Mediabistro

On Thursday, September 20, 2007, I'll be teaching a course through Mediabistro.com entitled "Understanding and Negotiating Your Book Contract." The seminar is from 6:30pm to 9:30pm and will be held at the Mediabistro.com offices at 494 Broadway (Spring and Broome). The price is $65 ($50 for AvantGuild members).

Course Details:
There are a number of important hot-button issues that writers should be aware of when they receive a book contract. Agents typically negotiate the contract directly with the publisher on your behalf, but many are not as well versed in the legal intricacies of a publishing agreement as they should be. Since the book contract provides the framework for your relationship with an editor and publisher, it's essential to become versed in the commitments and responsibilities you make.

This seminar will review the basic clauses of the typical book publishing contract and then discuss the major points of contention between authors/agents and publishers. Learn how to negotiate your contract, eliminate unfriendly terms, and prioritize your concerns in order to achieve as many significant changes as possible.
In this seminar, you will learn:

• The legal steps writers should take before securing an agent or book publishing agreement
• The basics of copyright law, how to register your work with the US Copyright Office, and a brief summary of fair use
• The basic negotiation process, from offer and sale through to payment of advance on signature
• What a basic publishing agreement entails
• What mysterious language like "time is of the essence", "boilerplate", "net receipts", and "flow through" means
• The controversial clauses in book contracts today -- out of print and print on demand clauses, option, non-compete clauses, warranties and indemnities clauses, and more
• How to obtain changes in your book contract

More information and registration details can be found at: http://www.mediabistro.com/courses/cache/crs2906.asp.