The copyright page is boring but necessary. Include exactly this:
The standard legal elements:
- Copyright notice: "Copyright (c) 2026 [Your Name or Pen Name]. All rights reserved."
- Publisher information: "Published by [Your Imprint Name]"
- ISBN: list the ISBN for this specific format (ebook ISBN is different from paperback ISBN)
- Edition information: "First Edition, 2026"
- The reservation of rights statement: "No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations in reviews."
The AI transparency statement (new for 2026): If you used AI tools in any part of your process — research, outlining, drafting, editing — include a brief transparency statement. Something like:
"This book was written by [Your Name]. AI tools (including [specific tools]) were used for research, editing assistance, and formatting. All creative direction, writing, and editorial decisions were made by the human author."
This is not legally required everywhere yet, but Amazon now asks about AI usage during the publishing process, and having a clear statement in your book demonstrates professionalism. It is also good practice for the direction regulation is heading.
Optional but recommended:
- Country of printing: "Printed in the United States of America" (or wherever)
- Library of Congress data (if you registered)
- Content warnings or age recommendations (increasingly expected, especially in fiction)
- A dedication page (separate from the copyright page, but often placed right after)
The copyright registration decision: Filing a copyright registration with the US Copyright Office ($65 online) is not required — your copyright exists from the moment you create the work. But registration gives you important legal tools if someone infringes. It allows you to seek statutory damages and attorney's fees in court, which makes it far easier (and cheaper) to enforce your rights. For your main books — the ones that are central to your brand and income — register the copyright. For short supplementary works like lead magnets and blog compilations, it is usually not worth the cost.
Keep it to one page. Nobody reads the copyright page for fun. Make it legally complete, professionally formatted, and move on to the actual content.
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