tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post6438583872881762329..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Do you know enough to be querying: Quiz answersJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-38301032981093852042013-12-01T16:06:24.500-05:002013-12-01T16:06:24.500-05:00Great Q and A I knew maybe a couple the one that s...Great Q and A I knew maybe a couple the one that stumped me was paying back the advance the part that stumped me was if a author delivered an unpublishable book. Does that mean the author didn't edit the book, or failed to take certain suggestions from agent, publisher to tweak the manuscript better? Editing when an agent signs a author do agents edit or that part is up to author?Keisha Martin Romance Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04075320694648296594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-27785304362748316792013-12-01T00:26:58.540-05:002013-12-01T00:26:58.540-05:00Yo Furkley One,
No, #1 isn't a trick question....Yo Furkley One,<br />No, #1 isn't a trick question. "Sell" is the vernacular but "license" is the correct contract terminology. It's important to know they are two different things even though "sell" is used to describe the transfer more often than not.<br /><br />And yes, I don't like getting "done deals" because most often they're either lousy deals, or too small to make profitable.<br /><br />Yes, it's a crazy world.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-79648208111707698332013-11-30T23:23:42.858-05:002013-11-30T23:23:42.858-05:00Wooo 100%! Do we get extra credit for reading your...Wooo 100%! Do we get extra credit for reading your blog? :)Phoenixwallerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00896928536500926320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-40976919903446086152013-11-30T22:37:46.484-05:002013-11-30T22:37:46.484-05:00Thank you for the answer on the copyright issue. I...Thank you for the answer on the copyright issue. I see that question from time to time and will send them scampering here. The clause needs to be read in conjunction with other clauses to prevent the de facto transfer (a big problem in the bad old days of music.)<br /><br />TerriTerri Lynn Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07290316565247120848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-68687956666732530922013-11-30T15:26:09.413-05:002013-11-30T15:26:09.413-05:00Excellent advice, Janet. Thanks for that.
I have ...Excellent advice, Janet. Thanks for that.<br /><br />I have copy and pasted this post to my blog with a link back to you. I hope you do not object?Just Wendy https://www.blogger.com/profile/05268645629027109282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-34327981729764280902013-11-30T15:13:57.746-05:002013-11-30T15:13:57.746-05:00Janet,
In #1, you say that agents do not 'se...Janet, <br /><br />In #1, you say that agents do not 'sell' your work to publishers. In #9, you say agents are looking for work they can 'sell'. So isn't #1 a trick question?<br /><br />And in #10, you phrased it "...get an offer..." but your answer assumes the author accepted the offer. <br /><br />So, suppose an author sends a query and then a requested manuscript to a real publisher, and the publisher makes an offer. Would a query from the author to you would be <i>less</i> likely to receive favorable consideration than if the query came with no such offer outstanding?<br />Mister Furkleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07156977719916770984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57061327200481290702013-11-30T13:13:58.379-05:002013-11-30T13:13:58.379-05:00Terri, all major publishers license the book for t...Terri, all major publishers license the book for the life of copyright. There is a clause in the copyright law that allows for a one-time only renegotiation, but for anything more on that, we'd need to call the lawyers in to explain.<br /><br />What saves this from being eternal is the out of print clause. If a book isn't selling, the author has the right to ask for a reprint, or a new edition. If the publisher declines (as they would if the book is not selling) the contract allows the author to have the granted rights reverted.<br /><br />I've done this several times and it's a very straightforward matter.<br /><br />That's why it's important to have the out of print clause IN the contract of course.Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19309639562358436932013-11-30T11:22:21.666-05:002013-11-30T11:22:21.666-05:00OK, so I knew some of these, but most of them I wa...OK, so I knew some of these, but most of them I wasn't 100% certain of ("Mmm... that could be true, I suppose, but... maybe...?).<br /><br />The one that surprised me was #4. I've never looked through the classifieds for an agent, but now you mention it, I can't recall ever seeing an ad for a reputable agent in any of the media I consume. Now I know why! :)<br /><br />This was very interesting. Thanks, Janet.Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-53327528391062913032013-11-30T10:50:17.854-05:002013-11-30T10:50:17.854-05:00I tripped myself up on a couple by not reading the...I tripped myself up on a couple by not reading the question thoroughly. In my response I had discussed life of copyright contracts as de facto transfers. <br /><br />A very well-known erotica press, so well-known, it echoes in the caverns of romance and erotica and its well-muscled cover models can be seen hulking at major conferences, has this in its sub guidelines:<br /><br />"Length of grant of publishing rights: Life of copyright"<br /><br />I did not sub there just because of this caveat. Since I have no plans to go anywhere for several decades, this length of this contract is effectively 100+ years and is basically an outright sale, rather than a license. <br /><br />Thoughts? <br />Terri Lynn Coophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07290316565247120848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-89202248382680837992013-11-30T10:10:24.215-05:002013-11-30T10:10:24.215-05:0011. True or False: All literary agents have sleek ...11. True or False: All literary agents have sleek skin, beady eyes and swim in the darkness of publishing-depths best left unattended by writers?<br />FALSE only one.<br />Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-34598750210347862392013-11-30T10:08:27.672-05:002013-11-30T10:08:27.672-05:00Stripped of my chance to earn the OK TO QUERY dipl...Stripped of my chance to earn the OK TO QUERY diploma, I am now armed with the all embarrassing big red "F," and slinking back to my desk to study. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-47984369902934835462013-11-30T09:11:32.975-05:002013-11-30T09:11:32.975-05:00I knew a few but not enough for my liking...thank ...I knew a few but not enough for my liking...thank you for the 411.<br /><br />Makes a call to Mr. and Mrs. Google.<br /><br />cheers!french sojournhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14262858704848580714noreply@blogger.com