Virtually on daily basis, I see posts on Reddit, X, or Fb the place authors say, “Somebody copied my e-book.”

It’s so frequent that I not often concentrate any longer. Why? As a result of each e-book I’ve printed has been copied, pirated, or made out there on the market or free on shady web sites.

It’s the identical for many authors, whether or not self-published or historically printed.

Even on Amazon, mass-market or third-party resellers are at all times providing my books. If I prolong the scope somewhat additional, lots of my articles and weblog posts have been copied in full and republished.

How piracy works and the way authorized safeguards don’t

Writing a e-book takes quite a lot of effort, stamina, and willpower. To then see it copied, typically very quickly after publishing, could be demoralizing.

Nevertheless, pirated books usually are not a brand new phenomenon. The observe dates all the best way again to the fifteenth century with the invention of the printing press.

However to return to in the present day, the benefit of copying digital recordsdata has made it extraordinarily simple for folks to repeat and republish works, and at nice pace.

Whereas many new authors assume that copyright and DRM (digital rights administration) will shield them, it’s removed from the reality.

Anybody with somewhat technical know-how can strip an e-book of its DRM safety in seconds, after which use the file to create and publish a brand new e-book.

With an e-book file, it’s then fairly easy to create a PDF model and publish it as a print e-book.

Should you suppose that copyright will shield you and your e-book, you’ll be upset.

Right here’s what the US Copyright Workplace says:

“There isn’t a such factor as an “worldwide copyright” that can robotically shield an writer’s writings all through the world. Safety towards unauthorized use in a specific nation is dependent upon the nationwide legal guidelines of that nation.”

As most hackers and scammers who pirate books are positioned outdoors the US, Europe, or Australia, you will have little hope of implementing your copyright.

 

What can I do if somebody copied my e-book?

Should you uncover that somebody printed a duplicate of your e-book with out your permission, it will probably make your coronary heart sink. However there are issues you are able to do to attempt to have it eliminated.

Step one is to relax so you may suppose clearly.

Then, begin accumulating as a lot proof as you may. You possibly can take screenshots, word URLs, and maintain a report of publishing dates in your e-book and the pirated model.

All of this data shall be helpful whenever you report the issue.

The subsequent step is to contact the platform or e-book retailer the place you discovered the copy.

Most respected on-line e-book retailer websites, together with Amazon, Draft2Digital, and Apple, have procedures for reporting copyright violations.

Look of their help sections for ‘Report a Violation’ or ‘DMCA Takedown’ procedures and observe the steps to inform them.

If you do, ensure to incorporate the proof you’ve collected and clearly clarify that you’re the copyright holder.

Some social media posts say that contacting by phone could be advantageous, particularly with Amazon.

In case your pirated e-book is on a much less official website or hosted abroad, your choices are restricted, however you may attempt. In these circumstances, it’s typically tough to discover a level of contact. Should you can’t discover contact information on the positioning, attempt a WHOIS search to establish the internet hosting service, then notify them.

You possibly can then ship a cease-and-desist letter, which could scare off informal infringers.

Nevertheless, don’t get your hopes up too excessive, as a result of most scammers and hackers will ignore your efforts.

Can you are taking authorized motion? Technically, sure, but when the piracy is going on in a distant location or a rustic with weak enforcement, hiring a lawyer will seemingly value you extra in money and time than it’s price.

Lastly, you may discover it useful to affix on-line writer teams the place authors typically share their experiences with e-book piracy. It won’t enable you to win, however not less than you gained’t really feel alone in tackling the issue.

 

Undertake the badge of honor strategy

I recall a dialog I had with a fellow writer when one in every of my first books was pirated, and he puzzled why they selected my e-book and never his.

“Your e-book should be higher than mine!”

Since then, I’ve at all times taken the view that e-book piracy is inevitable, so take it as a pat on the again and get on with life.

Many authors take the same view. In reality, Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho inspired the observe and went so far as partnering with a piracy website.

It’s an outdated story, however it’s nonetheless price studying this text about his views on the topic.

One other optimistic facet is {that a} pirated model of your e-book may help along with your publicity and promotional efforts. It’s one other point out of you and your title on the Web, and each hyperlink helps.

Moreover, piracy can generally be a means for readers to find you, significantly in markets the place your e-book might not be available.

In the event that they like what they learn within the pirated model, they may go to the trouble of shopping for an official copy of one in every of your different books, and even unfold the phrase about your work.

Piracy takes somewhat effort, so it proves that your work is worthy of copying. In case your e-book is being copied and shared, it means you created one thing price studying.

 

Conclusion

If it’s the primary time for you, I understand how irritating it feels. It’s simple to get indignant about somebody violating your rights.

Nevertheless, when you relax from the preliminary shock, you may suppose extra clearly.

So what’s the perfect strategy you may take if somebody copies your e-book?

Out of all of the choices I discussed, my favourite is to do nothing.

My reasoning is that I’ve quite a lot of issues to do in life, and spending an infinite quantity of money and time fruitlessly chasing e-book pirates just isn’t one in every of them.

 

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