Congratulations. You found a literary agent for your book or have managed to find a publisher on your own. A multipage author/agent or publishing agreement arrives in your inbox with some very confusing language describing best and worst case scenarios for your book and listing rights and formats you may never have even heard of.
It may seem obvious, but you shouldn’t sign on the line until you know what you are signing! But where can you turn to figure out what a publisher means by “reserve for returns” or how “net sales” translates into actual royalty income? What is your legal responsibility vis-à-vis the publisher? And what does an agent mean when they say they are your “exclusive” representative?
I have the answers for you.
Publishing Contracts Expert
In my twenty-plus year career in publishing, I’ve seen and negotiated hundreds of publishing agreements. I know what’s fair for authors and what’s not, what’s worth fighting for and what publishers will never budge on.
Let me walk you through what this document means, what your responsibilities are, and what the publisher’s obligations are.
I will carefully review your contract and will redline it, indicating the changes and additions I recommend to ensure it is fair to you and in line with industry standards.
While I won’t negotiate your contract directly with your publisher—you can do that since you’ll be armed with my altered copy and experienced negotiating tips—I will be on the sidelines to help you respond to any of the publisher’s further questions, as well as counteroffers or compromises that may arise.
Contact me when your publishing or agent contract arrives.