How Do I Stop Someone from Copying or Stealing My Book? A Legal Guide for Writers

If you’ve written a novel, memoir, or nonfiction manuscript, one of the most common early concerns is this: What if someone steals my book? It’s a natural fear—especially for first-time authors preparing to query agents, hire editors, or self-publish. You’ve invested your creativity, your time, and your emotional energy into this project. The idea of someone copying it or claiming it as their own can be deeply unsettling.

The good news is that there are clear, legally recognised protections in place. Even better: book theft is extremely rare. Most professionals—agents, editors, publishers, and fellow writers—are not looking to steal your work. They’re busy building careers of their own and would much rather find great projects to support than commit plagiarism that could ruin their reputation. In the vast majority of cases, your manuscript is far safer than you might think.

That said, there are smart and simple ways to protect yourself, establish legal ownership, and be prepared just in case an issue arises. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to prevent your book from being stolen—and give you the peace of mind to share your work with confidence.

Copyright Exists the Moment You Write Your Book

Under international law (including in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and other countries signed on to the Berne Convention), your original work is protected by copyright the moment you write it in a fixed form. That means typing it into a document, saving it on your hard drive, or even writing it by hand in a notebook. The copyright belongs to you automatically—no registration is required to claim ownership.

This protection applies to your specific expression of ideas: your wording, your characters, your narrative structure, and your original scenes. However, copyright does not cover general ideas, themes, titles, or concepts. So while someone can legally write a book with a similar premise, they cannot legally copy your actual content.

Why It’s Still Worth Registering Your Copyright

While automatic copyright protects your work from the moment of creation, registering your book with your country’s copyright office gives you additional legal power—especially if someone does infringe on your rights.

In the United States, for example, you can register your book with the U.S. Copyright Office for a modest fee (usually between $45–$65). Registration gives you a formal certificate of ownership and allows you to sue for statutory damages and attorney’s fees if your copyright is violated. In many disputes, simply having a registered copyright is enough to end the issue quickly, without ever going to court.

If you live outside the U.S., check with your national copyright office. While registration isn’t always necessary, it can provide valuable documentation and make enforcement easier if needed.

How to Prove You Wrote Your Book

You don’t need to mail yourself a copy or have your work notarised. These outdated methods—often called the “poor man’s copyright”—offer little legal value today. Instead, the most effective way to prove authorship is to maintain time-stamped records of your work.

You can save your manuscript using cloud storage platforms like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive. These services automatically record when a file was created and updated. You can also email a copy of your manuscript to yourself using a reputable email service, which creates a searchable, date-stamped digital trail. If you’re particularly cautious, some authors use blockchain timestamping services to lock in the creation date.

None of these options replace formal registration, but they help establish a timeline that supports your claim to authorship in case a dispute arises.

Sharing Your Manuscript Responsibly

It’s important to strike a balance between protecting your work and sharing it with people who can help you improve it or bring it to market. Most agents, publishers, editors, and beta readers are honest professionals with no interest in stealing your book. In fact, their business depends on integrity. Still, it’s wise to keep a record of who you’ve shared your manuscript with, when, and what version you sent.

If you’re hiring freelance professionals—such as editors, designers, or ghostwriters—always use a written agreement. A simple contract that states you retain full copyright ownership is often enough. For early readers or collaborators, you can include a confidentiality clause if you’re especially concerned.

When querying agents or publishers, an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) is unnecessary and often considered a red flag. Legitimate publishing professionals do not steal manuscripts—they reject them if they’re not a fit, and move on. If you’re querying widely, just make sure you’re sending your work through reputable channels, keeping good records, and dealing with established professionals.

Don’t Worry About Someone Stealing Your Idea

Many writers fear that someone will “steal their book idea,” especially after pitching or querying. But it’s important to understand that copyright law does not protect ideas—only the unique way those ideas are written. Similar books can and do exist. The key legal distinction is whether someone copies your actual wording, structure, or characters—not whether they wrote a story about time travel or a love triangle.

The truth is, most people don’t want to steal your idea. They want to write their own. And even if someone set out to imitate your premise, they’d still have to write an entirely different book. It’s your voice, your structure, and your execution that truly matter—and those are not easy to replicate.

What to Do If Someone Steals Your Work

In the rare event that someone does copy your work—whether it’s a pirated eBook, a suspiciously similar novel, or an unauthorised edition of your manuscript—you have options.

Start by gathering evidence. Take screenshots, document links, and record dates. If your work is being distributed online, file a takedown notice under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Platforms like Amazon, Google, and Apple Books have processes for removing infringing material. If you’ve registered your copyright, you may also contact a copyright attorney for legal advice, particularly if there are significant damages involved.

Most copyright disputes can be resolved without a lawsuit. A formal cease-and-desist letter or takedown request is often enough to stop the infringement.

Final Thoughts: Be Prepared, Not Paranoid

It’s understandable to worry about theft when your book means so much to you. But in practice, serious cases of manuscript theft are rare—especially when you’re dealing with professional publishers, editors, and readers. Most people are not looking to steal your story. They’re looking for good work to support and publish.

The best thing you can do is educate yourself. Understand your legal rights. Register your copyright if you’re publishing. Keep clear records. And above all, don’t let fear stop you from sharing your writing. You’ve worked hard to create something original. With the right precautions in place, you can protect it—and confidently send it out into the world.