Does Your Book Need a Disclaimer?

A disclaimer is a statement that denies something, especially responsibility. Disclaimers are a way to say, “Don’t sue me.”

You see them in all kinds of places (on websites, on television shows and movies, at entrances to facilities, in contracts, and in books), serving as a warning to users.

Disclaimers in books are usually found on the copyright page below the copyright information. This alerts the reader at the outset to whatever you feel is necessary to disclaim. Most book disclaimers are short, typically one to three sentences, but they can be longer if necessary.

In a work of fiction, the author would use the disclaimer to say that the work is a creation of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to real people or events is a coincidence. Or that certain places and historical events are real, but the characters and their actions are not.

In nonfiction, authors use disclaimers to establish their expertise or lack of it, to point out that reading the book doesn’t establish a relationship between the author and reader, to stress that results are not guaranteed, and to advise readers to seek qualified professional counsel on the subject.

For a memoir or autobiography, the disclaimer could explain that some names and identifying characteristics have been changed, some incidents combined or compressed, and that the work was created based on the author’s memory (which may or may not be accurate).

You can also use a disclaimer to warn readers about explicit content, including language, violence, sexual or adult themes, graphic details, and other sensitive topics.

Sometimes publishers, both traditional and pay-to-publish, will include disclaimers saying they are not responsible for the content of the book. They’re willing to publish it, but they don’t want to be held liable for anything the author wrote.

Writing your disclaimer

An internet search on “book disclaimer examples” will yield an abundance of sample language that you can adapt for your disclaimer. Also, it’s okay to have fun with your disclaimers. They don’t need to be written in boring legalese.

What a disclaimer won’t do

A disclaimer is not a license to lie or an excuse for carelessness. It won’t stop you from getting sued, and it won’t relieve you of liability if your content is intentionally deceptive, misleading, or defamatory, or infringes on someone else’s intellectual property rights.

Must you absolutely have a disclaimer in your book? No, but it can’t hurt and it might help if you are the target of a lawsuit.

Disclaimer: Jacquelyn Lynn is not an attorney, and this article does not constitute legal advice.