Interview with publisher tomorrow - please help

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Hyperbole

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I posted this in freelancing, but thought maybe this is the right spot?

A publisher I'd queried about an anthology emailed today and we have a phone appointment set for tomorrow. Please help me know what I should be prepared for.

Any advice, head's up, possible questions, etc, would be so appreciated.

Thanks!
 

aka eraser

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Did you send a proposal along with the query? If not, s/he probably just wants more details about the writers involved, the overall theme, your target market etc. If you're sold on the project, you've got a chance to communicate your enthusiasm and sell it to them. Chances are it's an acquisitions editor who'll be calling. Don't worry. They're just people too.

Sort of. ;)

Best of luck to you.
 

Hyperbole

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Hi there! It went well! She asked for a proposal to take to her acquisitions team next week! We're still months away from knowing whether or not it will happen, but this was the first step and it went well. Thanks!

So now, the proposal...
 

Hyperbole

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GREAT NEWS!

A thousand years ago, I asked for help in this forum, received excellent and supportive advice, and sent a book proposal.

And next week, I hammer out a contract.

I'm so excited! But I'm also really nervous. I'll have a conference call with the publisher and the editor assigned to my project. We haven't discussed anything, except that it will be a pretty quick turn-around (first manuscript due early May.)

I've worked with the company before, because they distribute an educational product for me. I trust them to be fair. But I've never had a book contract, so I need some advice.

I have a feeling they'd like to do a "work-for-hire" contract, which concerns me because I'm guessing I'd give up my copyright, and this is a subject I'd definitely write about in the future.

So what are questions I should ask them in the conference call? What terms should I ask for? I know I did some research about all this months ago, but now I've been away from writing for a while and I've forgotten a lot.

Any advice you'd be willing to share??? Thanks so much for your help!

And, in case people didn't know? AW rules.
 
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JennaGlatzer

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CONGRATS!!

Why do you think they're going to want work-for-hire? Is this a project based on their in-house idea, or yours? If it was your idea, there's no way they should request work-for-hire rights.

Do you have an agent or publishing attorney who's going to look over the contract? Especially if it's your first contract, I wouldn't "skimp" on that step. You really do need someone well-versed in contracts to look over it for you. There can be a lot of tricky language in book contracts.

But here's a primer:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/negotiating_book_contract.htm

Here are tips about negotiating over the phone: http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/phone_negotiating.htm

Here are some resources if you can't afford a lawyer: http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/contract.htm

Good luck! Let us know how it all goes!
 

Hyperbole

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Jenna - thank you for your response!

The project is my idea, but they've changed the format significantly, and have made it a series, of which I would only do one part out of eight. It will be the layman's explanation for research, and the research is their's. It's a niche market.

I have neither an agent NOR a publishing attorney. I would be completely willing to pay either one to look at the contract, but really don't know where to start. I live in the boondocks and have no IRL connections in the publishing world. From what I'm reading in the "ask the editor" thread, an agent won't take it unless there's a decent advance (doubtful;))

But if I should be looking for "publishing attorney", that will narrow my search considerably.

I appreciate the links as well and will read them carefully!!

On a personal note -- I'm very happy to have returned to the forum after several months, discovering a change of ownership, etc, but still your lovely face. I'm thrilled your pregnancy is going well.

Thank you again.
 
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