So You Want to Write About American Indians?: A Guide for Writers, Students, and Scholars

10. The Contract and the Second Wait while Your Manuscript Becomes a Book

BOB — University of Nebraska Press / Page 127 / / So You Want to Write about American Indians? / Devon Abbott Mihesuah 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 [First Page] [127], (1) Lines: 0 to 45 ——— 6.72142pt PgVar ——— Normal Page PgEnds: TEX [127], (1) chapter ten The Contract and the Second Wait while Your Manuscript Becomes a Book The Contract Once your proposal or manuscript has been accepted, the press will want to formalize its publishing agreement with you through a contract . Upon hearing that their first submission has been accepted for publication, many writers are more interested in the pending book than the terms of their contract. But before you jump in, look carefully at and reflect on the various terms of the contract before you sign. If you have questions, feel free to ask your acquisition editor; most contracts contain standard terms and clauses and the editors are used to going over them with authors. And if you have concerns or want changes, don’t be afraid to raise those points with the editor. Listen respectfully to what the editor has to say, as there may be very good reasons why a contract has certain language, terms, or clauses. If you are nervous about signing a contract,then pay a lawyer or find an agent to advise you. There are many clauses in a contract. The most important ones have to do with the following:
1. Final or advance contract. If a complete manuscript was reviewed and accepted, then you will be issued a final contract. If what was submitted was a proposal or an incomplete manuscript, then chances are that you are being issued an advance contract. An advance contract legally commits your project to a press, but it also requires that the finished or revised book manuscript itself be reviewed and approved (by the advisory board, if you are working with a university press). Consequently,an advance contract can be risky: if the revised or completed manuscript does not receive supportive reviews, the press doesn’t have to publish. Period. It’s heartening when a publisher shows 127 BOB — University of Nebraska Press / Page 128 / / So You Want to Write about American Indians? / Devon Abbott Mihesuah the contract and the second wait 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 [128], (2) Lines: 45 to 53 ——— 0.0pt PgVar ——— Normal Page PgEnds: TEX [128], (2) good faith in you and your work by offering a contract before it is completely finished, but do keep in mind that publication is not guaranteed . The press needs to protect itself and you need to do your work, even after getting an advance contract.
2. Deadline. This is the date your acquisition editor expects you to turn in the final version of the manuscript (along with a disk). Be very realistic about this deadline when the contract is put together. Don’t be late; the publisher usually has the right to void the contract if your final manuscript isn’t submitted on time. Don’t treat the deadline like that of a college or graduate school paper; extensions may not be granted. If you are delayed, however, be sure to contact your acquisition editor, explain the reason, and propose a new deadline. Nearly all editors will be understanding and allow a later date of submission.
3. Copyright. In theory, the person who owns the copyright of a set of materials owns the rights to reproduce it and license it to others. The copyright holder of a book is listed on the page following the title page. Most presses by default at contract time will assign the copyright of your book manuscript to themselves or their host university (if a university press). When negotiating a contract, I recommend that you ask for the copyright to be in your name. Please remember that by doing so you will be responsible for registering and paying for the copyright. Owning the copyright to your book is largely a symbolic gesture for the life of the book at that press, since the other clauses of the contract allow the press to reproduce and license the book on...