Read This Before You Sign a Publishing Deal

Guest post by author J. Salem. Twitter: @Jackary_Salem.

1. Contracts Should Protect Both Parties

You’ve been dreaming about a publishing contract for as long as you can remember, and you don’t want to ruin it by being picky. Well, stop.

“Be picky. Go online and read about authors who wish they’d never signed a bad contract.”

Or, if you know your stuff and love the company, try negotiating. All contracts are open to negotiation if you (or a friend) know what you’re doing.

2. Money Is An Object

By “product,” I don’t mean your book. I mean the services the publisher is offering. If you signed with a Big 5 and they’re offering you the world, they’re within reason to take 90% of your revenue.

3. Be Prepared For Failure 

These are questions you should ask your literary agent before signing with them, and don’t take, “I’ll sell it” for an answer.

If you want to stay ahead of the game, get it in writing that if they don’t publish your book within two years, you get all your rights back so you can shop it to someone else.

If you’re working on the third book in the trilogy and your publisher goes under, that’s it. The series is dead, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Unless you get it in writing that, should the company fail or cease to exist, you get all your rights back.

“A single clause can make a world of difference.”

If the publisher ceases to exist, the stores will continue to send money to that nonexistent publisher, who will not pay your agent, who will not pay you.

Getting your royalties after your publisher goes belly up tends to be a long, irritating process that costs more than it’s worth. So do yourself a favour and get it in writing that, should your publisher fail, the funds for your royalties will be routed directly to you. 

4. Agents Don’t Know Everything

This isn’t to say that agents aren’t willing to walk you through the contract. Just that they’re incredibly busy, and many authors (especially new authors) are too afraid of seeming needy/ruining their shot to “bother” the agent with seemingly extraneous, time-consuming questions.

Regardless of how amazing your agent turns out to be, it’s your work, your money, and your contract. Read it yourself, take as long as you need to understand every single clause, and decide on your own whether the pros outweigh the cons.

Agree or disagree with @Jackary_Salem‘s advice? What has been your experience with publishing contacts? Let us know in the comments.


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