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Why though? I thought the main purpose of the year is that the copyright expiration will start running from then on, so most people want it as late as possible. Of course, you can always make revisions and extend the copyright to infinity now... Other thing could be if someone else publishes similar enough content first, but I'm sure that can be settled on proof instead of copyright years. Anyway, I think they could give a draft to a friend to read, and then write "Copyright 2017, 2018" on the final. (Unless it's a publishing house that requires it's the first publication, in which case it's down to lawyers or something...)
MasterDvdC · 61-69, M
@Faust76 Actually, the date doesn't matter. The copyright is good from the moment the work is finished for the life of the author, plus 50 years. Registering the copyright with the copyright office makes it easier to defend the copyright.
Faust76 · 46-50, M
@MasterDvdC Meh, already had this discussion about a month ago ;) It depends on the country, and usually other things like the nature of the work/publication, and it could conceivably change in the future. Again not a lawyer, and for legal advice consult one, but Wikipedia has fairly comprehensive table: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries%27_copyright_lengths
In the USA, for example, anonymous, pseudonymous and works for hire have copyrights 95 years from year of publication, and to the very end of the 95th year. Hence if the work falls into one of those categories, you might want to get the publication year on the correct, next year since that one day would make one year of difference in copyright length. If it does not fall into one of those categories, there's still unlikely to be any harm from having it on the correct, new year. And registration can still be made after the infrigment, if deemed necessary, albeit yes you might want to ensure you have some way to prove authorship.
In the USA, for example, anonymous, pseudonymous and works for hire have copyrights 95 years from year of publication, and to the very end of the 95th year. Hence if the work falls into one of those categories, you might want to get the publication year on the correct, next year since that one day would make one year of difference in copyright length. If it does not fall into one of those categories, there's still unlikely to be any harm from having it on the correct, new year. And registration can still be made after the infrigment, if deemed necessary, albeit yes you might want to ensure you have some way to prove authorship.
MasterDvdC · 61-69, M
@Faust76 The rules I was stating were the rules for the USA as of at least 10 years or so, when I registered mine. Works for hire I don't know about. That would apply only if you were hired to do something. If it is something that you do, write, and then sell, or self publish, the rules are as I stated.
Faust76 · 46-50, M
@MasterDvdC The question is still "Why though?" and the copyright length argument was already hashed out a month ago... But here's more hashing, then ;)
"The year of publication may determine the length of the copyright term for a work made for hire or an anonymous or pseudonymous work." (US Copyright Office) <- My post from last year almost a month ago.
If it becomes a classic and you happen to die withing 25 years of the publication, your publishing house and/or estate will almost certainly want to argue that it was "work for hire" . The work will also look like a year old/out of date. In addition the question did not specify whether it would be anonymous, pseudonymous or work for hire.
Ergo, backdating the publication would carry no benefits, it would almost certainly be detrimental, and it would let infriger argue that they thought the copyright is invalid because it's false. If, for whatever reason, it still was important to get previous years copyright date, then my suggestion of giving a "preview copy" to trusted associate, and preferably revising the work with feedback to get publication date on the new year as well, would probably be the best way to do it legally, publishing house allowing.
"The year of publication may determine the length of the copyright term for a work made for hire or an anonymous or pseudonymous work." (US Copyright Office) <- My post from last year almost a month ago.
If it becomes a classic and you happen to die withing 25 years of the publication, your publishing house and/or estate will almost certainly want to argue that it was "work for hire" . The work will also look like a year old/out of date. In addition the question did not specify whether it would be anonymous, pseudonymous or work for hire.
Ergo, backdating the publication would carry no benefits, it would almost certainly be detrimental, and it would let infriger argue that they thought the copyright is invalid because it's false. If, for whatever reason, it still was important to get previous years copyright date, then my suggestion of giving a "preview copy" to trusted associate, and preferably revising the work with feedback to get publication date on the new year as well, would probably be the best way to do it legally, publishing house allowing.