Don't need to see contract, you don't want to know how many of those I have sitting in the files. Would be interested to see commentary though it may need to be on many rocks.
On payout schedules: There is a movement (Tor really pushes for it) to pay a third on signing, a third on delivery, and a third on publication. This really sucks from the viewpoint of making a living in this biz (and low "Shut UP!" level is still not enough for that--you need a couple of those a year; if you're dreaming of writing a book a year or every other year and making a living at this, now is a good time to get real). FTN probably will not budge the publisher who is insisting on this.
Then there is the Harlequin model, which is really interesting: half on signing, a quarter on approval of proposal, a quarter on delivery. If you can do outlines/proposals/synopses, it's a plum deal. If you can't, it's anguish city. They have an odd system in general and some very difficult contract clauses; there are dealbreakers in there that are not in other contracts. They will fight like fury to keep world rights.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2004-09-15 12:19 pm (UTC)On payout schedules: There is a movement (Tor really pushes for it) to pay a third on signing, a third on delivery, and a third on publication. This really sucks from the viewpoint of making a living in this biz (and low "Shut UP!" level is still not enough for that--you need a couple of those a year; if you're dreaming of writing a book a year or every other year and making a living at this, now is a good time to get real). FTN probably will not budge the publisher who is insisting on this.
Then there is the Harlequin model, which is really interesting: half on signing, a quarter on approval of proposal, a quarter on delivery. If you can do outlines/proposals/synopses, it's a plum deal. If you can't, it's anguish city. They have an odd system in general and some very difficult contract clauses; there are dealbreakers in there that are not in other contracts. They will fight like fury to keep world rights.