Susan Spann | Writers In The Storm

What to Look for in “Out of Print” Termination Clauses

Guest Blogger — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 11:00:23 +0000

Susan Spann The “out of print” clause is often one of an author’s only ways to terminate a publishing contract unilaterally (a legal term that means “one-sided”—and, in this case, means the author’s right to terminate without the publisher’s consent). Out of print clauses are not relevant to self-publishing, and should never appear in self-publishing […]

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The Legal Side of Writing for Anthologies

Guest Blogger — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 11:02:38 +0000

Susan Spann Anthologies are a popular way for authors to gain publishing credits, build an audience, and cross-pollinate readership with other writers in a genre. Anthologies may be traditionally-published, author-published (i.e., self-published, either by the entire group or by the author who edits the larger work), or organized by a charity or writers’ group (like […]

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How to Request A Reversion of Publishing Rights

Guest Blogger — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:00:26 +0000

Susan Spann As a publishing lawyer, I often hear from authors hoping to terminate old (or unfortunate) publishing contracts and obtain a reversion of rights to their works. Rights reversion is tricky, especially when the contract doesn’t give the author the right to terminate without the publisher’s agreement or approval. However, it’s important for authors […]

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10 Questions to Ask Before You Accept a Traditional Publishing Deal

Guest Blogger — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 12:01:04 +0000

Susan Spann The explosion of independent publishing houses in the U.S. and abroad makes it vital for authors to investigate publishers carefully before signing a contract. While even diligent research can't ensure you’ll avoid every possible problem, here are some questions to ask before you accept a traditional publishing deal: If the answer is "yes," […]

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Negotiating Options in Publishing Deals

Guest Blogger — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 12:00:38 +0000

Susan Spann “Option clauses” or “options,” are a provision in a publishing deal that gives the publishing house a “right of first refusal” on the author’s next work. While this initially sounds like a great idea – most authors want to continue being published – traditional option clauses often contain some traps that authors should […]

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Life After NaNoWriMo—What’s Next?

Guest Blogger — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Piper Bayard It’s December—the month after National Novel Writing Month. We blink our eyes and search around like the lights just came up in the bar. Or maybe our expressions are more like that look a cat gets when a kid puts a paper bag over it for a few minutes and then pops it […]

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How to Find Your Agent Match

Guest Blogger — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 12:00:18 +0000

Susan Spann While authors often obsess about getting any agent to represent them, in reality, writers should be concerned about finding the right agent—the one whose personality, business habits, and expectations are a match to the author’s own. The author-agent relationship is a partnership. Like any business relationship, its success is heavily dependent on the […]

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Pitch Your Novel Perfectly

Guest Blogger — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 11:00:16 +0000

Susan Spann In the publishing world, an "elevator pitch" is a one-sentence (under one minute) pitch an author gives an agent, editor, or reader in order to prompt interest in a manuscript or book. I've heard a lot of these over the years, and I help authors write (or revise) them in conference settings. In fact, […]

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Understanding Ebook Rights

Guest Blogger — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 11:00:00 +0000

Susan Spann Whether you publish traditionally or as an author-publisher, it’s critical to understand the rights you own—and the ones you give away (even temporarily) by contract. Otherwise, it’s impossible to tell if you’re getting an excellent deal, an industry-standard arrangement, or an offer you should walk (or run) away from. Today, let’s look at […]

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“Busting” Some Popular Copyright Myths

Guest Blogger — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 11:00:09 +0000

Susan Spann Copyright law can be confusing for authors, especially when it comes to issues like when (and whether) to register copyright in a manuscript, and what to do if you use a pseudonym. While authors need to understand the basics of copyright, myths and disinformation abound (especially on the Internet). Today, let’s take a look […]

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