CHECK YOUR CONTRACTS

Contract checklist (per Australian Society of Authors  -- ASA)

Before you sign, make sure you understand the implications of these clauses

Where your publisher offers their standard contract, check that it:

• Has a firm date for publication
• Has rising royalties, paid on recommended retail price, not net receipts
• Gives approximate price and minimum print run
• Has a revision clause
• Binds the publisher to show you proofs
• Defines responsibility for the cost of illustrations, indexing, photographs and so on
• Has at least two accounting periods per year
• Makes the publisher responsible for the loss of manuscript or book stocks
• Has an effective termination clause.

Check also that it does not:

• Assign copyright to the publisher
• Assign digital/electronic rights to the publisher
• Allow alterations without your consent
• Allow royalties calculated on the price of sheets sold
• Allow overstock or remainder sales within two years
• Set a price for future Book Club sales
• Take a share (other than agent’s commission) of non-print rights
• Hold reserves beyond the second accounting date
• Ask extended rights such as overseas rights without proof of ability to exploit them
• Purport to assign or waive your moral rights
• Include a consent to an act which otherwise would be a breach of your moral rights.

From Barbara Jefferis, Rob Pullen and Lynne Spender Australian Book Contracts 3rd edition (Keesing Press).