Publishing Contract Basics Series

Last year I wrote an in-depth series on publishing contracts, but since it's been a while, I've decided to consolidate links to all the pieces in one easy, convenient place! 

If you feel there's anything I've missed in the series, or if you have any questions, please let me know. I will address any concerns in a future post, as I always want to provide the best information possible.

1. Read This First: An Overview and Intro to the Series



Photo credit: joebeone / Foter / CC BY

2. Grant of Rights
3. Subsidiary Rights
4. Publication Clause
5. Warranty & Copyright
6. Finances: Part 1 and Part 2
7. Option Clause
8. Noncompete
9. Termination & Reversion of Rights

As a reminder, it is incredibly important to read and understand your contract. It is much worse to have a bad contract (or for that matter, a bad agent) than none at all. Sometimes that means we have to turn down offers, painful as that can be. For further reading on that aspect to contract negotiations:

• The Other Side of Rejection, or When to Turn Down an Offer
• The Minefield of Contract Negotiations
• Turning Down Your Dream('s Fine Print)

So there's plenty of information included in all of the above, but it's always better to be well informed! After all, for aspiring and published authors alike, these details of contract negotiations can literally determine and control our futures.