InkWell Management
Not sure if this is the right place for this post, so pls set me right if I need to go elsewhere with it.
Whilst looking for an agent who handles cross-genre materials, I came across InkWell. Here are their submission guidelines:
http://inkwellmanagement.com/contact/
There are a few things that raise a red flag to me, and I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this agency, or can comment on my concerns below. Perhaps these are standard sort of things that I've just never seen spelled out like InkWell does it.
First, I found it a bit odd that InkWell had a TOA for a submission. When I read it, I found this nugget:
<p>I further agree that (i) no confidential or fiduciary relationship exists between InkWell Management and me; [snip...] (iii) InkWell Management and/or any of its clients may use without obligation to me any material which is not legally protected; (iv) InkWell Management and/or any of its clients may have created, may create, or may otherwise have access to materials, ideas, and creative works which may be similar or identical to the Material with regard to theme, motif, plots, characters, formats, or other attributes; and (v) I shall not be entitled to any compensation because of the proposed use or use of any such similar or identical material that may be or may have been created by InkWell Management and/or any of its clients or that may have been created by InkWell Management and/or any of its clients that may have come to InkWell Management and/or any of its clients from any other independent source.</p>
Now, part of me understands that InkWell wants to protect itself should it have similar materials. And it does at the stipulation about "legally protected". Would copyright laws protect my work from this contract?
Then there's:
InkWell ... may have created, may create, or may otherwise have access to materials, ideas, and creative works which may be similar or
identical (//w - emphasis mine) to the Material with regard to theme, motif, plots, characters, formats, or other attributes
Yikes. I dunno but it seems like I'm giving away my "material". Am I?
TIA