The imprint page, or copyright page, asserts the copyright of the book and contains important information about the author, publisher and printer.
Where is it in a book?
The imprint page is usually the second, fourth or sixth page of the book. It can be found behind the title page, and usually appears on the left-hand side (verso). However, this is influenced by additional elements which may be included in the book, such as a map or praise for the book.
What information needs to be on it?
Certain elements need to appear on the imprint page of your book:
- The full title of the book. This includes the heading and subheading.
- The edition and/or impression. An edition refers to the version of the book, while an impression refers to the print-run of the book. A new edition is released when changes are made to the book, and a new impression is released when the book is reprinted without undergoing changes. It can look like this:
2nd Edition. 3rd Impression.
- The copyright. This is the most important element of the imprint page. This includes the copyright symbol, the pen name of the author, and the year the book was published. It will look something like this:
Copyright © 2021 John Smith. All rights reserved.
- The contributors. This can include the names of the cover designer, cover illustrator, layout artist, editor, proofreader, project manager, content illustrator, or anyone else that contributed to the creation of the book.
- The publisher or publishing service provider. This will also include their contact information, like an email address or website.
- The printer information. This can either include the name of the printer who printed the book, or simply indicate the country in which the book was printed and bound. It can also include the printer’s contact information.
- The copyright permission. This statement outlines how the book can and cannot be reproduced, including the relevant Copyright Act. A South African copyright permission can look like this:
In terms of the Copyright Act 98 of 1978, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
- The ISBN number. This is also incredibly important. An ISBN is your book’s identity number. You can read all about the ISBN and why you need it here.
- A disclaimer. In certain cases, you might want to add a disclaimer, for example to protect the author and publisher against liability when their book’s topic might invade someone’s privacy or result in a claim of defamation. A disclaimer is also suitable when your book offers health, fitness, diet, or financial advice. More information on book disclaimers is available here. An example of a disclaimer for a book in the fiction genre is:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Do I need an imprint page?
Yes. Your imprint page asserts your copyright. This means that it protects your intellectual property. It also contains the legal information about your book that buyers, libraries and bookstores need.
Can Preflight Books help me with the imprint page?
Yes! If you self-publish your book through Preflight Books, setting up the imprint page is included in your publishing services, for free!
