Publishers are experts in setting up book deals and they tend to have the upper hand in negotiating book deals with their authors, especially if the authors lack a representative to negotiate on their behalf. In the following video, Richard Wilson explains how to negotiate a book deal. Richard draws from his experience negotiating multiple book deals to show you how you can get the best deal possible.
Video Transcript/Summary: The strategies and tips provided within this video module include:
- Whoever writes the contract wins.
- Contracts are written almost exclusively with the writer’s interest in mind.
- All contracts are legal agreements, consider seeing an attorney before following any of the following tips.
- Watch out for the low percentages that the publisher offers you.
- Beware of next book rights because of the often lengthy review process.
- Try to get review copies.
- Non-compete clauses can tie your hands in future publishing.
- Look at the time constraints and deadlines to make sure it agrees with your schedule.
I have written several books and worked with multiple publishers over my career. I have found that people are very reasonable in negotiating a contract, you just have to go in with your eyes open. I hope that this video helps you secure the best possible book deal you can get.
Thanks for joining us, and I will see you again soon,
