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that disputes about small amounts will be split evenly, or settled in small claims court.

Book publishers typically pay royalties of around 8% of gross, though this can vary with the type of book. They also often require you to help with the marketing. That is fair, the better you promote the book the more you will earn. However be certain that you don't get stuck paying for travel that costs more than it's worth. Book signings often don't pay for themselves so be very careful about paying your own travel expenses, or having them deducted from your royalties.

Be very careful about selling all rights to your work. If a book doesn't sell, you need the right to try a different publisher or to self-publish. Sometimes a publisher doesn't properly market the book, or just doesn't have the right contacts to make it popular. You may do better on your own or with somebody else.

If your work is a magazine, newspaper, or web article or story, be certain you retain the right to publish after they do - at least unless they pay you a *big* fee. It is quite common for writers to publish collections of their works and the better publishers allow for that. Some only insist on the right to publish first (with maybe a few months between their publication and appearance elsewhere). Some allow you to publish immediately but only in publications that do not compete with them. That is quite fair, but be certain you understand and agree with the terms.

If the publisher has purchased right to be the first to publish your work, put a time-line on it. Don't allow them to hold off for years while you might be publishing elsewhere.

The one exception to retaining some publication rights is a "work for hire." That means that you are hired to write something specific for a specific publisher, typically with a guaranteed payment. This relieves you of the risk that you will not be paid for your work. In exchange, the publisher has a right to insist on owning the copyright. You may be able to negotiate some rights to publish elsewhere but they have no obligation to allow that. However if you wrote something with no assurance of publication and payment, you should normally retain some rights.

Don't be afraid to reject bad editing. If the editor were as knowledgeable and as good a writer as you are, he would probably be a writer, not an editor. Some periodicals insist on a certain style which is fair. However if the editor changes meaning or the "punch" in your work, insist on your own wording. I once had an editor replace the generic term I had used with what she didn't know was a trade-marked name. She agreed with me when I pointed that out, but she would have changed the meaning had I not insisted on the correct term.

Payment terms should be specified. This may be quarterly, twice a year or something else but be sure it's something you understand and can live with.

If you've written a book, read Jump Start Your Book Sales by Marylin and Tom Ross. They provide a lot of information on how to increase your sales.

In summary, it can be difficult to find a publisher so keep trying. Once you do, be careful about the agreement so you get a fair deal. Most publishers are quite reasonable (they don't want to offend someone who might become a big name). Unfortunately a few will try to take unfair advantage of new authors.

Learn more about this author, Hal Lillywhite.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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