Do Romance Authors Really Need to Register Copyrights?

I have started this post countless times over the years and really never had enough of an understanding of the “pros” of the argument until my books were pirated. While this is problematic on a larger scale than we can get into today, I did want to address the virtual elephant in the ether and dip my toe into a topic that I feel is important enough to pay attention to. I’ve been at this for over 10 years now, and have made a few mistakes along the way, but feel that my learning curve could be the guiding light you need as a new author to set yourself up for success as an Indie.

As romance authors, we write for love, for readers, or perhaps, like me, to understand the world and our part in it. Perhaps it is to quit our day job, which isn’t impossible; however, I would argue, will be a little more difficult than it was when the e-book was first invented. In my short time as an author I have seen a lot of services come and go, as well as quite a few authors, but the constant in the back of my mind and the road I chose at the very start, was to offer my books “wide” which was the best decision for me as a creative. Especially since, like 70s fashion, it is having its moment again. I’m not against a traditional contract for the right project, but so far the stories I’ve created were better suited for an independent publisher. The path I took suits me.

So let’s talk business — because our creative work is worth protecting. I feel one of the best decisions I made was to register my copyrights, and while I haven’t personally been on the winning end of a violation against me, I can see the value of taking the time to file. This is especially true when it comes to the development and training of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as well as the Large Language Models (LLM) and the use of our hard earned words to do so. So, for my benefit, and now for yours, lets go through some arguments for and against going through the copyright process, and who bears responsibility. For purposes of this post, I am focusing on the current US Copyright process (2025).

The Case For Registering Your Copyright

Automatic protection exists—but registration unlocks enforceability.
Yes: your written words are automatically copyrighted the moment they’re fixed in a tangible form (typed, saved, printed). But in the U.S., you can’t sue for infringement in federal court unless you’ve registered your work. Registration also opens up statutory damages and attorney-fee recovery. This has become very important in the court cases between Authors and the developers of the various AI models. New information is coming out by the month on these cases, so I will provide resources below on a few I believe are noteworthy.
Relatively small cost, fairly big benefit.
According to the U.S. Copyright Office, online registration starts at $45 for a single-author work; although $65 is common for standard online filings and is what I paid for each of the books I filed. I did see where you can also file an unpublished manuscript, which is not something I’ve done yet, but is something I will be researching since I feel it could provide a sense of security for authors in the query process. There have been a few bad players regarding stolen manuscripts, and a good resource for authors is Writer Beware which I’ve linked to below. You can get more information about fees directly from the U.S. Copyright Office here: U.S. Copyright Office
Professional credibility and rights readiness.
If you ever sell film/TV option rights, translation rights, or a foreign deal, having a registered copyright sends a signal: you’re serious, your rights are clear, you’re protected. I also believed that it could deter people from uploading stolen works to pirate sites, but we all know now that isn’t the case. Authors have been fighting an uphill battle when it comes to copyright for decades, and until you publish your first book, it is hard to imagine just how far the rabbit hole goes. What I will say is that lightning could strike at any time and the more professional your product is and the easier it is for people to find the owner of the work, the better off you will be. Don’t believe me? Ask Julia Quinn: Head to You Tube here! – 3:33 is where you will hear just how the Brigerton series on Netflix came to be.
Strong protection in the digital + AI era.
With so many threats—piracy, book scanning websites, even AI-training controversies—you want a robust record that says you own these words. If your book is scraped or used without permission, registration gives you a legal basis to act. There was major litigation around the company Anthropic, which alleges millions of pirated books were used to train their AI systems. What isn’t clear is how it will impact future cases, and if the Authors who had their works scraped will ever see payment, and if so, how much. I do feel that the cost is worth the future benefit, especially since your estate can hold copyright for 70 years after your death. Securing that flexibility for your estate is the most important benefit I can think of.

Some things to consider:

Provide language in your copyrighted works and on your website to deter AI crawlers from scraping your material without consent.
Certify your work as “human” through your membership with the Authors Guild.
Joining a group such as the Authors Guild, ALLI, or a local group such as Greater Detroit Romance Writers, to tap into a network of resources and/or other authors who can help you.
Join a local writers’ group to network with authors in your area and pick their brains. Libraries are a great place to start! Don’t have one in your area… start one!
Read material on legacy and estate planning for authors… your work lives on!

I am pro-copyright but thought I should come up with some cons just for consideration. The biggest one is cost, because let’s face it, publising books isn’t a cheap “hobby” if you do it right. What I will say is that if you have released your books with the “free” ISBNs up until now, maybe think about your future books and worry about the older ones if you ever re-publish them. I am all about forward progress. There is a timing thing with the best protections, so keep that in mind as you make your decisions. I now have copyright filing as part of my launch for each book.

Here are some older posts when past D.A. was weighing a decision: Copyright… Do I need one as an Independent Author? and What I learned when relaunching my book series.

The Case Against Registering Your Copyright

Cost and administrative overhead (especially if you have many titles).
Even though $45-$65 isn’t huge, if you’ve got dozens of titles, short stories, serialized works, the cost and record-keeping could add up. Some authors delay registration or select only their “front list” titles. If you have to pick one format over another, think about which one will be sold the most. If it were me I would start with E-Book, then decide as you go what you need based on sales of that title.
Enforcement still takes time and money.
Registering your work gets you to the starting gate — but if someone infringes, you still may need to invest in legal counsel, evidence gathering, and litigation. For many indie authors, the practical cost of litigation outweighs the cost of registration.
Overlap with international protection.
Because of the Berne Convention, your work is protected globally automatically. Some argue that formal U.S. registration adds only marginal incremental value—unless you will sue in the U.S. (or your exploitation is primarily in the U.S.)
The illusion of “complete” protection.
Registration doesn’t guarantee your rights will never be messed with. It simply gives you a stronger basis to respond. You still must monitor, detect infringement, act. Remember, you are your own best advocate!

Responsibility to File Depending on Publishing Route

Publishing Route	Who Owns the Copyright	Who Should Register?	Notes
Traditional publishing	Often the author (unless there’s an assignment – READ YOUR CONTRACT!)	Usually the publisher handles registration—but you should confirm this.	Make sure your contract specifies who pays/handles registration & that you are listed as the claimant.
Agented, pre-pub submission	Author	Author (unless agent/publisher later handles)	Consider registering your manuscript before you submit. Ideal: register as soon as it’s published.
Indie publishing / self-pub	Author	Author	You’re your own publisher: registration is entirely your responsibility. Should be done when published.

A few additional tips for each scenario:

Traditional: Read your contract about rights & registration. Ask: “Will you register my titles and keep me listed as claimant?” It is also good to know what rights to alternate versions of your work you retain, if any.
Indie: Build as part of your release workflow: registering title → ISBN/ASIN → distribution. Make a spreadsheet with registration number, title, date. By the way, each “version” of your book requires its own number. E.g.: E-Book, Paperback, Audio Book. The “free” numbers you are given can only be used on the platform that assigns them, so you need to decide if it is worth it to you to control the meta data for your book.
Agented: Ask your agent for advice and include registration in your rights-checklist.

How to Register — and What It Costs

Begin at the U.S. Copyright Office’s registration portal: Register Your Work U.S. Copyright Office
Standard online fees: $45 for a single author/one-work claim; $65 for standard online application. Paper filings could cost more (~$125). Remember, each version of your book requires its own filing!
Consider whether you’ll register at publication or early; registration within 3 months of publication (or before infringement) gives access to statutory damages in many instances. The form isn’t hard, but it is time consuming so you can save your progress as you go to save work on publication day!
Keep proof of registration certificate and upload the file to your author-files. I keep a copy of the book with this information as well.
Track your titles: registration number, date filed, upload date, territory (for global rights).
Make sure you put the copyright info in your legacy plan!

Final Thoughts for Romance Authors

As romance authors, you’re balancing heart-work and business-work. While registration isn’t mandatory, it is a smart move in my opinion. You never know when someone will pick up your book because they ran out of reading material and a TV series will land in your lap, and I think it is best to be prepared for that future. We all know can change in a heartbeat.

If you’re indie: Make registration part of your launch checklist.
If you’re traditionally published: Confirm that your publisher handles registration (and you are listed as claimant).
Consider the ever-growing importance of protecting your words in an age of AI scraping, shadow libraries, and digital piracy.
At the very least: Keep your manuscript, first-draft records, revision logs, and release dates. Even unregistered, you still have rights—but registration strengthens your posture.
If you own a website, make sure your stance is stated there. I highly recommend a privacy policy as well if you don’t have one. Mine is linked to below.

Stay tuned for a post on Legacy plans as I am gathering information now to figure mine out. I will give you links to what I find, but in the meantime I did find a great book I would highly recommend if you want to get started which I linked to below. Thank you for sticking with me on this beefy topic! If you have any resources to add be sure to put them on the comments! In the meantime, happy writing!