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My first publishing deal - excuse me while I swoon..... :0)
Now that the contract has been officially signed, I'm delighted to say I got an offer of contract for ASHES!!!!!
My experience with them so far has been professional and friendly, and they were very happy to negotiate the metadata clause - taking only the rights to the tagline, cover copy and sales hook, which is fair enough because they'll be all Samhain's making. All my questions were answered, no matter how silly, and I'm very excited to be working with them.
My first publishing deal - excuse me while I swoon..... :0)
No, they've always been up front about not paying advances. I just wondered if that was changing with the new publisher.
I've never received an advance from them (signed my most recent contract within the last couple of weeks). Has there been discussion of advances? (I've been facedown in deadlines recently, so it's entirely possible I missed it)
This is a super long thread and I read quite a bit of it, but couldn't read all 50 pages. So maybe this has been answered. Did most of the authors with Samhain feel comfortable negotiating their own contracts, or did you hire lawyers, etc. to do it? Did any of you get an agent to negotiate the contract after Samhain offered it to you? Negotiating a contract without an agent or lawyer scares me.
This is a super long thread and I read quite a bit of it, but couldn't read all 50 pages. So maybe this has been answered. Did most of the authors with Samhain feel comfortable negotiating their own contracts, or did you hire lawyers, etc. to do it? Did any of you get an agent to negotiate the contract after Samhain offered it to you? Negotiating a contract without an agent or lawyer scares me.
I would try to get an agent instead of a lawyer. An agent would understand the nuances of a publishing contract much better than most lawyers, plus the agent can help you with other things, as well, like making sure you get paid on time, mediating disputes over cover art or editing, getting you a better deal down the road, etc.
I've never had any problem negotiating Samhain's contract on my own. I've not asked for any *major* changes, but what changes I've requested have been made without issue.
As another poster said, I'd recommend an agent vs a lawyer if you want to have someone look over the contract or negotiate it for you. I've heard of people using copyright lawyers for contracts, but I couldn't tell you one way or the other about whether that's cost effective, etc.
I would try to get an agent instead of a lawyer. An agent would understand the nuances of a publishing contract much better than most lawyers, plus the agent can help you with other things, as well, like making sure you get paid on time, mediating disputes over cover art or editing, getting you a better deal down the road, etc.
Actually instead of this since it won't be easy to find an agent even with an offer from Samhain, you could hire an agent just to review your contract. Elaine English, at one time but I don't if she does now, would review contracts for a flat rate.
I totally support agents but am thinking that you might be better served cost- and time-wise by paying an agent or literary attorney to review your contract than going through the search and giving up a percentage of your royalties on something you got yourself.
Totally my opinion. I'm an author with Samhain and I've never needed an agent for them (but my last contract is several years old so I don't know if I'd need one for new one).
Good luck!
Actually instead of this since it won't be easy to find an agent even with an offer from Samhain, you could hire an agent just to review your contract. Elaine English, at one time but I don't if she does now, would review contracts for a flat rate.
I totally support agents but am thinking that you might be better served cost- and time-wise by paying an agent or literary attorney to review your contract than going through the search and giving up a percentage of your royalties on something you got yourself.
Totally my opinion. I'm an author with Samhain and I've never needed an agent for them (but my last contract is several years old so I don't know if I'd need one for new one).
Good luck!
Agents do far more than negotiate contracts. I don't want to derail a BR&BC thread to go over it all. Just be aware that the percentage you surrender to an agent pays for a lot of things beyond contract negotiation.
For an e-first publisher? What does an agent do that the author can't do herself?
I repped you a quick list. There are several threads over in "Ask the Agent."
You can do it all yourself, but an agent *can* be worth the money to hand that off.