Q&A: Manuscript Submission
Q. I turned in my book’s manuscript on time three months ago, but my editor still hasn’t “accepted” it. What are my rights? And can my publisher make changes without my approval? A. As always, your publishing agreement controls. An industry-standard publishing agreement typically gives the publisher the right to accept, reject, or ask for revisions in your manuscript. But keep in mind that...
Read MoreQ&A: Rights
Q. What rights should I grant to my publisher? The standard book publishing agreement “Grant of Rights” clause commonly takes all “print” rights plus certain specified “subsidiary” rights – foreign, translation, book club, electronic, film & television, audio, dramatic, and periodical. Don’t skim over these clauses — they are the most important elements of your publishing...
Read MoreQ&A About Film Rights
Note: With the tough publishing market, many mystery novelists are turning their talents to film and video. Here are some of the common questions I receive: Q: I have a great idea for a screenplay about Elvis pretending to be dead so he can fulfill his ambition of being a secret agent. Since he really is dead, my project would obviously be a work of fiction and the product of my own...
Read MoreGoogle Book Lawsuit Settlement
Q. Tell me about the Google copyright lawsuit settlement. A. Three years ago, the Author’s Guild and other plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit against Google for its “Book Search,” alleging that Google violates the copyrights of authors and publishers in books by digitizing (scanning) them, creating an electronic database of books, and displaying short excerpts without the copyright...
Read MoreQ&A: Date of Publication
Q. Should I negotiate the date of my novel’s publication? A. Yes! There always should be a limit to the amount of time a publisher has to publish your work. If no time frame is specified, you run a significant risk: What if the publisher runs into monetary problems, or reorganizes the types of books they publish? Or maybe they’re not even really sure if they want to publish it anymore, but...
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