Nothing makes an author happier than scoring a book deal. But before you sign on the dotted line, it’s important to read through a book contract with a fine-toothed comb.
While it’s a good idea to shell out some money to have a lawyer read the contract, it also helps to educate yourself about these contracts. As a resource guide, Mediabistro’s AvantGuild page has created a list of “The 7 Biggest Red Flags in Book Contracts.”
One red flag to look out for is the “second option clause.” Here is more from AvantGuild: “A ‘second option’ can sound like a dream. After all, that’s the publisher saying it wants a first peek at your next work of art, which is nice to hear when you haven’t started your first project yet. But this can also be a red flag, especially for authors working with smaller publishers. Why? Well, what if a bigger publisher wanted to offer you a more generous advance for that next title? If you sign over your second book option rights, you could miss out.”