What I Don't Know About Contracts

Plain and simple! I have no legal training. I never took a class in law, litigation, court proceeding, anything. So I know squat about contracts.

I do know they can be altered by either party before they are signed. Some publishers refused to change a word, some will be happy to change a phrase, wording made simpler, or spelled out in more detail. Even some agents now required contracts, and again, those can be changed before they are signed - but don't count on a lot of changes unless you have a huge backlist and even then, the second party may not want to change a thing.

I do know contracts are binding under the laws of the country in which they are written - usually. To break a contract can cost money. Way back when, breaking a contract could cost you a lot more even perhaps your life. Well, we are a bit more civilized today - I hope.

What I do know about a contract is simple. Read the thing. If you don't understand it, consult someone who will, that usually means a lawyer, or someone with some knowledge of the law. Even if it is something that looks simple to you, if you don't understand, then you need to.

No, I not promoting the legal profession, only that contracts can be binding and if you don't understand what you are signing, then you could, and I emphasis could, be heading for trouble.

I do know a bit about rights. So I'll explain what I know about them and call it a day, because as I said,  I know squat about legal matters.

Rights are what you are selling. You are giving someone the right to publish you work. You still own the work. You are not selling what you have created, or you shouldn't. The length of time, and to whom, for what, are spelled out in the contract you sign. The right to publish is granted to someone else for a specific good (spell that money - or copies of say the magazine, if it's a short story for a mag, or even an article, picture, etc.) The time the publisher has to hang on to those rights, how much they are willing to pay, when and how, based on what and also with what, usually, naming the currency, should be spelled out in that contract.

The most important thing I can tell you about contracts. Read every word - before you sign! If you don't understand, ask someone who will understand. Last, but not least, make sure you keep a copy yourself. Put your contract in a safe place. I have each contract I signed with the finished copy of the book and all the work sheets for each work I wrote and published. That's a lot of paper, but at least I know where everything is. I can put my hands on the contract I signed for that book, years after it has faded from memory. 

If you expect to sign a lot of contracts (grinning) then buy yourself a bunch of file folders and put them somewhere safe.

You won't be sorry.

Next week, we'll take a look at a promotional plan. Maybe you can give me some ideas.

Allison
Heart-warming Romance with a Sensual Touch.
Betrayed Bride coming in May, 2013 from Champagne Books
Lynbrook's Lady coming in August 2013 also from Champagne Books.

Monday's Helpful Hints (The Synopsis)

This is the one I suffer through, have suffered through, will continue to suffer through. But I've found a couple of things that have helped me to write the "Dreaded Synopsis"!

First, if you are a panster, you need to finish the book. You have to know what's going to happen at the end. Most pansters I know, have no idea until they get to the middle or sometimes close to the end.

I outline so writing a synopsis should be easier, right?  To that I reply, HA!

But let us assume you have the book nearly finished and you know what's going to happen at the end. You do need to know that, for the editor is going to want to know. This "And the end is a surprise", won't cut it and won't help you sell a book. In fact, it may result in the editor refusing to even read your first three chapters. A sure fire rejection.

I've found if I break my synopsis down into sections, I can do a better job. Maybe this will help you as well.

The first paragraph of a synopsis needs to be a short description of where the story takes place. You aren't writing a novel here, you are going to give a summary so we need to know where this is happening, and maybe a hint as to what is happening, especially if you are writing a mystery, scfi, space romance, historical, be it fiction or romance. Not much description, that needs to be in the novel.

So a short paragraph telling (a synopsis is a lot more telling than showing) where, when, etc. at the beginning of your book. I think that's why they don't advise dialogue in a synopsis. Dialogue is a great way to show instead of tell.

Next comes motivation. I need to tell what is driving my characters, what they think they want and how they think they can get it, their goal. Cover the main characters, that is the hero, heroine, and the villain/s. I'll include only the secondary characters if they are central to the plot, that is if their goals will directly impact the central characters.

Next a summary of the story. I break this down into the first turning point, the result, the mid point, the second turning point, again, the result, the black moment and the conclusion. That's why I say you must know the ending.

In all, I try to keep the synopsis of a 75,000 to 80,000 word novel to around four or five pages, shorter for shorter novels, and longer if the novel is lengthy. Although I'm told that today, most publishers like a novel of around 100,000 words or less. People today say they don't have time for too big a book. (I'm only repeating what I've read! It's really up to you and your story)

Good luck and let me know if this is helpful. It works for me.

Allison
www.AllisonKnight.com
Heart-warming Romance with a Sensual Touch
Watch for "Betray Bride" coming in May from
www.ChampagneBooks.com