Contract overdue? How long before I should expect it?

missteddy16 · Jul 24, 2011

Hi there.

About a month ago an editor at one of the Big Ten publishers came forward with an offer for my book series. My agent hammered out the details for the contract over about a week's time. Since then, my editor and I have started revising my book, and a release date has been formally scheduled for 2012.

I'm just anxious because nothing has been memorialized in writing yet. Once my agent had finished negotiating the contract and my editor and I began revising, I sort of expected the contract to show up "any day" and so far it hasn't.

I know it's a legal document and those can take time, but surely a Big Ten publisher has a standard contract and it's mostly a "fill-in-the-blank" sort of deal?

Or am I being silly? It's sort of just the final step for me after this whole arduous process and of course I would like things to be official.

What's the average time-frame for these sorts of things? How long does it usually take for a contract to arrive in the mail?

Terie · Jul 24, 2011

These are questions you need to ask your agent. I don't think there's any such thing as an average time-frame. I've heard of quite a range of time-frames.

charmingbillie · Jul 24, 2011

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to eight months and possibly longer. The long timeframes are usually when the details are still being negotiated, though often there's been a verbal agreement and the writer is working with the editor. Contract departments are generally small (so I've been told) and can get backed up.

Do you know if the verbal agreement is just the basic terms (advance, royalties, # of books)? Are there still written contract details to be worked out? Because there's a difference between--we have a deal, you can work with the editor now and we've negotiated all the contract details and are ready for signatures.

So, I guess I'm echoing Terie. Talk to your agent.

ETA: Congratulations on your sale!

Cyia · Jul 24, 2011

The big publishers usually have a standard boiler plate, which your agent will likely want to alter to the best of his/her ability so that the terms fall more in your favor. Once it's negotiated, then the agent will go over it line-by-line, AFAIK, to make sure everything reads the way it's supposed to. Then you can sign it and send it back.

This is an excerpt from Kristin Nelson's blog about negotiating a contract with one of the big publishers:

Today we officially wrapped up our negotiations on the new Macmillan boilerplate contract. It only took 6 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days from start to finish. It was worth it to get a decent contract

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2011/05/tales-from-contract-wars.html

ChaosTitan · Jul 24, 2011

I think you mean Big Six (Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, Penguin, Hachette, Random House, HarperCollins are the Big Six houses).

A month is nothing. Contracts are sometimes handled in batches within the publishing house, which means your contract could be waiting in queue to be finalized and sent to your agent for approval, before they're sent to you for signatures. The entire process of negotiating the contract to you actually receiving the final copy with all signatures + advance check can take many months.

With my first novel, I'd already finished and returned the first round of revisions to my editor before I got the first copy of my contract.

agentpaper · Jul 24, 2011

ChaosTitan said:
With my first novel, I'd already finished and returned the first round of revisions to my editor before I got the first copy of my contract.

This. LOL. I finished first round revisions and have talked to my editor a thousand times, but have yet to sign the actual contract (the first copy came in just last week).

Cyia is right about agents going over it line-by-line, especially if the agency doesn't have a boiler-plate (what Kristen was talking about in the quote) in place with that house yet, but it's worth the wait to make sure everything is the way it's supposed to be.

But, like others have said, if you're worried, talk to your agent. (S)he will tell you if you need to worry or not.

Congratulations on the sale, however. And best of luck with everything else.

missteddy16 · Jul 24, 2011

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. I suppose I will just have to ask my agent. Sucks to hear how long these things take. Just found out I need to buy a new heating system for my house, and now it sounds like I'm going to have to ask for a loan to make it through the winter. Damn.

And I read somewhere about there being a Big Ten. Random House, McGraw Hill, Hachette, HarperCollins, Holtzbrinck, Scholastic, Pearson, Houghton Mifflin, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster.

Jamesaritchie · Jul 25, 2011

I've waited five months after everything was finalized. It can take time.

Becky Black · Jul 26, 2011

Now I'm glad my publisher is a small press mostly ePublishing house where the standard contract comes through in a couple of weeks, because waiting for months would send a fretter like me mad. I'd spend that whole time thinking that it wasn't really happening. Only the paper in my hand convinces me otherwise.

I spent several months last year with my mind repeating: "but, this isn't really going to happen, right? They're not really going to publish my book, are they?"

MercyMe · Jul 27, 2011

High anxiety....

Becky Black said:
waiting for months would send a fretter like me mad. I'd spend that whole time thinking that it wasn't really happening. Only the paper in my hand convinces me otherwise.

I spent several months last year with my mind repeating: "but, this isn't really going to happen, right? They're not really going to publish my book, are they?"

THIS.

My contract was negotiated and signed by me in Feb. but Agent and I are still waiting for them to sign and return.

Here's my question: My book is available for pre-order. Is this the usual practice without a contract? Or is it all cool because there's an agreement in place and no one has said otherwise at their end? I should add there hasn't been any editorial discussions.

Thanks to the original OP for posting her question and to the responders. I love AW. Love, love, love it.

Contract overdue? How long before I should expect it?

missteddy16

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

charmingbillie

Are we there yet?

Cyia

Rewriting My Destiny

ChaosTitan

Around

agentpaper

One of many

missteddy16

Jamesaritchie

Becky Black

Writing my way off the B Ark

MercyMe