Sometimes when self-publishing a book, you’ll want to include a disclaimer on your title page. A disclaimer is a legal-sounding statement that aims to protect you from lawsuits by saying that you are not liable or responsible for anything the reader does as a consequence of reading your advice. For example, if a reader follows first-aid tips you provide in a hiking book, you might run a disclaimer that releases you from responsibility for any injuries that occur after a reader has attempted to follow your guidelines.

The problem then, is to come up with a disclaimer that is appropriate for your book. Fortunately, you can put the legal departments of big publishers to work for you by examining the disclaimers used in several published books similar to your own. After reading a few, pen a disclaimer that is a good approximation of what should appear in your book.

Following are some come common disclaimers you might use…

Advice, how-to
Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Business, financial advice
The information contained within this book is strictly for educational purposes. If you wish to apply ideas contained in this book, you are taking full responsibility for your actions.

Health
This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

Memoir, autobiography
Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
OR
This story is based on actual events. In certain cases incidents, characters and timelines have been changed for dramatic purposes. Certain characters may be composites, or entirely fictitious.

Novels, short story anthology
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Sports, training
The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper (name sport) training. Like any sport involving speed, equipment, balance and environmental factors, (name sport) poses some inherent risk. The authors and publisher advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the skills described in this book, be sure that your equipment is well maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training, and comfort level.

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.