Work-for-Hire in Short Fiction: An Overview
By Rachael K. Jones Work-for-hire writing jobs are common in novel-length work, especially in the world of tie-in fiction, but […]
Contracts and Copyrights, The SFWA Blog
Contracts and Copyrights
Contracts and Copyrights, Contracts Committee Alerts
Legal Affairs Alert on the New Zealand National Library
UPDATE 12/3/2021: The NZ National Library has announced that they will be reconsidering their plans for this archival deal “in
Contracts and Copyrights, News, The SFWA Blog
Copyright Registration Rule Change Allows Flat Fee Registration of Short Textual Works Published Online
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is extremely pleased that the U.S. Copyright Office has issued a new
Contracts and Copyrights, Information Center, News
Infringement Alert – “National Emergency Library”
Using the Coronavirus pandemic as an excuse, the Archive has created the “National Emergency Library” and removed virtually all controls from the digital copies so that they can be viewed and downloaded by an infinite number of readers.
Contracts and Copyrights, Information Center, News
Contracts Committee Alert on Reversion Clauses
When you have your first (or next) contract in front of you for a traditionally published book, you are likely thinking primarily about your advance and what rights you want to retain. But one of the most significant clauses, usually found somewhere toward the end of the contract, may be the most important for you in the long run: the reversion clause.
Contracts and Copyrights, The SFWA Blog
Negotiation Tips for Writers
by Dan Brotzel
Many writers find it difficult to talk about money, especially if it means asking for more and potentially risking turning down an offer of publication. But writing is a business as well as a passion, and the more cash you can secure for it, the more time you’ll be able to devote to your craft. Here are a few pointers on how to approach the dark art of negotiation…
SFWA Minimum Pro Rate Now in Effect
The SFWA minimum payment rate for professional short fiction markets is now eight cents per word. In accordance with our
Contracts and Copyrights, Information Center, The SFWA Blog
Maximizing Your Back List with a special nod to Author Estates
by Ethan Ellenberg
It’s a whole new world of Author opportunity for anyone with a backlist and that includes the Estates of deceased Authors.
I’ve written this post to provide an overview of what Authors and Heirs should be monitoring and pursuing.
Contracts and Copyrights, Information Center, News, The SFWA Blog
Opposition to Trademark for “Quantum Series”
by Douglas Phillips
Sometimes, we get dragged into legal battles whether we like it or not. This happened to me, and I want to be sure every author hears the story, because it could happen to you too.
Contracts and Copyrights, Information Center, The SFWA Blog
Life Plus 70
by Ethan Ellenberg
Now we are in a whole new world. There are different ways to be published and author incomes are coming from a far wider range of sources. The standard book agreement that routinely grants the mainstream book publisher a license for the ‘term of copyright’ has to be re-considered.
Contracts and Copyrights, News
Contracts Committee Alert!
A class action suit for violation of copyright, first filed in 2001, has finally brought checks to writers. The initial settlement in the case, the Literary Works in Electronic Databases Copyright Litigation, was approved in 2005, followed by more years of litigation.
Contracts and Copyrights, Information Center, The SFWA Blog
Contracts Committee Alert – “All Derivative Rights” Clauses
SFWA’s Contracts Committee has recently been seeing a proliferation of contracts from small magazines, and a very few established markets, that license all derivative rights in perpetuity. This is a red flag for a number of reasons, even if these rights are licensed non-exclusively