'all wish, merely you then pay the higher fee for non-electronic processing.)
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Deposit a copy of your work with the Copyright Function. If your work is unpublished, a complete copy of the manuscript is required. If your work has been published since 1978, the Copyright Office and so requires ii complete copies of the best edition. (If information technology was published before 1978, the requirement is ii copies of the first edition.)
- If you filed your registration electronically, the Copyright Office will prompt you lot to print out a shipping slip to go with your hard copy eolith. It is just good for the work you are registering.

Add New Question

Question

If I haven't written yet, tin can I have a pen proper noun?

Yeah, if yous haven't written yet, you lot can all the same accept a pen name.
Question

Does copyrighting something cost money?

Yep, $35-$55 if you lot do it yourself or $250-$500 if you lot hire an attorney to assist you.
Question

If I select the box for a pseudonym on the copyright grade and reveal my real proper noun on the form, but cull a pen name, is the copyright office or Library of Congress obligated to keep my real name private?

No, they are not. If y'all provide your existent name, it goes on the Copyright Part's online public records and tin can be accessed past anyone via the internet. You will not be able to remove it if you alter your mind.
Question

I have written and registered my book using my existent name. How practise I alter information technology to a pen name?

Contact the visitor/organization that registered it for you, and request a change of proper noun.
Question

Can I register and pay for a pen name earlier I start my volume?

Of course, having anything written is non required for registering a pen proper name.

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Using a pen name can also complicate selling subsidiary and reprint rights to your piece of work, your heirs' inheritance of your rights and foremost, the processing of your advance and royalty payments. Earlier deciding to apply a pen proper noun, consult a lawyer for assistance in avoiding these issues.
Do not use a pen name to capitalize on another writer's fame, endeavor to wriggle out of a "commencement wait" clause with your current publisher, dodge a libel lawsuit or avoid paying income taxes.

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