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Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

How can I confirm that my book title isn’t already taken?



Asked by: Amy Rios

If you want to see if a title has been trademarked, you can use TESS, the online search at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Can 2 books have the same title?





Titles cannot be copyrighted in the United States. Therefore, two or more books can have the same title. However, if you use a title that is the same or very similar to another book, it makes it hard for your title to stand out.

Can you use a title for a book that has already been used?

To qualify for copyright protection, a work needs to possess “a significant amount of original expression”—and while “a significant amount of original expression” isn’t fully defined by hard-and-fast rules, the courts have ruled that expressions as short as book titles do not qualify. (Publishing FAQs for Writers.)

How do I know if my book title is good?

The 3 Most Common Attributes of Good Titles

  1. Short. The most memorable titles are usually on the shorter side. …
  2. Evocative. Best-selling titles are often evocative and contain compelling wordplay and imagery. …
  3. Memorable and unique. A good-book-title should be both memorable and unique.



Can a book title be duplicated?



Dealing with Duplicates

Even if you don’t use a one-word title, you might still discover that you’ve duplicate the title of another book. If the other book is obscure and out-of-print, you’re probably fine having the same title. Otherwise—that is, in most cases—it’s worth changing it.

Should I trademark my book title?

The general rule is that book titles (unless part of a series) cannot be registered as trademarks. The reasoning behind this is that trademarks are really meant to function as the identifiers of goods and services, and book titles don’t really fulfill that function.

Do I need to copyright my book title?

(Should You Copyright Your Book Before Submitting It?) A: Copyrights cover works fixed in a tangible format, but because titles are typically short, they don’t fall under copyright protection. So no, you can’t copyright a title to a book, song, or movie.

Are titles copyright protected?

Copyright does not protect names, titles, slogans, or short phrases. In some cases, these things may be protected as trademarks. Contact the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, [email protected] or see Circular 33, for further information.

How do I know if a book is copyrighted?

For books published after 1975, you can visit http://cocatalog.loc.gov. You enter an author or title and see the registration number and the year that the copyright was registered. For older works, you can contact the Library of Congress directly and either pay them to do a search for you or do the search for yourself.

How can I copyright my book for free?

How can I copyright my book for free? You automatically own the copyright to your book for free the moment you write down the text. If you want the added legal benefits of registering your copyright, you must pay at least a $45 fee with the US Copyright Office to go through the process.



What if you have the same name as another author?

Yes, you can write under your real name. Such use is not trademark use all on its own. It matters not whether there are other authors by the same name.

What do you call the second part of a book title?

In books and other works, a subtitle is an explanatory or alternate title.

How can I publish a book?

Here’s the simple step-by-step process to publish a book:

  1. Choose a publishing route.
  2. Edit the draft.
  3. Get feedback from editors and critique circles.
  4. Title your manuscript.
  5. Format your book for publication.
  6. Design a book cover that converts readers.
  7. Write a ‘publisher-ready’ book description.
  8. Create a book launch plan.

How do I copyright my book?

Here’s the simple 7-step process on how to copyright a book.

  1. Go to the U.S. Copyright Office website.
  2. Select the “Literary Works” category.
  3. Create a new account.
  4. Start the copyright registration process.
  5. Fill out the details.
  6. Complete the copyright application.
  7. Submit your work to finish copyrighting your book.



Does it cost money to publish a book?

The average cost to publish a book falls within the $200-$2500 range and includes publishing costs such as cover design, editing, formatting, and book printing. However, it’s important to note that the publishing type you choose will also factor into the overall cost to publish a book.

Do I need a publisher for my book?

Do I need a publisher for my book? If you’ve written a book, you can choose to self-publish or get it published by a traditional publishing house. Because you have these two options, you don’t necessarily need a publisher for your book.

Did JK Rowling self-publish?

The biggest publishing phenomenon on the planet is now a self-publisher. After a week of heavy speculation, JK Rowling has revealed that she is to self-publish the e-books to her mind-bogglingly successful Harry Potter series through her newly-announced proprietary platform, Pottermore.

Do publishers edit your book?

Publishers are not meant to edit your book. Their job is to choose a work that is worthy of being represented by their reputable company.

How do I get my first book published?

4 Steps for Getting Your Book Published



  1. Edit and proofread. One or two typos won’t sink your career, but a bevy of them will make you look unprofessional. …
  2. Identify a target audience for your book. …
  3. Identify potential agents. …
  4. Submit your book proposal. …
  5. Submit directly to a publisher.

Can a publisher steal your book?

Here’s why reputable agents and publishers are not going to steal from you. They can’t steal it wholesale because you can show that you wrote it and submitted it. By writing it, you automatically own the copyright to those words. (Not the ideas, that would require a patent.)

How much money can a first time author make?

around $10,000

As we can see from many authors and agents the average first time author is projected to earn around $10,000 for their new book. After you pay your agent and invest in promotion, there isn’t much left over.



How many pages should a book be?

When wondering how many pages a book should be, it is notable that the average book length is between 200-400 pages.

How long should my first book be?

If you’re writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb for novel writing is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. While anything over 40,000 words can fall into the novel category, 50,000 is considered the minimum novel length. Anything over 110,000 words is considered too long for a fiction novel.

Can a normal person write a book?

The answer is that yes, anyone can write a book. You don’t need to be an expert, or even particularly eloquent. All you need is access to a computer and a little bit of determination. You’ve always wanted to write a book.

How many chapters should a book be?

Most nonfiction books have between 5 and 20 chapters. Any less than 5 and your chapters may be running long or may contain too many ideas. That said, there are plenty of books with 30 or 40 chapters. And some books, usually with very short chapters, can have 50+.

How many pages should my first book have?

Number of pages in a book for a first-time author



How many pages in a novel? For a first release, 200 pages are enough. One can also look at authors like Chetan Bhagat, who even today continue to release books well below the 300-page mark.

Should I name my chapters?

Titles certainly aren’t necessary for individual chapters. Plenty of great novels simply use numbered chapters to break the story into sections. Still, some novelists use chapter breaks as an opportunity to add clarity or another dimension to the unfolding story.