/publishing

Copyright Page

The copyright page sits on the verso (left-hand page) behind the title page in print, and near the front of an ebook. Create it with:

story add matter "Copyright" --order 0 --heading false

Give it an order lower than every other front page (0 works unless another page already uses it). --heading false writes heading: false (on an existing page, edit its heading: key rather than adding a second one). Then write the page from the template. Without this page, every build except Shunn (markdown, EPUB, DOCX, HTML, print, and story export) generates a minimal one from copyright. Ask the author for every name, credit, and number; never invent them.

This template reflects common practice. It is not legal advice. For questions about registration, permissions, or liability, the author should ask a lawyer or their author organization.

Template

---
title: Copyright
placement: front
order: 0
heading: false
---

*{Title}*

Copyright © {year} {Author or rights holder}

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any
manner without the written permission of the copyright owner, except for
the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either
are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is
entirely coincidental.

First edition {Month YYYY}

ISBN {ebook ISBN} (ebook)
ISBN {paperback ISBN} (paperback)

Published by {Publisher or imprint}
{Publisher website}

Cover design by {name}
Edited by {name}

{Permissions credits, one per line}

Optional Lines

• Library of Congress data: Library of Congress Control Number: {LCCN} when the author has a PCN, or the full CIP block when a publisher obtained one. See metadata-checklist.md.
• Printing line: 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. The lowest number is the printing. Print-on-demand books often omit it.
• Moral rights (UK and Commonwealth): The moral right of the author has been asserted.
• Text and data mining or AI training reservation: some publishers now add a line reserving the work from AI training. Whether it binds anyone varies by jurisdiction; include it if the author wants it, without promising it is enforceable.
• AI disclosure: the ai-disclosure statement, if the author wants it in the book.
• Real-place or historical note: when the fiction disclaimer does not fit (real historical figures, real institutions), adapt it with the author, and consider an author's note in back matter. Research notes with a defamation risk need reviewed-by before publication.
• Content or trigger notes: some authors place these on the copyright page or a separate front-matter page.
• "Printed in ..." line: print-on-demand books are printed wherever the order is filled, and the printer usually adds its own line on the last page. Leave it out unless the author uses a single printer.

Permissions Credits

• Every quoted epigraph, song lyric, poem, or long passage needs a permission value on its matter page: not-needed, pending, granted, or public-domain. story validate warns about pending in a complete story and about granted without rights-holder.
• Put the credit line the rights holder requires in credit, and repeat it on the copyright page or in back matter as the permission specifies.
• Short lyric quotations often need permission even when very short. Public domain status depends on the country and the date. When in doubt, the author should ask the rights holder or a lawyer, or cut the quote.
• Titles of songs and books are generally not copyrightable, so quoting a title alone needs no copyright permission. A title can still be a trademark, or part of a protected series name or brand, so check before using another book's or franchise's title prominently.

Registration And Legal Deposit

• Copyright exists when the work is fixed; registration is not required for it to exist. In the US, registration with the Copyright Office is needed before suing for infringement and affects the remedies available. Other countries have no registration system.
• Many countries require publishers to deposit copies with the national library (legal deposit), for example the British Library in the UK, the Library of Congress in the US for works published there, and Library and Archives Canada. Self-publishers usually count as publishers. Check the national library's current rules for print and ebook deposit.
• These are notes to prompt the author, not advice. Point them to the national copyright office or library for the rules that apply.