Legal Question in Business Law in New Jersey

publisher'scontract

I'm a first time author to be published. I've submitted my material to publisher. According to the publisher's procedures, the next step is the publisher will phone me to negotiate a contract. The book has lots of color photographs and might be retail price about $20 or $25. Can I expect more than 10% of the first 5000 books published just for being published. There are other rights that could cost publisher the standard fees, such as if I give them a llicense for book club rights, I understand that I would get $50 of retail price. Can you give me basic information about what a first time author should expect?


Asked on 6/13/06, 12:36 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
John Corbett Corbett Law Firm LLC

Re: publisher'scontract

First, don't get too excited. Book publishing contracts vary all over the lot. Sometimes the publisher senses a real money-maker. Sometime they are just looking to economize by using press time that would otherwise go idle.

Be especially cautious about anything that requires an investment on your part or ties up your work if the publisher abandons it. Anyone can publish a book if they pay for it themselves and a lot of the publishing contracts require exactly that. Some publishers play on an author's ego to get the author to fund the edition.

What you should expect is a proposed contract that is not very favorable to you and some hard negotiations. I recommend that you get some help with this. I could do that or you might want to look for a lawyer who is closer to you. If I can be of help, give me a call.

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Answered on 6/13/06, 3:50 pm


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