contract check-up

contract check-up

submit your publishing agreement for detailed review
Have you received an offer for publication and need help evaluating it?   This is not a time to go solo.  Rarely are publishing agreements written with the writer's interests in mind; they are written to benefit the publisher.  Be sure your interests are paramount and your rights protected.  

Considering your offer, do you have questions such as:

First of all, congratulations; your work is desired and considered valuable in the marketplace.  

Now, a bit of important advice: Do not commit to anything at this point.  Do not discuss terms, conditions, and certainly not money.  

Next, take a deep breath, calmly tell them something along the lines of: “Thank you, I’m so pleased.  I’ll review your offer with my contract consultants, and get back to you as soon as possible.”  Then you have the time to take a good look at just what you've been offered and weigh its merits fairly.  Plus, they are now aware that you are a smart professional with expert advisors.  Negotiations have now shifted in your favor.  

Our experienced team of experts has reviewed hundreds of contracts over many years for writers.  As lawyers, agents, and editors they've worked intimately with U.S. and international publishing contracts and understand all their confusing language, shifty clauses, ups and downs, and ins and outs.  They know which clauses can be cut, which can be be changed, and which are career-busters or deal-breakers.  A few hundred dollars invested in information could save you thousands over the course of a contract.

Our Legal Advisors can review and interpret contracts from:

A comprehensive contract review will give you the confidence you need to deal with publishers knowledgably and effectively.

Just select your contract check-up in our bookstore, based on the length of the contract and thus the time required to review it.  Then answer a few questions about your publishing objectives, and send a pdf copy of your contract.  Within a couple of weeks we’ll send back a comprehensive review of your contract.


PLEASE NOTE: A contract check-up by augustwords.org should be utilized as a tool to help you in your publishing decisions but should not be considered a replacement for legal services by a licensed entertainment attorney.
“To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given the chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life.  The money is the gravy.  As everyone else, I love to dunk my crust in it.  But alone, it is not a diet designed to keep body and soul together.”
Bette Davis, The Lonely Life

WRITE WELL.  DO GOOD.

Each time you take advantage of our resources - like getting a contract check-up - we donate to writing and literacy charities such as writers conferences and reading programs. The more you do, the more good we can do, together.
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