Review of The Self-Publisher's Quick & Easy Guide to Copyright by the Book Designer, Joel Friedlander

I have spent hours and hours learning as much as possible about the self-publishing industry. A lot of those hours could have been saved if books like The Self-Publisher's Quick & Easy Guide to Copyright by Joel Friedlander. I obtained the Kindle edition of the book and found it to be an easy read.

Joel explains the concept of copyright in clear language and provides examples of copyright pages, copyright disclaimers and how to give credit. Also exposed are myths and information about copyright as well as several urban legends about copyright.

The procedure to obtain a copyright and the two different methods available are covered in detail, and having gone through the nightmare of dealing with the copyright office several times, I wish I had been in possession of this book before I attempted to file for my copyrights.

I learned quite a bit of new information, at least new to me, from this book.  While I had previously learned most of the information in the book, the final chapter on the Library of Congress' Cataloging in Publication program cleared up the CIP data block and the issues it involves for self-publishers, mainly being denied access to the program without the use of the Congress' Preassigned Control Number program.

For new authors, and some old hands, this book is an excellent reference to the important matter of copyright.