You got an offer. You're crying. You signed. You did not read the rights reversion clause.
The misdiagnosisThe misdiagnosis is that contracts are too complex to read.
The real diagnosisYou don't have to read all of them. You have to read three pages closely. Rights reversion is one of them. Out of print clause is another. Option clause is the third. Skim the rest. Read those.
Three Contract Pages To Read Closely
| Clause | What To Look For | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rights reversion | Trigger conditions and time period | If you can never get the book back, you lose it forever. |
| Out of print | How 'out of print' is defined | Ebook keeps the book 'in print' indefinitely if you're not careful. |
| Option clause | What it covers | An option on your next book can lock you up. |
Three Things An Agent Should Negotiate
- A rights reversion floor (income or unit threshold).
- A non-circular out-of-print definition.
- An option clause limited by genre, not author.
The contract you don't read is the contract you signed against your future self.
Get a literary lawyer to look at a contract once, even for a small advance. Worth the fee.
The dare (not assignment)If you have a contract sitting around, read those three pages tonight. Not the rest. Just those.
Image promptA multi-page contract on a desk with a single page held up and circled in pink. Painterly. Cream and dark blue. No people.
— The Book Maven
