Copyright if publishing with an alias

[alphabeta]

The subject line problem.
If I publish with a nom de plume what do I right in the copyright page?
Is it alright to mention copyright 2014 + my alias?
Will I then have copyright control over my book?
Tks

[Julie Harris]

Julie Harris is my author name, different to my real name. Copyright is always in my author name. So it is Copyright (with symbol) author name (year of publication). No plus sign is necessary.

[alphabeta]

Thank you so much for replying, I saw a little bit about your work and am honored.
But, copyright to author name (not the real one) does not endanger your rights?
What if some other Julie Harris comes and declares the book her own?
Sorry for my ignorance but my own author name is a VERY common name and surname in my country and I thought...
Also, how Smashwords will know my real coordinates to send me my share of the money?
Nowhere in my publishing data I was not asked for my real name.
As you see I am a total rookie here
Tks

[Julie Harris]

Can't remember the process of registering at Smashwords because it was a few years ago now, but my real name is separate - at Smashwords, D2D and KDP. Plenty of ways to prove the books are my work, alphabeta - mainly because it was my real name when I was traditionally publishing anyway, and when I went Indie I decided to stick with it. I also keep dated electronic copies of everything.

I've been at this game for many years now, and most of what I know I've learned the hard way.

Some authors never use their real names. They have a pseudonym for romance, another for erotica, another for thrillers etc.

Answers to many of the questions you ask can be googled. That was how I began in self publishing - I wanted to find out about it, so I did.

You really should read all FAQs on the publishing sites you're looking at. Research. And if you are not American, you need to find out about tax issues as well.

[Julie Harris]

PS I just looked at my Smashwords profile/personal information

You have a choice of entering your real name OR your pen name. I am using pen name.
At Draft2Digital the account is in my real name but I have the option of choosing Julie Harris as the author and publisher. Same applies at KDP.

So choose a pen name for yourself, and google that until you find one somebody else isn't already using (wish you the best with that) and may the forces be with you on your journey.

[alphabeta]

I've been away from self-publishing effort for a while due to real life complications.
Returning here I found your answers and was encouraged a lot.
I know you are in this field quite some time as I googled you from your first answer and saw the so many titles of your books.
Thank you for your good words.
Each and every time Ι attempt something difficult and unknown to me, the feeling is the same.
The mind says "it's doable" and the heart answers "I'll never be able to accomplish it".
The fact that always the mind proves right, does not mean though that next time the whole thing will not start all over again, fear, doubt and intimidation.
I do wish to have a really common pen name, something that will not attract attention to the person and leave the scene free for the text, the story, the book I mean.
I saw that in smashwords there are lots of chinese regarding the tax issue.
Unfortunately there is no such a thing as online self-publishing platform in my country and language.
I have in my hands stories that I'm sure they are worthy the trouble, and nothing else.
By nothing I mean really nothing, not even every day's food.
I can't afford not even painkillers I need.
I would never publish out of ambition, I would not bother really.
But I read somewhere about a girl, do not remember the name whose books the traditional publishers kept rejecting and she couldn't afford the tickets to return home, but she made a last effort and self-published them with a dollar price in amazon and do not remember where else and she got a fortune.
So -never had been ambitious as I said- if not a fortune, some pennies maybe.
As I said my stories are worthy the trouble and perhaps this kind of book does not pay a lot.
Thanks again

[alphabeta]

Hello, sorry to ask again.
Lots of things I asked before I resolved one way or another.
But there is this thing with taxes, that is smashwords asks for real name and address so that to pay me.
Yes my account and copyright can be in my pen name but my payee info must be real, so they answered to me.
I look around for alternative self-publishing platforms, Nook does not even publish my language, amazon pays in bank acounts so they can't be anonymous, and now I'm checking D2D that I saw in yr answer and it seems that they ask toο for ITINs and real name details.
Do you happen to know if one can get paid in such places without submitting all that stuff and just give up the 30% he's entitled to as resident of a a country with a tax treaty with US?
I asked smashwords and they said it's obligatory to submit real name tax info.
I managed to discover a local self-publishing platform who just ask for a paypal address, but if in need to publish world-wide, is there really any possibility of completely anonymous publishing (the provider of the electronic publishing not to be aware of your real data, not just the readers)?
Sorry for whimpering all the time, I really really would not believe I could have succeded in self-publishing annything in the net.

[galatea]

The payee information is only exchanged between you and Smashwords/Amazon/D2D/...
So it's kept private in all cases.

If you're worried that readers might find out your real name: don't be.
The information in the 'payee settings' isn't used during the publication of your book.

I think you can use an alias in your payee information.
But then you won't be able to claim the 30% tax treaty.
Your real name + ITIN is the proof that you live in a country with a tax treaty.

You won't be able to find a distributor that offers the possibility of giving a tax benefit without any proof that you actually live in a country with a tax treaty.

[alphabeta]

Well, I do not really care about this 30%, NOT as much as I care about full privacy and anonymity.
I wish to exclude all possibilities that some persistent reader/investigator could ask to the ITIN providing service and somehow descovering my real data.
I presume then I can try to fill in the payee info with an alias and an imaginary address?
Oh my, that sounds so adventurous.
But if I do not find an alternative distributor, have no other solution...

[galatea]

You're able to fill in a Paypal address in the payee account information without you having to give your real name. (But this information isn't accessible by readers either way.)

However, Paypal requires you to fill out your real name and bank details. (Check the privacy policy for Paypal in your country).
So there will always be a link to your real identity.

[alphabeta]

You are right. Did not say though I was avoiding the FBI, just the curius readers. Perhaps it would be more difficult for a simple individual to investigate both my payee information and my paypal account.
There are ways to obtain anonymous credit cards and bank accounts, but do not think I could exagerate that much.

[galatea]

I'm a very private person. Except for my partner - who found out by accident - I never told anyone I write books.

On the other hand there are a lot of readers who contact me by mail to let me know how much they love my books.

But up till now: no stalkers :-)

So, my conclusion: unless you're writing subversive books, your privacy won't be an issue.

[alphabeta]

I loved your answer, so much.
I'm tempted to read your books which I did not so far for anybody else of the so obliging people who welcomed me in the forum and in self-publishing adventure.
So there are others too, interested in remaining anonymous and having accomplished it?
Marvelous!
Then again, every individual case is different and never say never.
"Subversive books".
If you mean instructions to fabricate bombs or similar no, I do not write like that.
If you mean how appeared for instance Dostoyefski to his contemporaries eyes, or Rousseau to name just two writers...
Both had issues with the law, Dostoyefski almost was even executed by a firing squad and Rousseau's works have been sentenced by the Parliament of Paris.
If I were an important person of their quality I definitely should be protecting my privacy.
Now that I am just a newbie, I'll take your word for it and relax.
P.S.  But where to find them (the books)?  They are not so obvious this time.  Private indeed!

[galatea]

Unless you know Dutch those books won't be of much interest to you ;-)

[alphabeta]

Better that way. I'd like to thank you all, as you helped me to self-publish. If it weren't for your forum I doubt if I would insist and finally achieve it. Especially Ms Harris who encouraged me as much as she could in the beginning and you, who resolved the issue of the taxes.
As I was writing I heard the radio broadcasting all sorts of alarming news that make such things as self-publish look insignificant.
But it was important to me and I'll attempt to make it work.
If I'll never visit again, I wish you health and happiness for you all and your beloved ones.
I feel that this is too little a thing to say, but I have no more to offer.