Self-Publisher's Legal Handbook

by Helen Sedwick

Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook is the first step-by-step guide to the legal issues of self-publishing. Attorney and published author Helen Sedwick uses 30 years of legal experience to cut through the legalese and show writers how to stay out of court and at their desks. Topics include--

Business set-up. From DBAs to sales taxes to crowd-funding, Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook walks writers through the process of setting up their self-publishing ventures.

Moving from Manuscript to Book. Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook compares the options of engaging a self-publishing service company to doing it yourself using a print-on-demand provider. It lists which contract provisions are acceptable and which are not. It explains the mechanics of hiring designers, editors, and other freelancers.

Intellectual Property Issues. Copyrights, trademark, fair use, and public domain are explained in practical, useful terms, including how to find copyright holders and ask permission. Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook provide tips on licensing images and music for little or no money.

Internet Regulations. Any writer with a blog needs to know about privacy policies, SPAM, COPPA, and DMCA. Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook explains these regulations in easy-to-understand language.

Spotting Scams. Writers are e-blasted by businesses promoting overpriced services, if not outright frauds. Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook shows writers how to spot aggressive sales techniques and scams.

The Scary Stuff. Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook provides needed guidance on avoiding the dangers of defamation, invasion of privacy, and infringement.

Writing and publishing a book is a significant investment. Writers should not be losing money (and sleep) by hiring the wrong self-publishing company or getting sued for copyright infringement. Sedwick’s Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook will help writers safely navigate the legal minefield.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Business, Research, Self Help

206 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2014

About the author

Author and University of Chicago Law School graduate, Helen Sedwick has represented small businesses and entrepreneurs for 30 years. Her self-published historical novel Coyote Winds has earned five-star reviews from ForeWord Reviews and is an IndieBRAG Medallion Honoree. Publisher’s Weekly lists her Self-Publisher’s Legal Handbook as one of the top five resource books for independent authors. Helen is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Alliance of Independent Authors and a Contributing Writer for TheBookDesigner.com and BookWorks.com. Helen’s blog coaches writers on everything from saving on taxes to avoiding scams. For more information about Helen, check out her website at http://helensedwick.com

From the Author: I grew up in the wilds of New York City before there were coyotes in Central Park. My parents were theater people, and for many summers we operated a summer stock theater in the Poconos. From those theater years and from reading countless books, I fell in love with the power of the story to make us laugh, learn, love and cry. I majored in English at Cornell University and spent several years as an advertising copywriter. When I grew tired of being broke, I attended University of Chicago Law School, then moved to San Francisco where I have practiced business law for almost thirty years and raised my twin daughters.

COYOTE WINDS was inspired by my father's stories of growing up during the Dust Bowl.

My second book SELF-PUBLISHER'S LEGAL HANDBOOK was inspired by self-publishing authors taking control of their creative careers. I want to help writers publish and market their work while minimizing legal risks.

Reviews

[W. Whalin]

Valuable Insights for Every Writer

Whether you are a brand new unpublished author or an experienced author, you need this book. I found experienced lawyer, Helen Sedwick packed this title with wise insights. Throughout the book with different topics, Sedwick uses the acronym CAM teaching you to:

C: Control your work

A: Avoid scams and lawsuits

M: Maximize tax deductions

At the conclusion of each chapter, a checklist on the particular topic is included to provide a quick summary and also a series of action steps for the reader. Sedwick provides a perspective and advice that I've not seen in similar books for writers. I believe this book is a worthwhile investment for every writer. I highly recommend you get this book, read it carefully and take action on the advice.

[Tammy Salyer]

Few books on publishing that I've read have packed this much information into such a succinct and well-laid out guide. If you are indie or even traditionally published, a novelist, memoirist, or blogger, you will undoubtably find hunks of useful, even vital, information in this book. The author is a business lawyer as well as a novelist and has an engaging, easy-to-understand style packed with the authority of her trade. I consider this a must-read for all indies, which will give you a boost up in understanding the legal side of your craft. I found the section on collaboration particularly thought-provoking.

[Morgan Perryman]

This book is amazing and made me truly realize that most of the legal advice you hear on author groups is crap. It's definitely a must-have for all new writers and authors!

[D.G. Kaye]

This is a book I'd highly recommend for every writer, published or not, to keep handy at your desk as a reference guide to legal issues which can arise simply by having an online presence. As part of the book making process, this book has detailed chapters on things like: setting up your author business, marketing and distribution, business tax preparation, reading the fine print in contracts, copyright laws, and much more.

Bloggers and writers alike will learn the legal ramifications of knowing your rights regarding infringement issues, legalese terms, practical advice to learn about marketing scammers, and other things such as why it's important for authors to purchase and own their own ISBN numbers.

There is also bonus material at the end of the book. Lots of resources and links for self publishers from copyright and helpful government websites, to recommended blogs to follow for ongoing information on the publishing world. This book should be considered an important writer's tool.

[Michael Ronn]

This is a very practical guide, and one that many authors need. Sedwick explains legal concepts in a clear and easy-to-understand language. Sedwick covers everything you need to know about running your author business and minimizing your legal risk. The addendum with a legal analysis of the KDP & CreateSpace Agreements was excellent, and worth the price of the book alone.

While I don't agree with all of the advice (like buying ISBNs, Library of Congress CCNs, or purchasing media liability insurance), she presents the legal reasoning behind her suggestions, which I appreciate. But all in all this was a great read, I learned quite a bit, and I appreciate this book because it offers a legal perspective in the writing community---something we need a lot more of. I would include this book on any must-read self-publishing resource list.

[Jane Lebak]

A quick and easy-to-understand guide to the legal issues surrounding self-publishing. In some places it feels a bit too quick, and I'll have to go back and re-read sections such as how to work with sales tax, but I think it's a very good place to start if you're going to self-publish. Sedwick covers all the bases, and then once you know what bases require covering, you can look into what you personally need in your location and in your situation.

[Jillianne Hamilton]

This sounds like the most dry, boring book ever. But it wasn't. I actually couldn't put it down. I'm sure I will be using this as a resource in the future. Great book!
Anyone know where I can find Canadian tax info? This mostly lists American stuff.

[Scarletine]

Some useful info which can be found by hunting around online. But this book lacked the information i specifically needed about publishing contracts and what red flags to look for when an author reads through a contract.

[Michelle Walker-Wade]

My debut book published this month and ever since then this book has been a wonderful mentoring piece. If be lost without it! So glad I met you that Saturday.

[Matthew Talford]

A Must Have Reference Book for the Indie Author!

As an indie author who has now published three books (two original and one 2nd Ed), I can tell you that I wish I had read this book before finishing my first project; it would have saved me a lot of time.

Helen takes a very well-organized approach to presenting the “What to do when your manuscript is ready to be published” side of being a writer. I learned a lot of the information she presents through months and months of painstaking research, yet still learned some things that I did not know.

My recommendation is that you do yourself a favor and add this book to your reference shelf (or eReader). I think you’ll be glad you did!

[Mike Kowis]

With the use of this book, I was able to self-publish my first book this year. It has many practical tips and is a MUST HAVE BOOK if you plan to self-publish. I strongly recommend this book. The only thing I can think of that would make this book better is if the tips were organized into chronological order. Regardless, it is an excellent book with tons of helpful advice for the first-time self-publisher.

[Carrie Daws]

A treasure trove of information for the new-to-somewhat experienced indie writer! She covers everything from setting up your writing business to handling taxes (from an attorney standpoint--only covers the basics so you may still want a CPA) to hiring designers and editors to DMCA, CAN-SPAM and more! The chapter titles are such that it will be easy to go back and find the information I highlighted to remember, and it's all written in language easy for the non-lawyer to understand.

[T. M. Elzy]

I would recommend this book to everyone who is a writer, editor, agent or anyone in the publishing or related industry(s). The first fifteen pages saved my literary life! Full of great advice on how to protect yourself and prosper in your writing career. And if you're not a writer, this will be a wonderful gift for any potential author you know, and perhaps an established author may avoid some pitfalls by reading this resourceful book.

[Valerie]

[Review is for Second Edition - See that edition!] More than a guide to the legal ramifications of self-publishing, this includes a lot of the basics of how to self-publish - marketing, printing, using contractors. It's clearly and engagingly written, and it includes massive amounts of well-researched helpful advice in a short, readable format. Highly recommended.

[Tam]

This book is a lifesaver for the indie published author. I learned so much about the business and legal side of publishing that stopped me from making some major mistakes that could have cost me real money. I accidentally picked this one up at a conference. One of the happiest accidents of my publishing career. Highly recommend to any author publishing her own work.

[Nancy Cupp]

This book has important information for anyone who is writing and publishing. It is easy to understand and the author lets you know what is very important and what is less important.

Worth having for a reference book.

[Anita]

Excellent book if you are looking to self-publish. I'm not sure why you would be reading this book if you weren't, so it's pretty binary. There are so many bureaucratic hurdles to jump through when publishing that you would have no idea about if nobody told you.

[Sam]

This book will absolutely help you understand a lot of about the legal aspects of self-publishing your first book. The parts about fictitious business names, pen names, and getting your own ISBNs would each alone justify buying and reading this excellent resource.

[J.E.]

This book was intimidating, overwhelming and very useful. I feel much better prepared going forward in my self-publishing business and I have a much better idea of what I need to set up an why.

[Amber Taylor]

good book over all,

[Tim Twigg]

Very helpful! Definitely a good book for a writer to keep around.

[Jami Lilo]

So helpful - I'm going to read it again and keep as a reference. Highly recommend.

[Sherry]

Great Resource for Writers

This is a great review of needed information for self-publishing. It’s very accessible in language, with convenient links to many resources!

[Sandra Eidson]

This helped me know how to set up my own self publishing business, it sits on my bookshelf by my desk so I can refer to it when need be.

[Paul]

I am in the middle of my first book and I am using this authors advice in every step. Worthy of every chapter in helping me avoid pitfalls.

[Cori Spenzich]

A great assist when bootstrapping a self-published book or self-publishing business, this book (make sure to get the latest edition, which for me is the second edition) answered many questions.

[Peggy Grigowski]

Every writer should own this book and read it many times. A great resource and a MUST need!

[Shira Shiloah]

Every self publising author needs to read this book prior to publishing, it's a wealth of information and easy to read.

[Erin Valentine]

Found this very helpful, even so long after its publication!

[I.C. Robledo]

This is a very helpful introductory guide to law for self-publishers. It's not easy to find information on this topic, yet it's very important for career authors to know. I found the first chapter especially helpful, which discusses how to set up your business properly. It answers questions such as whether you should incorporate or set up a sole-proprietorship. If these words sound foreign, don't worry. The book clearly explains such important concepts. The other especially helpful chapter is the one on taxes. They can be a pain, but reading this chapter should help.

After having read this guide I feel like I have a better general understanding of what my rights are, and how to protect myself from litigation. One of the main themes of the book is quite wise. Take steps to avoid litigation. Defending yourself in court isn't fun or productive, you're better off writing the next book. So avoid that whole headache to begin with. Even if you're on the right side of the law, going to court will cost time and money.

My other favorite part of the book is that much of it can be used as a reference manual. I skipped over a couple chapters that didn't seem too relevant at the moment for me, like "Chapter Nine - Collaborations". But you never know, if I decide to consider collaborating with other writers, then I would definitely look through that chapter later.

I have to recommend this for all self-publishers. This is just one of those areas where you can't afford not to know your rights and how to protect yourself. Of course, some of the topics in this book can expand much deeper, but you have to start somewhere. This is like Law 101 for Self-Publishers.

Edit: I just want to note that although the author makes many recommendations, I think you have to evaluate for yourself the final choices you make. This may involve additional research beyond this book. For example, I'm not completely sold on the idea that ISBNs (at least for eBooks) are worth the cost. This is something I will research a bit further before deciding. Also, I'm not sure that choosing an imprint name (the name I believe shows in your publisher field) will make much of a difference. I think some people may see it as misleading to create an imprint when it isn't a formal publishing press or company.

Most of the author's recommendations seem sound and based on experience, but just consider that you have to choose in the end if something is worth the time and money and what outcome you might get. I keep my 5 star review because obviously the author needs to choose her stance, I just wanted to point out that it's worthwhile to evaluate some topics further for yourself, rather than to mindlessly abide by any recommendations.

I have 2 years experience as an independent author, and 3 years before that as an academic author. This is what my feedback in this review is based off of.

I. C. Robledo, Author in "Mind & Brain Improvement"
To learn more, search my name in your Goodreads search bar.