Friday, August 19, 2011

Panelists:

• Sandra Taylor
• A. C. Crispin  (Writer beware webpage)
• Lucienne Diver
• Brent Weeks
• John Berlyne

 

Literary agents get paid after the deal.  They get commission.  You should NOT have to pay them.

 

Need to have contracts.  Need to have agents to deal with crafting contracts.

 

Agent will help you hold onto your rights.

 

Lots of clauses to watch for.

 

When you write something, you own it.  The contract is to define what you are selling.  Setting down the terms of the business.

 

Real agents don’t advertise.  Real publishers don’t advertise.

 

You always get to keep your copyright.

 

Always read the fine print.

 

Publishers will not put publicity plans in contract, usually.

 

The publishing process will make you crazy.  The agent evens out the crazy.

 

Keep the email trail.  Goes along with record keeping.

 

Contracts can be added to.

 

Have to negotiate contract with agent without the help of an agent.  Best to use writer’s beware and peers to help with that.  There are boiler plate contracts to help, too.

[Note written in the margins — agentquery.com]

 

Self-publishing doesn’t usually lead to getting published through a publisher.