Your literary contract: why you should maintain control of your publishing rights
March 21, 2010
Did you know that once you sign your new book contract exactly “as is,” you’re turning over ALL the publishing rights to the publisher for the copyright life of your book? And once you’ve signed away all your publishing rights, you’ve signed away all control of your book in the future. Why does this matter? Well, it means you’re relying solely on the publisher to keep your book in print. Under constant financial pressure, however, publishers tend to focus their attention on the next season’s list of potential best-sellers. If your book is not a money-making smash hit, the publisher may lose interest in it. What happens to your work then? Under most circumstances, the “as is” literary contract you signed won’t allow you to take your book back and go to a different publisher. This is one of the little secrets of the publishing business.
