Um....two publishing contracts.......
I about fell over when I checked my email this morning. And there are still 7 more ePublishers I haven't heard from yet.
For as awesome as I feel today, I'm sitting her quite frustrated. (And I have a headache...which means I'll be in pain all day until I go to sleep unless I take some Excedrin....and that makes me nauseous). I've been trying for the past hour to find a lawyer to review my contract. I read that you need a lawyer who specifically deals with publishing contracts and I can't find one locally. I went to a website that gives publishing contract advice...they have a flat fee... $475. I just cannot manage that. I did find on Absolute Write a great page that deciphers a basic publishing contract and puts it into very simple terms.
So, after reading some of that, I have a better handle on the contract. If I keep doing what I'm doing, googling what I don't get and return to the Absolute Write webpage I found, can I manage this without a lawyer's advice?
For the most part, the contract seems fine. I read that you shouldn't sign away secondary rights, which this contract does, in a way, but I still get royalties: 50%. I guess the question is, do I REALLY think anyone is gonna wanna take a book from an ePublisher and make it into a movie???? Who knows. And my royalties on book sales are based on net sales, not list price...I read some publishers do it that way (even print publishers) while others don't.
I swear, writing the book is the simplest thing ever....all you writers who are having trouble getting the words down.....that part is cake!!!!!
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Congrats!! Double congrats, even! LOL!
ReplyDeleteHuh.
ReplyDeleteGo to Seekerville and look for the blog post about contracts. They have an awesome checklist somewhere in their archives. :-)
You are smart to be careful. I have a dear friend who signed w/ a small publisher and overlooked the strictness of their non compete clause. All other works of hers must be turned down by that publisher before she can submit them elsewhere....she is essentially tied to that publisher for all future works. Eek! That's a raw deal.
ReplyDeleteCongrats and good luck!
Wow Tess.... that is unbelievable. I need to make sure there is nothing liek that in mine. While I am grateful for this opportunity, ePublishing is not exactly my dream. I want to hold my book in my hands...no I NEED to hold my book in my hands. So that means I will continue to seek representation for my future profects and find homes for them with print publishers. Luckily though, this is only a 3 year contract, so ocne that's done, I'm free to do whatever I want with the book....I think anyway...gotta double check that!
ReplyDeleteJessica, thanks, I will look into that checklist!
Lol, Stephanie, you are so right! Writing is the easy part. Publishing understanding contracts is harder. And just wait until you think about marketing (if you're going to think about marketing). It just gets more and more challenging.
ReplyDeleteBut you're pursuing your dream and it will work out. Just take a deep breath, do your research and then make the decision you feel is right.
Wow, congrats!
ReplyDeleteI guess I shouldn't be in any hurry for publication, which I'm not. I'm up to my neck as it is!
You'll figure this out. Good luck. :)
A lot of agents give advice about contracts on their blogs too. Maybe that will help.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations twice over!
Thanks everyone!
ReplyDeleteCindy, I have given some thought to marketing already, but I'm going one step at a time!! Luckily I have some friends in the local literary scene and I'm doing what I can to get my name out there.