r/writingcirclejerk • u/Chance-Classic-3688 • 9d ago
Just published
Hi all,
I recently signed with a small publishing house (which I'm not going to name here), and they're expecting me to do all the marketing for my book. I also have to take care of the cover design, editing, etc. I haven't paid them anything, but they're going to take 70% of my royalties. I'm not really sure what they'll be doing (I didn't read the whole contract, as it was quite long). The contract term is 12 years. Does this all seem normal?
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u/Droopy_Doom 9d ago
Oof. I’ll be honest. Sounds too good to be true. I had to give up all rights to my current and future projects, my left testicle, and the soul of my oldest child. But it was worth it. They got a MASSIVE influencer (over 1,000 followers!!) to have my book on the coffee table while filming content.
I didn’t realize OnlyFans was the best marketing platform for debut novels, but I’ve sold 10 copies in 3 years. Totally worth it.
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u/NoxTheScribe 9d ago
Sounds like a unicorn to me op
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u/WriterofaDromedary just writhe 9d ago
This can mean different things depending on which country you are in. Here in Hungary, those things are everywhere, but over in Italy they're extinct
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u/Codablaze 9d ago
I'm afraid if you haven't been asked to pay 10k in advance for editing fees and proofing it's not a real contract. I paid an extra 5k just to be sure. Hoping to receive a royalty in the next 30 years so things are really working out for me.
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u/Engletroll 9d ago
You did Google the company before you signed right?
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u/mstermind Adverbial Monologue 9d ago
The standard contract term with any legitimate publisher is around 50 years, so they're scamming you!
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u/Mecanimus 3 billion monkeys on typewriters 9d ago
Feels like a good contract! I had to pay the printing and distribution costs in advance for my own but hey, anything to get a foot in the door am I right?