Book Contracts

Getting a book published by a major publisher is a matter of successful preparation and good strategy. Increase your chances of getting an offer by learning a lot about the publishers you research and, preferably, by networking. In this industry, as in most others, personal connections can mean the difference between success and failure in getting your work considered. You can and should start establishing those connections long before you start writing the book. If your book is accepted by an established commercial publisher, you will get an offer to publish, followed by a book contract. It can take months or years to shop the book proposal and get interest from a publisher. One of the most discouraging parts of the process, whether you use an agent or submit it yourself, is that due to the volume of manuscripts publishers receive every day, it can take months just to get a form rejection letter. Once you have an offer from a publisher, it may take a few weeks to receive the actual contract so that you can review the contract terms.

You must be aware when you sign a book contract that you are selling the rights to your intellectual property. You have sold the publishers the exclusive rights (unless you negotiate otherwise) to publish your materials, perhaps in any language and perhaps in any medium. This may mean you cannot use your own material to develop additional products without permission from the publishers.

The contract will be about ten pages long, and there are some things you should look for:

1.   What you are selling:  You own the copyright to your work, and you are selling the publisher the exclusive right (usually) to print and publish your book in the English language for the duration of the copyright. The publisher will probably also want the foreign language rights; serial (periodical or newspaper) rights; audio recording rights; film, music, stage, radio rights; and merchandising rights. You will have to negotiate to keep any of those rights you wish to.

2.   Royalties:  In exchange, the publisher will pay you royalties of generally 10 percent to 15 percent on sales. The definition of sales (net versus list price) is usually at issue. There may also be an advance against royalties that you will not have to repay if the royalties don’t surpass the advance. If you have an agent, the publisher will pay your royalties to the agent, who will take out his or her portion (usually 10 percent to 15 percent of your royalties and advance). Royalties are paid between one and four times a year.

3.   Delivery date and number of words:  Be sure to give yourself enough time, preferably six to nine months, to deliver the manuscript.

4.   Marketing: It is unlikely that you will be able to get a publisher to commit to the marketing that will be done for your book. Be sure to get as many free copies as you can (at least twenty-five) and arrange the best deal available on buying your own book from the publisher (usually you get them at a 50 percent discount).

Resources:  One of the best contract review services is provided by the Authors Guild (www.authorsguild.org). If you have been offered a contract by a traditional publisher recognized by the guild, you can become a member and have that first contract reviewed free. Membership dues are very affordable—less than $100 a year. You get your money’s worth by using their attorneys, who are the best experts around for reviewing book contracts.

Tanyab 08:09, 5 December 2008 (UTC) | www.publishing-store.com