Public Domain Title Preparation for KDP Amazon Challenges
(Cover Photo: Cell phone with Amazon logo on screen)
Hi everyone,
Here is the info you need for the most common request/challenge by KDP Amazon about your Public Domain title.
I'm not trying to sell this title to you, but its more clear if I give you the exact info they send.
Here is my last reply to them which I copy/paste from their email to me.
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You wrote:
During our review, we found that the following book(s) appears to be a translation of work that is in the public domain:
A Short Treatise on Prayer: The Great Means of Obtaining From God Eternal Salvation, And All the Graces We Stand in Need : Large Print Edition by A Catholic Clergyman (TRANSLATOR); St Alphonsus Liguori (AUTHOR) (ID: PRI-TYTH0M15WY4)
When publishing a translation, both the original author and translator must be listed as contributors. Please review your book details and ensure that all contributors are listed correctly. If you have not included the translator as a contributor, ensure that you add this information before resubmitting your book for review.
In order to publish the book(s), reply to this email and provide the following information for the book(s):
(Includes my info to them)
Original work information:
1. Author name(s) (all): St Alphonsus Liguori
2. Author date(s) of death (all): 1787
3. Initial publication date: 1834
4. Initial publication country: Ireland
5. Website link(s) to confirm: https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_short_treatise_on_prayer_tr_from_Del_g/Iu9_yG7OflcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=A+Short+Treatise+on+Prayer+Liguori+text&printsec=frontcover
Translated work information:
1. Translator name(s) (all): A Catholic Clergyman
2. Translator date(s) of death (all): Unknown
3. Translation publication date: 1834
4. Translation publication country: Ireland
5. Website link(s) to confirm: https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_short_treatise_on_prayer_tr_from_Del_g/Iu9_yG7OflcC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=A+Short+Treatise+on+Prayer+Liguori+text&printsec=frontcover
The title and author information you enter in KDP for public domain works must match the original work.
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The Google link shows them the scanned image of the book to confirm the info requested.
Sometimes I might include a link to show it is in the Public Domain of the Country it was published in. This title is old enough hopefully I won't have to follow up and do that.
Every Country in the world has different rules/laws for copyright so you need to be aware of that. Just search google for the country / copyright laws and you'll find them and read carefully through them.
KDP Amazon requires online proof of this.
Update: I also keep a Word Doc of all my titles including links to support they are public domain so I can quickly refer to it if asked about a Public Domain Title.
If you found an old book at the library, but there is no proof online then you most likely will not be able to publish on KDP Amazon.
In that case, I will publish my titles on Lightning Source, Inc where they don't request that info.
I hope you found this useful.
To Our Success!
Mel Waller
Recent Comments
8
Thank you for the information, Mel. It is useful. At your suggestion, I am planning to translate and publish a German public domain book that I read and liked when I was a child. I have now re-read it in German and have started translating it, but since it's rather long, I am going to find something shorter for my first book. I can either translate it or use it to write something new based on that story.
I know that every country has different copyright rules. Which rules do you need to follow? The rules of the original country of publication or of the country you live in?
Thanks for all your information and inspiration.
Isabella
The rules of the Country it was published in.
To perhaps speed up translation, you could initially use ChatGPT and then look that over. Might save you time and typing.
Mel
Thank you very much.
Yes, thank you. I have started using Copilot for translating. I will ask for the same passage to be translated by ChatGPT and then compare their translations and create my own.
Isabella
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Thanks, Mel!
Tim 🎼