Every author dreams of the moment they’re offered a book contract for the first time. But copyright law can befuddle even legal experts.
Before you sign that contract, make sure you’re as prepared as possible for just what you’re signing on for—and what you’re signing away.
The new book Understanding and Negotiating Book Publication Contracts from Authors Alliance is designed to “help authors make sound decisions about the terms of their book publication contracts.”
Understanding and Negotiating Book Publication Contracts identifies clauses that frequently appear in publishing contracts, explains in plain language what these terms (and typical variations) mean, and presents strategies for negotiating “author-friendly” versions of these clauses. When authors have more information about copyright and publication options for their works, they are better able to make and keep their works available in the ways they want.
The guide is designed to help authors to:
- Learn about the basics of copyright law, and how copyright shapes the author-publisher relationship;
- Evaluate the pros and cons of assigning and/or licensing their copyrights;
- Understand the responsibilities of authors and publishers in preparing, designing, and marketing a book;
- Clarify financial matters such as advances, royalties, and accounting statements;
- Consider options for making their books available to readers in the short and long term;
- Advocate and negotiate for contract terms that help them meet their creative and pragmatic goals;
- And much more!
This book is available in print and as an e-book.
Order the print edition today, and enter the code CONTRACTS2018 to get free shipping (for a limited time only)!