contracts with publishers

by Victoria Salisbury
14th June 2014

Can anyone tell me what are the main points that should be in a contract between a publisher and the writer??

and what could make a contract void??

Replies

It would seem that you have jumped to the last option without exhausting other more mutually beneficial solutions.

Have you considered entering into constructive dialogue with them?

Provide them with high quality scans of your illustrations?

Discuss what you feel they could do better/ what you are not satisfied with.

If you are set on using a legacy publisher, you would probably be better off ironing out problems with one who has already accepted you than starting the process over again, perhaps to end up in the same situation. Unless the 'small press' you are dealing with is a total scam. A little online research should answer that question.

Negotiate, don't pout.

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Al
Sendall
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Al Sendall
17/06/2014

In very basic terms, a contract is an agreement between two parties undertaken for their mutual benefit. If one party feels that the other is not complying with the terms of agreement they could terminate the contract. However that might not stop the other party from pursueing a greviance via the courts. A lot of it hinges on the original terms of the contract and what was understood by both parties at the time. It would be best to come to some sort of agreement with the publisher that could benefit both parties at this stage - the only other option is to take legal advice. Maybe your local Citizen's Advice could help with the legal side of things.

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Mark J
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Mark J Braybrook
15/06/2014

I have already signed a contract with a small publishing company.....it's only the very early stages of the work being done on my first book but I have decided to pull out as they are making mistakes and the equipment that have is not good enough ie the scanner to give a good copy of my illustrations. I emailed them saying I wanted to terminate the contract and they are becoming quite nasty.

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Victoria
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Victoria Salisbury
15/06/2014