~Dates: publication, street, and release
Dates: publication, street, and release
Publication date is when a book is available for retailer acquisition. Release date is the projected publication date. Street date is when customers can buy it. Pick these dates carefully.
The media considers your book publicity-worthy for just the first three months after its publication date. After that, it's old. So, six months to a year before publication, devote 15 minutes per day to promoting your book and coordinating with appropriate media lead times. At the six-month date, up the ante to a half-hour. At the three-month date, go up to an hour.
If possible, avoid a publication date after October 1; booksellers like to focus on books with holiday themes in the final three months. Use Publishers Lunch (www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/free/) and Publishers Weekly (www.publishersweekly.com/pw/home/index.HTML) to see when rival books come out. PW reviews books one to three months before their publication.
Researching
Save your work twice
Frequently back up your files on a USB disk, on Dropbox (www.dropbox.com), or elsewhere.
Note-clipping and bookmarking websites
If you have to interview people
· Record the interviews digitally if this is okay with the interviewee.
· Test your equipment beforehand.
· Let there be silent pauses. Silence brings extra insight as your subject fills up the space.
· For group interviews, six or seven is an optimum size. Over-recruit by as much as 20%.
Gather the following information:
· the interviewee's name spelled correctly
· the source of statistics or research data that the interviewee provides during the interview
· how the interviewee wants to be credited in your book, including their organization's name
· a signed release stating that you have the interviewee's permission to record the interview and to include excerpts within your book
Get an interview release
Obtain a signed release if the interview is lengthy, will be reprinted verbatim (for example, in a question and answer format), or if the subject matter of the interview is controversial. If the interview subject is willing to proceed but does not want to sign a release, ask if you can record their oral consent on audio or video.
It’s likely that a court will consider an interview to be of two separate works: one created by the interviewer’s questions and the other by the subject’s responses. These works may be protected under traditional copyright principles, or they may be protected under what’s referred to as common law copyright. Under the “two-separate works” approach, you would need permission to reproduce the subject’s answers.
Some argue that a better approach is that the interviewer and subject jointly create one work where the two are joint authors. Either author can use the interview for any purpose provided that the party using the interview accounts to the other for any profits.
An interview release is a hybrid agreement, part release and part license.
Template
Grant
For consideration that I acknowledge, I consent to the recording of my statements and grant to _______________ (your name) and (your name)'s assigns, licensees, and successors the right to copy, reproduce, and use all or a portion of the statements (the "Interview") for incorporation in the following work __________________ (the "Work").
I permit the use of all or a portion of the Interview in the Work in all forms and media including advertising and related promotion throughout the world and in perpetuity. I grant the right to use my image and name in connection with all uses of the Interview.
Release
I release (your name) and (your name)'s assigns, licensees, and successors from any claims that may arise regarding the use of the Interview including any claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, or infringement of moral rights, rights of publicity, or copyright. I acknowledge that I have no ownership rights in the Work.
(Your name) is not obligated to utilize the rights granted in this Agreement.
I have read and understood this agreement and I am over the age of 18. This Agreement expresses the complete understanding of the parties.
Name: Date:
Signature: Address:
Witness signature:
Parent/guardian
consent [Include if the person is under 18.]
I am the parent or guardian of the minor named above. I have the legal right to consent to and do consent to the terms and conditions of this release.
Parent/guardian name: Date:
Parent/guardian signature: Address:
Witness signature:
Referencing
Guard against a tendency towards over-referencing.
Do not use the automatic footnote function in Microsoft Word; that creates problems for your page-layout designer and book printer. Instead, label the footnote as such and type it in directly below the referring paragraph.
Endnotes versus in-text
Endnotes have a superscript number in your main text that links to a corresponding citation in a list at the end of the chapter. The numbers restart at 1 with each new chapter. On the second or subsequent citation of the same source in that chapter, just use the author’s surname, a shortened form of the book title, and the page number.
In-text referencing, also known as Harvard referencing, is when you spell out in your main text the author’s surname, publication date, and the page number with the supporting information, all enclosed in brackets. It might look like this in one of your paragraphs (Jones, 1999, p. 17). The rest of the in-text citation is in a single bibliography in the back of the book.
For either type of citation, place the information at the end of the corresponding sentence and not in its middle.
The advantage of endnotes is that it creates a clean-looking main text with only relatively unobtrusive in-text numbers. In-text referencing, however, lets you economize on space, something to keep in mind if you are self-publishing and your printing costs depend on the page total.
Reference style websites
University of Chicago style
· www.chicagomanualofstyle.org
·
www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/cmosfaq
APA style
· www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm
· https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
MLA style
· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_MLA_Style_Manual
· http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01
A referencing software program
Outlining
The more detailed your outline, the easier it will be to visualize and thus write your book.
Write each idea, topic, or subtopic on a separate index card, in MS Word’s outlining format, or on MS PowerPoint slides.
Outline in plain phrases with a maximum of ten words per numbered item. Use only words and phrases that would be suitable for a general newspaper readership. Eventually, your full written product may have to contain a few technical phrases, but in making the outline, you will have given every topic an ordinary, clear name. This makes you creatively simplify difficult concepts.
Lastly, find people who know your topic and have them review your outline.
If reviewing scholarly research
Categorize individual authors’ views by sub-themes. Doing so lets you avoid the awkwardness of starting sentences with an author’s name.
Crowdsourcing your outline
Once you have taken your best shot at an outline and a few contacts have reviewed it, place a copy on Google Docs and invite a few million friends to read it and send feedback. This is called crowdsourcing feedback. Do not allow comments in the Google Docs document because there will be too many. Instead, let people write in the comments area of the post.
This works for four reasons: (1) you're not paranoid; (2) if seeing your outline enables someone else to write a better book, you're doomed anyway; (3) total strangers often provide the best ideas; and (4) this is a great way to build buzz for the book. Also, the people who participate have "invested" in it, so they want it to succeed. This is key when you have to market your book.
Permissions
If you wish to use excerpts from others’ works, including their artworks, you must receive permission from their publisher in writing. Aim to get this written permission whenever you have someone else’s excerpt in your work. A publisher will likely refrain from publishing your book until they have all your permission forms.
Obtaining copyright
permissions takes a long time, so do this early on. It can take anywhere from
one to three months, and repeated follow-up will probably be necessary. It is
more difficult and more expensive to obtain permission after a book is
complete. If the copyright owner becomes aware that you have a vested interest
in obtaining permission (for example, your book is already in production), the
price may rise. In addition, if you can’t obtain permission, you’ll have to
redo the work, which is expensive and time consuming.
If you have a lot of
permissions, sort them by criticality. For the top-priority ones, get all
sourcing, contact information, prices, and necessary forms as early as
possible. This lets you estimate total costs and see how much you'll have left
for the others.
Your agreement may
give you the right to use the work without actually buying it (a “license”), or
it may be a promise that the owner will not sue you for an unauthorized use (a
“release”). You may find that a license or permission agreement is referred to
as a “clearance agreement.” “Clearance” describes the process by which
permission is granted. In contrast, buying the copyrights to a creative work
(known in legal terms as a copyright assignment) gives you all the rights to
the work as if you were the original copyright owner.
Steps for obtaining permission
1. Clearly and specifically identify what material you want to use and how you want to use it.
2. Determine if permission is needed or if it is fair use.
3. If permission is needed, identify the owner and the rights needed.
4. Send a permission request letter to the publisher or rights holder. Be as specific as possible. Have issue dates or page numbers.
5. You and the publisher or rights holder negotiate a permission fee, if any.
6. Finally, get a signed permission agreement in writing. Your permission request letter may do, or you may need to draft a separate permission agreement.
No permission needed
Facts and fact-based theories
You don’t need to
ask for permission if you are using facts or fact-based theories themselves.
However, you cannot copy the unique words by which a writer expresses these
facts.
Works in the Creative Commons
Creative Commons (www.creativecommons.org), a nonprofit, supports the free exchange of
copyrighted materials, which eliminates the need for permissions for many uses.
If you see text, photos, or artwork marked with the Creative Commons logo (two
“c’s” in a circle), you can reproduce and modify the material in multiple ways,
provided you abide by the license requirements. These artists have decided that
they will enforce their copyrights only in certain situations. To see how
Creative Commons works, go to http://mirrors.creativecommons.org.
Start at the
Creative Commons Search page (http://search.creativecommons.org). Although
Creative Commons does not operate a search engine, it links to other search
engines. Before searching, you can say how the material will be used, which affects
the quantity of your results.
Do not assume that
materials labeled “copyright-free” can be distributed or copied without
authorization. Read carefully the terms in any “Click to Accept” agreements
(often called click-wrap agreements) or “Read Me” files ordinarily accompanying
such materials.
Works in the public domain
No permission is
required if the work is in the public domain. Works arrive in the public domain
through four ways:
• the copyright has
expired
• the copyright
owner failed to follow copyright renewal rules
• the copyright
owner deliberately places it in the public domain, known as “dedication,” or
• copyright law does
not protect this type of work.
A work is not in the
public domain simply because it has been posted on the Internet (a popular
fallacy) or because it lacks a copyright notice (another myth).
No one can ever
acquire copyright ownership for a work in the public domain.
Excerpts that qualify for “fair use”
Fair use allows the
reproduction of copyrighted material for certain purposes without obtaining
permission and without paying a fee or royalty. Purposes permitting the
application of fair use include review, news reporting, teaching, or scholarly
research. The limits are not always clear. Factors include the size or extent
of the passage or material reproduced, the length of time for which the
material will be used, the number of copies of the reproduced work that will be
distributed, and the effect of the use on the market value of the original
copyrighted work.
Unpublished or out-of-print: permission still needed
The copyright rules
for unpublished works depend on if and when the author died, and, in the event
the work was ultimately published, the date of publication. Publication occurs
for copyright purposes when the copyright owner, or someone acting with their
authority, distributes one or more copies of the work to the general public or
offers the work for distribution, public display, or public performance. Copies
do not need to be sold for publication to occur—they can be leased, rented,
loaned, or even given away, so long as the work has been made available to the
general public. Publication does not occur when copies of the work are made but
not distributed.
As for out-of-print works,
the copyright may still be enforceable. Authors often own the rights to their
out-of-print works because contracts often return the rights to them if the
publisher stops selling the book.
Contacting the owner for permission
Knowing the name of
the author will help you find the owner in the Copyright Office records. Often
the author retains copyright ownership but grants exclusive rights to a
publisher. So even though the book’s title page says Copyright 2009 (author's
name), the publisher still controls all rights and can even file an application
for copyright registration as the owner of these rights. To see who owns what,
ask the publisher. If the publisher doesn’t own the rights you need, they may
be able to put you in contact with the author by forwarding your request to either
the author or, if the author is deceased, the author’s estate.
Start with online permission services
The Copyright
Clearance Center (CCC) (www.copyright.com) has simplified the process of obtaining
permissions, at least for text. By using them, you might avoid having to contact
or search for the copyright owner. You only need to identify the textual work
and complete a form. If the work is part of the service’s online database, you can
usually obtain permission within one or two days (sometimes immediately) and
pay for the rights you need by credit card. Acting as the agent and broker for
publishers and authors, these permission services allow you to pick and click
your way through millions of works, including books and journal and magazine
articles.
To use the CCC’s service, visit the website and create an account. Most likely you’ll want a pay-per-go account and not an annual subscription. When you find the material you’re seeking, CCC will provide you with the terms for licensing or, if necessary, a direct contact to the rights holder to negotiate terms, which occurs when CCC handles some, but not all rights for a publisher.
Other ways to find the owner
Contact information for book publishers can be found in publications such as Books in Print, Literary Market Place, and International Literary Market Place, all published by R.R. Bowker (www.bowker.com). To find periodical publishers, see The National Directory of Magazines and The Standard Periodical Directory, both published by Oxbridge Communications (www.mediafinder.com). For academic publishers, see The Association of American University Presses Directory, published by the University of Chicago Press (www.press.uchicago.edu). You might find an author using the Author’s Registry (www.authorsregistry.org), which has a directory of authors and will search for one or two names, usually for free. Also, the University of Texas (http://tyler.hrc.utexas.edu) maintains a searchable database entitled WATCH (Writers, Artists, and Their Copyright Holders).
If more than one author or publisher
You will need to get
permission from only author—provided that your use is non-exclusive and for
U.S. or North American rights. You will need permission from all of the
coauthors if you want to use the text on a worldwide basis since some countries
require consent of all co-owners.
If there is more
than one publisher, find out who controls the right to reprint the work in
another publication, known as reprint rights. The one who has these rights is
known as the primary rights holder. Often, the first publisher is the primary
rights holder. For a book, this is usually the hardcover publisher.
When you can’t find the owner
Document your
efforts and consider using the material without permission in a fair-use
fashion. If the rights holder finds out about your use, you may receive a
letter demanding that you stop using the material (known as a “cease and desist
letter”).
Before you use any
material without permission, answer two questions:
1. How likely is it
that the rights holder will see your work?
2. What is your
potential legal liability if you are subject to a claim of copyright
infringement?
Consider the
following risk factors when proceeding without permission:
· The investment in the project using the copyrighted work: The more money spent on your project, the greater the risk is that you must halt publication. It may not be worth risking a $100,000 project for the sake of using one unauthorized illustration.
· The diligence of your copyright search: The more diligently you searched and documented it, the less risk. A thorough search shows that you acted in good faith and may demonstrate that it wasn’t possible to locate the copyright owner.
· The nature of your work and how easy it would be to remove the offending portion
· The nature of the copyrighted portion and how easy it is to replace
Determining the fees for usage
· The number of copies to be printed: Pricing is often calculated at print runs of 5,000, 10,000, and 100,000 copies.
· The price of the book
· Territorial and language rights: World rights may cost double or triple the cost of U.S. rights alone. A rights holder may charge 25% more for permission to reprint in a second language.
· Whether the use is for a nonprofit purpose
· Placement of the text within the book: For example, a half-column quote placed at the beginning of a chapter or book may result in a higher fee.
How to minimize or negate them
Sometimes, the owner
of the work will not require payment if the amount you wish to use is small or
if the owner wishes to contribute to an educational or nonprofit effort.
Don't assume you
will have to pay. Some will give you the piece of material for free. However,
even if you get someone's permission for free, you still need his signature on
the agreement form. If you are asked to pay, don't do so until you're sure
what's going in your book. This way, you won't pay for a definite inclusion
that turns out to be an unlikely one.
Seek a one-time nonexclusive use as long as you are not planning to write future editions or different versions of your work. Also, narrow your permission request. For example, don’t ask for “worldwide rights, all languages” if you only need “United States rights, English.”
Be sure to acquire multiple items from one publisher as opposed to one item from many. You can reduce your per-item fee by licensing more than one work from the same publisher.
Lastly, pay up front. Try to lower the fee by offering to pay now instead of in 30 or 60 days.
The agreement letter
Common variables of
the agreement
Your permissions
agreement will need to deal with three common variables: exclusivity, term, and
territory.
Exclusive or
nonexclusive
All permission
agreements are either exclusive or nonexclusive. It is exclusive if you are the
only person who has the right to use the work as described in the agreement.
For example, if you enter into an agreement with the owner of a photograph for
the exclusive use of the photograph in a cookbook, no one else could use the
photograph in another cookbook. Most permission requests are nonexclusive,
meaning others can use the material in the same way as you.
Term of use
The length of time
for which you are allowed to use a work is often referred to as the “term.”
Your rights under a permission agreement will often be limited in duration. In
reality, the copyright owner can only grant permission for as long as the
owner’s copyright protection lasts. After that, anyone can use the material
without permission.
Territory
Your rights under a
permission agreement may be limited to a geographic region, referred to as the
“territory.” For example, the copyright owner of a book may grant you
permission to reprint a chapter only in the U.S. and Canada.
When dealing with
U.S. publishers, unless you specifically ask for reprint rights in a foreign
language, you will only be given the right to reprint the work in English in
the territory specified. This means, for example, that acquiring “world” rights
is not the same as acquiring rights in all languages. It just means you have
the right to publish the work in English throughout the world.
The primary rights
holder may only control rights in one country. If you intend to reproduce a
work outside that country, you may need to seek additional permission. For
example, one rights holder may have the right to publish a work in the U.S.,
another in Great Britain, and yet another in Canada. If the work for which
you’re seeking permission will be distributed in the U.S., Britain, and Canada,
you will need permission from all three rights holders. The primary rights
holder can often lead you to foreign rights holders.
Other important
sections:
· Acknowledgements: Your agreement may require that you include certain credit information along with the photo, text, or artwork. Make sure that your credits conform to the requirements of your agreement.
· Warranty: This is a contractual promise made by the licensor. Some licensors don’t want to make promises, particularly promises that the work does not infringe any third parties’ copyright or other rights. You may have to modify the Warranty section or strike it entirely if the licensor objects.
Cover-letter template for text permission agreement
Date:
Dear (their name):
I am writing a book
titled ________, which _________ (your publisher) plans to publish in _______
(the season and year of publication).
The book will retail for about _____ (price). I request your permission to include an
excerpt/excerpts of your book, (book title), and I am enclosing a form for it
with all of the specifics. I can also send you a copy of the page of my text to
show you the context of how I plan to use your material.
I look forward to
receiving your permission and giving your material greater exposure. Please
indicate the acknowledgement you wish printed in the book.
I've enclosed two
copies of the permission agreement itself, and a stamped, self-addressed
envelope. Please sign one copy and
return it in the stamped envelope, and keep the other copy for your records. I
thank you in advance for your cooperation and prompt response.
Sincerely,
(your signature)
(your name printed)
Enc.
Text permission agreement template
______________
("Licensor") is the owner of rights for certain textual material
defined below (the "Selection"). _________ ("Licensee")
wants to acquire the right to use the Selection as specified in this agreement
(the "Agreement").
Licensor Information
Title of Text (the
"Selection"):
Author:
Source publication
(or product from which it came):
If from a
periodical, the ISSN, volume, issue, and date:
If from a book, the
ISBN:
If from the
Internet, the entire URL:
Number of pages or
actual page numbers to be used:
If you are not the copyright holder or if worldwide rights must be obtained elsewhere, please indicate that information:
Licensee Publication
Information
The Selection will
appear in the following publication(s) (the "Work"):
(Check if applicable
and fill in blanks.)
[ ]
book--title: [ ] periodical--title:
[ ]
event handout--title of event: [ ] website--URL:
[ ]
diskette--title:
Name of publisher or
sponsor:
Author(s):
Estimated date(s) of
publication or posting:
Estimated number of
copies to be printed or produced (if a book, estimated first print run):
If for sale, the
price: $
If copies are free
to attendees of a program, the cost of program:
If website, the URL: Estimated monthly hits:
Posting date: Rights needed:
Grant of Rights
Licensor grants to
Licensee and Licensee's successors and assigns, the:
(Select one)
[ ] nonexclusive [ ] exclusive
right to reproduce
and distribute the Selection in:
(Select all that
apply)
[ ]
the current edition of the Work
[ ]
all editions of the Work
[ ]
all foreign language versions of the Work [ ] all derivative versions of the Work
[ ]
all media now known or later devised
[ ]
promotional materials published and distributed in conjunction with the
Work
[ ]
other rights
Territory
The rights granted
under this Agreement shall be for ________________ (the "Territory").
Fees
Licensee shall pay
Licensor as follows: (select one and fill in appropriate blanks)
[ ] Flat Fee
Licensee shall pay
Licensor a flat fee of $__________ as full payment for all rights granted.
Payment shall be
made:
[ ]
upon execution of this Agreement [
] upon publication
[ ] Royalties and Advance
Licensee agrees to
pay Licensor a royalty of _____ per ebook sold and ___ per printed book sold.
Licensee shall pay
Licensor within 30 days after the end of each quarter. Licensee shall furnish
an accurate statement of sales during that quarter.
Credit &
Samples
(Check if applicable
and fill in blanks)
[ ]
Credit
All versions of the
Work that include the Selection shall contain the following statement:
[ ]
Samples
Upon publication,
Licensee shall furnish ____________ copies of the Work to Licensor.
Warranty
Licensor warrants
that it has the right to grant permission for the uses of the Selection as
specified above and that the Selection does not infringe the rights of any
third parties.
Miscellaneous
This Agreement may
not be amended except in a written document signed by both parties. If a court
finds any provision of this Agreement invalid or unenforceable, the remainder
of this Agreement shall be interpreted so as best to affect the intent of the
parties. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with
the laws of the State of _______________.
This Agreement
expresses the complete understanding of the parties with respect to the subject
matter and supersedes all prior representations and understandings.
Licensor's Approval
of Request
I warrant that I am the owner of rights for the Selection and have the right to grant the permission to republish the materials as specified above.
Licensor
Signature: By:
Title: Address:
Date:
Licensee
By: Name:
Title: Address:
Date: Tax ID #:
Photo permission agreement template
___________________
("Licensor") is the owner of rights for the photograph described
below (the "Selection"). _________ ("Licensee") wants to
acquire the right to use the Selection as specified in this agreement (the
"Agreement").
Licensor information
Title of work (the
"Selection"):
Catalogue number (if
applicable):
Photographer:
Licensee publication information
The Selection will
appear in the following publication(s) (the "Work"):
(Check if applicable
and fill in blanks)
[ ] book--title: [ ] periodical--title:
[ ] event handout--title of event: [ ] diskette--title:
[ ] website--URL:
If to be used on a
website, the Selection will appear on:
(check if applicable)
[ ]
home page [ ]
internal page
Name of publisher or
sponsor (if different from Licensee):
Estimated date(s) of
publication or posting:
If applicable, the
estimated number of copies to be printed or produced (if a book, the estimated
first print run):
If for sale, the
price:
If copies are free
to attendees of a program, the cost of program:
If a website, the
average number of visitors per month:
Grant of rights
Licensor grants to
Licensee and Licensee's successors and assigns, the:
(Select one)
[ ] nonexclusive [ ] exclusive
Right to reproduce
and distribute the Selection in
(Select all that
apply)
[ ] the current edition of the Work [ ] all editions of the
Work
[ ] all foreign language versions of the Work [
] all derivative versions of the Work
[ ] all media now known or later devised
[ ] promotional materials published and
distributed in conjunction with the Work
[ ] other rights __________________________________
Territory
The rights granted
under this Agreement shall be for ___________________ (the
"Territory").
Fees
Licensee shall pay
Licensor as follows:
(Select payment
option and fill in blanks)
[ ] Flat
fee
As full payment for
all rights granted, Licensee shall pay Licensor a flat fee of:
Payment shall be
made:
[ ] upon execution of this Agreement [
] upon publication
[ ] Royalties
and advance
Licensee agrees to
pay Licensor a royalty of _____ per ebook sold and ___ per printed book sold.
Licensee shall pay
Licensor within 30 days after the end of each quarter. Licensee shall furnish
an accurate statement of sales during that quarter.
Credit & Samples
(Check if applicable
and fill in blanks)
[ ] Credit:
All versions of the Work that include the Selection shall contain
the following statement:
[ ] Samples:
Upon publication, Licensee shall furnish __ copies of the Work to
Licensor.
Warranty
Licensor warrants
that it has the right to grant permission for the uses of the Selection as
specified above and that the Selection does not infringe the rights of any
third parties.
(Check if
applicable)
[ ] Licensor warrants that a model release is
on file for the Selection.
Miscellaneous
This Agreement may
not be amended except in a written document signed by both parties. If a court
finds any provision of this Agreement invalid or unenforceable, the remainder
of this Agreement shall be interpreted so as best to affect the intent of the parties.
This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws
of the State of ________________.
This Agreement
expresses the complete understanding of the parties with respect to the subject
matter and supersedes all prior representations and understandings.
Licensor
By: Name:
Title: Address:
Date:
Licensee
By: Name:
Title: Address:
Date: Tax
ID #:
Artwork permission agreement template
________________________
("Licensor") is the owner of rights for the artwork described below
(the "Selection"). ________________________ ("Licensee")
wants to acquire the right to use the Selection as specified in this agreement
(the "Agreement").
Licensor information
Title of work (the
"Selection"):
Catalogue number (if
applicable):
Artist:
Licensee publication information
The Selection will
appear in the following publication(s) (the "Work"):
(Check if applicable
and fill in blanks.)
[ ]
book--title:
[ ]
periodical--title:
[ ]
event handout--title of event:
[ ]
diskette--title
[ ]
website--URL:
If to be used on a
website, the Selection will appear on:
(Check if
applicable.)
[ ] home page
[ ] internal page
Name of publisher or
sponsor (if different from Licensee):
Estimated date(s) of
publication or posting:
If applicable, the
estimated number of copies to be printed or produced (if a book, the estimated
first print run):
If for sale, the
price:
If copies are free
to attendees of a program, the cost of program:
If a website, the
average number of visitors per month:
Grant of rights
Licensor grants to
Licensee and Licensee's successors and assigns, the
(Select one)
[ ] nonexclusive [ ]
exclusive
right to reproduce
and distribute the Selection in:
(Select all that
apply)
[ ]
the current edition of the Work
[ ]
all editions of the Work
[ ]
all foreign language versions of the Work [ ] all derivative versions of the Work
[ ]
all media now known or later devised
[ ]
promotional materials published and distributed in conjunction with the
Work
[ ]
other rights _________________________________
Territory
The rights granted
under this Agreement shall be for _____________________ (the
"Territory").
Fees
Licensee shall pay
Licensor as follows:
(Select payment
option and fill in blanks.)
[ ] Flat fee:
As full payment for
all rights granted, Licensee shall pay Licensor a flat fee of:
Payment shall be
made:
[ ] upon execution of this Agreement [
] upon publication
[ ] Royalties
and advance: Licensee agrees to pay Licensor a royalty of ______% of net
sales.
Licensee agrees to
pay Licensor a royalty of _____ per ebook sold and ___ per printed book sold.
Licensee shall pay
Licensor within 30 days after the end of each quarter. Licensee shall furnish
an accurate statement of sales during that quarter.
Credit & Samples
(Check if applicable
and fill in blanks)
[ ] Credit:
All versions of the Work that include the Selection shall contain the following
statement: ___________________________________________________
[ ] Samples:
Upon publication, Licensee shall furnish _______________ copies of the
Work to Licensor.
Licensor’s Approval of Request
Licensor warrants
that it has the right to grant permission for the uses of the Selection as
specified above and that the Selection does not infringe the rights of any
third parties.
(Check if
applicable)
[ ] Licensor warrants that a model release is
on file for the Selection.
Miscellaneous
This Agreement may
not be amended except in a written document signed by both parties. If a court
finds any provision of this Agreement invalid or unenforceable, the remainder
of this Agreement shall be interpreted so as best to affect the intent of the
parties. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with
the laws of the State of _________________.
This Agreement
expresses the complete understanding of the parties with respect to the subject
matter and supersedes all prior representations and understandings.
Licensor
By: Name:
Title: Address:
Date:
Licensee
By: Name:
Title: Address:
Date: Tax
ID #:
Permissions tracking sheet
If you are requesting a lot of permissions, use a calendar to track renewals, payments, or samples that must be furnished for approval.
PTN (Permission Tracking Number)
Create a number for each permission use, adopting a coding system that reflects the project name. The numbers do not have to be in the order in which the works are used or acquired. What is important is that each permission use has its own PTN.
Type of work
Insert the type of work for which you have gotten permission—for example, photograph or text.
Title
Insert the title of the work.
Source
If you’re using a work originally printed in another work—for example, a photograph within a book—insert the title of the source work. For works from serial publications, such as a magazine or journal, list the title and volume or issue number. If the work is from a website, list the URL.
Identifying numbers
Many works are identified by code numbers such as the ISBN, ISSN, LCCN, or Dewey Decimal numbers for textual works.
Author(s)
Insert the name of the author (the person who created the work).
Owner and contact information
Insert all contact information for the copyright owner, including the right person to contact (such as a manager or agent, if the owner has one), address, phone number, and email.
Payments due
If a payment is required, insert the terms of payment here—for example, “$50 per year”—and list when payment is due.
Payments made
When payment is made, insert the date and the method of payment, such as check or credit card. If paid by check, include the check number.
Credit required
If the copyright owner requires that a credit line be included, insert the type of credit here—for example, “Photograph copyright Prudence O’Neal.”
Sample approval / complimentary copies
In some cases, the owner has a right to approve samples prior to production or the owner is entitled to complimentary copies. If either samples or complimentary copies are required per your agreement, insert that information and the name of the recipient.
Rights acquired
List the rights you acquired under the permission agreement. Your primary concerns are exclusivity, territory, language, and term (or length of use). For example, the rights acquired might be stated as: “Nonexclusive English language rights for four years.”
- WAKE UP WITH DETERMINATION. GO TO BED WITH SATISFACTION.
- SOMETIMES LATER BECOMES NEVER. DO IT NOW.
- THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TO FOCUS ON GOALS, NOT OBSTACLES.
- GREAT THINGS NEVER COME FROM COMFORT ZONES.
- DON’T STOP WHEN YOU’RE TIRED. STOP WHEN YOU’RE DONE.
- DON’T STOP WHEN YOU’RE TIRED. STOP WHEN YOU’RE DONE.
- SKETCH BOOK
- STORYBOARD
- MERMAID COLORING BOOK FOR KIDS
- BILL REMINDER
- TODAY'S THOUGHTS
- WINE JOURNAL
- GUITAR TABS
- CHAKRA
Storage
Keep the signed permission forms that you receive in a safe place. If anyone wants to see them, make and send copies.
Drafting
Put "AWFUL FIRST DRAFT" in big letters at the beginning of everything you start. This will encourage you to write without worrying about perfection.
Never sit with a sentence longer than five minutes. Accept that you're stuck and come back later. You'll be amazed at how often the fix seems obvious. Along this line, once you've completed your first draft, let it sit for a week to a month. When you return, many of the remaining problems will be easy to solve, and you will have a fresh perspective for the editing stage.
Vomit it out. Once your outline and research is complete, you're ready for "vomiting." Write as much as possible as quickly as possible before you forget anything or lose trains of thought. Most of the writing will change, and you'll throw away a lot of it, but this is OK for now.
In your darkest, most frustrated hours, remember the value you are trying to add to peoples' lives, the satisfaction you'll feel, or the cause that you'll further. The path to a finished book is not a smooth or a straight line, but the end result will make you forget the pain. Finishing a book is similar to giving birth: You need to keep pushing.
Tell the world you're writing a book, not that you're thinking of writing a book. People will start asking how it's progressing and when it will hit shelves and websites. If you don't finish it, you'll have to admit defeat in a public manner. Peer accountability is a powerful tool when you feel like giving up; there will be days you'll feel this way.
Write every day. The habit of writing every day controls doubt and prevents quitting. Maybe it's only writing a paragraph, massaging your outline, or refining your vomit. Come hell or high water, write every day, even if it's only for five minutes.
Have a spectacular first page
The very first sentence, paragraph, and page of your manuscript need to be spectacular. Count on having one minute to capture someone's attention. Start with a story, a quotation, a paradox, or a problem in clear terms. What is the "story" of your book? What's compelling you to write it?
Opening and ending non-fiction chapters
Open with lead-in material to frame and situate the analysis to come. Then briefly mention the sequence of topics in the chapter. For each chapter’s ending, draw out the conclusions of your analysis and the implications. Then link back from this chapter to the opening one, and possibly to other preceding chapters, before connecting this chapter to the next one.
Supplying supplemental info
Sidebars
A sidebar is a chapter’s subsection that lets you go off on a tangent or highlight content that deserves more attention, such as an example, short anecdote, short interview, or other information that doesn't flow with the body but is still relevant. Keep it to a page.
Lists
Lists are a kind of
sidebar and can summarize or build on the chapter’s main points in a concise
and memorable way. Some classic ones are dos and don’ts. Keep your points to
nine, either for body text or for items in a table. Otherwise, create
sub-groups.
Resource boxes
Resource boxes often
appear at the end of a chapter and point readers to where they can find more
information on a topic. They can contain website addresses, books and other
publications on the topic, or lists of organizations.
Helpful graphic icons
If you are explaining a process, you may want to use graphic icons, such as those in the popular self-help books. Here are some examples:
· flying automobiles – something that could conceivably happen in the future
· guns drawn – a contentious point between different groups of people
· tassel - scholarly research from scientists or academics that supports the point
· light bulb - an idea possibility
Formatting
· Between sentences, type one space only, never two.
· Make your text justified with even edges at the left and right margins.
· Avoid widows and orphans - isolated lines at the top or bottom of the page.
· Indent all paragraphs half an inch except the one below a heading or a list of items, which should be flush left.
Margins
Most printers want 1/4" of white space inside your trim lines. If you go closer, it's called a bleed. This can get expensive on your interior pages. On your cover, you'll usually have a color or image bleed, but many printers require any text to be 1/4" away from the trim line there as well.
Capitalizing titles and headings
Use headline-style capitalization for titles and subtitles. This means capitalizing the first word, last word, and every noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, and adverb. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions shorter than five letters, and conjunctions. Follow these rules for your title page, book listing, and cover.
Metric forms
Use the metric form with American equivalents in parentheses.
Tables
For tables, order data numerically when possible and use three or four “effective digits” for each entry. For example, with three effective numbers, 1,346,899 would become 1,350,000 or 1.35 million.
Fonts and size for the body and headings
Serifs and sans serifs are the two major font types. Serifs are easier to read for the body of your text because the little hooks on them hold the eye on the line. Garamond is a good font for body text. Sans serif fonts use less curves and embellishments and are great for headings. Georgia is a good choice. Many printers don't accept manuscripts in Times New Roman or Arial.
Your fonts must be compatible with the technology of your book printer.
As for size, use 10 or 12 point for the body text. Chapter titles and headings should be larger and bolded or italicized. A good style hierarchy for headings: Level 1: bold, italics, 17 point; Level 2: bold, 15-point; Level 3: bold, 10-point.
Running heads
For non-fiction, put the book's title on the left side and the chapter title on the right. For fiction, put your name on the left side and the book title on the right side. Running heads are not on the first page of a chapter, which is usually odd-numbered and on the right-hand side of the book.
First letters of a chapter
You may want to alter the font and/or size of the first words or letters at the beginning of the first paragraph of each chapter. For non-fiction you can also include a graphic and/or a short paragraph that says what that chapter is about.
Proper ordering of sections
Front matter (in order)
Refer to "The Chicago Manual of Style" to ensure that your front matter is correct.
1. The half-title page consists only of the main title; omit the subtitle and your name. (Page i)
2. The back (verso) of the half-title page is blank unless the book is part of a series, in which case you would list the title, volume, name of general editor, and titles of previous works in the series.
3. The second page on the right (recto) is the title page. Include the title, subtitle if any, your full name, the publishing house name, and its address. Also include the names of the illustrator, editor, photographer, and foreword writer if any of these people are well-known or otherwise important to the book. (Page iii)
4. Copyright page (recto verso): The copyright page is on the back of the title page. See the sample copyright page below. You must list the name and address of the publisher. If you are self-publishing, get a post office box or use the address of your book printer. Do not mention your home address.
Unless otherwise required under your permission agreement, you can group credits together on the copyright page. For example: “Elvis’s Toothbrush” originally appeared in Meet the Stars © 1985, by Missy Laws. Reprinted by permission of Ross Books.
The copyright page is page iv.
5. Dedication (optional)
6. Epigraph (optional) – An epigraph is a quotation that is pertinent but not integral to the text. It appears facing the Table of Contents, or facing the first page of text. Epigraphs can also be used at the beginning of each chapter.
7. Table of Contents (begins on the next right page)
8. List of Figures (illustrations): Include a list of all figures, their titles, and their page numbers.
9. List of Tables (including checklists): Ditto.
10. Foreword (optional): Keep the left page blank, and put this on the right page. Someone else writes the foreword as an introduction to your book. It describes some of the reasons why the book may be of interest to the reader, and it is usually between one to five pages. The foreword is always signed, usually with that writer’s name, place and date.
Obtain written permission from the foreword writer.
11. Preface (optional): Keep the left page blank, and put this on the right page. The preface is similar to a foreword except that you write it. Your book can have both a preface and a foreword, but this is not common. The preface sets the tone of the book and tells the reader what to expect. It is often signed with the author’s name, place, and date, but this is not always the case.
12. Acknowledgements (if not part of the preface): Keep the left page blank, and put this on the right page. One to two paragraphs is standard. Be nice in your acknowledgements, and acknowledge all permissions here.
13. Introduction (if not part of the text) (optional): The introduction you can write in the first person. Provide the reader with the book’s purpose, your goals, your intended audience, an overview, and a summary of core knowledge that readers need before continuing.
14. Prologue (for fiction): The prologue sets the scene for the story and is told in the voice of a character from the book, not the author’s voice.
15. List of Acronyms: Only use acronyms for specialized concepts that recur a lot (at least three or four times) and choose the simplest form possible.
16. Second Half Title: If the front matter is extensive, a second half title, identical to the first, can be added before the beginning of the text. The page following is usually blank but may contain an illustration or an epigraph.
Sample copyright page (recto verso)
(Copyright symbol) (Year) (Your name). All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system - except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Web - without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, please contact (Publishing company's name and address).
Cover design by (name):
Interior design by (name):
Author photo (copyright symbol) name:
Permissions and other credits:
Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Any slights of people, places, or organizations are unintentional.
Printed and bound in (country):
(# of printing - First, Second, Third, etc.) printing (year):
ISBN:
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) (if applicable):
LCCN:
ATTENTION CORPORATIONS, UNIVERSITIES, COLLEGES, AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: Discounts are available on bulk purchases of this book for educational, gift purposes, or as premiums for increasing magazine subscriptions or renewals. Special books or book excerpts can also be created to fit specific needs. For information please contact (Publishing company's address and phone).
(If there are a lot of trademarked names in the book, list them here alphabetically rather than have the symbol intrude on the reader's flow.)
Front matter for ebooks
With ebooks, there is a tradeoff between the credibility of traditional front matter and the marketing benefits of facilitating readers’ ability to "look inside" books before buying them on a website such as Amazon. A good order for ebook front matter is:
1. Cover
2. Blurbs
3. Table of Contents
4. Foreword or preface (but not both, and neither for fiction)
5. Begin Chapter 1.
You can stick everything else in the back because most of it doesn't matter to most people.
Prospective readers can now garner more information in less time to make a buying decision, which is the goal.
Body of the book
Part Opening page: Both fiction and nonfiction books are often divided into parts when there is a large conceptual, historical, or structural logic that suggests these divisions, and the belief that the reader will benefit from a meta-organization.
Chapter Opening page: Most fiction and almost all nonfiction books are divided into chapters for the sake of organizing the material to be covered. Chapter Opening pages and Part Opening pages may be a single right-hand page, or in some cases a spread consisting of a left- and right-hand page (a verso and a recto). If a spread opening is used, half the chapters (or parts) will generate a blank right hand page, and the author or publisher will have to work with the book designer to decide how to resolve these right-hand page blanks.
Epilogue: An epilogue is an ending piece, either in the voice of the author or as a continuation of the main narrative, meant to bring closure of some kind to the work.
Afterword: This may be written by the author or another, and might deal with the origin of the book or seek to situate the work in some wider context.
Conclusion: A brief summary of the salient arguments of the main work that tries to give a sense of completeness to the work.
Rear matter
1. Appendix: This might include source documents cited in the text, material that arose too late to be included in the main body of the work, or any other insertions. Keep each appendix short (no longer than two or three pages) and title them Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, etc., although each can also have a short title.
2. Notes: Endnotes come after any appendices and before the bibliography or list of references. The notes are typically divided by chapter to make them easier to find.
3. Glossary
4. Bibliography
5. List of Contributors: Contributor’s names should be listed alphabetically by last name, but appear in the form “First Name Last Name.” Information about each contributor may include brief biographical notes, academic affiliations, or previous publications.
7. About the Author: This section provides more detail than the short paragraph that you include about yourself on your book's back cover. If you're publishing a hardcover book, the About the Author section can be placed on the book's jacket. Include detailed information about yourself, such as your picture, background, education, employer, credentials, or other personal details. You might want to mention your website or disclose a mailing or email address for readers to contact you.
Editing
The best editing manual
Look for The Chicago Manual of Style (University of Chicago Press); see www.chicagomanualofstyle.org or www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/cmosfaq. The Chicago Manual of Style is an essential reference guide for copy editors. It covers grammar, punctuation, common misspellings, numbers and money, and many other things.
Some grammar specifics
Good writing should sound like the remarks of a clear, congenial speaker. Envision one typical reader—preferably a friend—and write as if you were sending her a letter. If your friend wouldn’t understand a term or phrase, don’t use it. Better still, ask yourself how your non-specialist friend would describe the same idea, and borrow from her the language, in a sense.
Gender pronoun issue
State your intentions (and apologies) at the outset of your writing. Then alternate the use of “he” and “she.” To avoid awkwardness, make the subject and verb plural where possible.
Use past tense for current events
Use the past tense so that you don’t have to correct the text when these events are in the past.
Avoid the -zation suffix
Avoid words ending in -zation. Use the verb form instead.
When editing on the computer
Change the font to white and the background color of the page itself to black. This will make it easier on your eyes and easier to spot errors.
1. Proofread aloud dryly
Read your book to yourself or, even better, read it to someone who cares about your writing. If you find a passage is hard to speak, people will find it hard to read. By reading aloud, you'll discover sentences or passages that sound awkward, verbose, or unclear. Your voice will naturally find the points of emphasis. Hearing text, rather than just reading it, gives you a chance to ask, “Would anyone really say that?”
Print your book in a format that approximates the final appearance. This will make errors more obvious. Also, read with a ruler because it forces you to look at only one line at a time.
After proofreading, if you make any changes to your document at all, use the spell checker again. It will save you untold moments of embarrassment.
Self-editing checklist
When editing your manuscript, read through it once for each of the following categories, ideally aloud. Create a double-spaced printout of each chapter and have a red pen available. After making your changes, create a new printout and review it again, this time reading upwards and from right to left. It is easier to find errors this way.
· appropriate length of sentences and paragraphs
· chapter titles and headings
· consistency in abbreviations
· consistency of verb tenses and subject number
· consistency in terminology
· correctness of facts
· grammar
· inclusion of necessary content
· interesting openings
· minimal use of the passive voice
· organization of arguments
· page numbers
· placement of figures
· proper usage of em dashes, en dashes, and hyphens
· punctuation
· references to specific page numbers, figures, or chapters
· smooth transitions and flow
· spelling
· styles, especially of headings (keep a printout list next to your computer)
· thorough conclusions
· vocabulary
· your voice, tone, and soul in the writing
· worthiness of artwork and figures
Have a good printer for this. You don’t want to wait forever when printing chapters at home or the entire manuscript. Look for one that has a wide-color option and that can handle 11-x-17-inch sheets of paper; this way if you're creating and reviewing your final page layout, you can view double-page spreads and view each page in its actual size. Go for a printer that includes a scanner, fax machine, and photocopier.
2. Proofread as a duo
Have two people read the text aloud to each other. While one reads, the other follows along on paper. Look for misspellings, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies. Both readers should stop at each mistake or inconsistency and mark the correction. You can be one of the people proofreading, but find a partner who has never seen the document before.
After the two of you have finished reading to each other, go back and make the changes in your draft. Then print out a new copy and compare the new against the old in every place where you made a change. Make sure you didn't accidentally delete a word, put one line of a paragraph at the bottom or top of a page, or make a noun change that now requires a plural verb. Also make sure you did indeed make all the corrections you were supposed to make.
3. Ask friends, family, and volunteers to edit
Send the first complete draft to an inner sanctum of five to ten people, folks you've known for years and whose judgment you trust. You want them to be "book murderers." They may be excited to review it because they've never been asked to do this before. The best ones are those who fit your audience profile, would actually buy your book, and have read others like it. The more specific your audience is, the more knowledgeable your volunteer editors should be.
Also look for other writers as readers, people with whom you can reciprocate. Check out literary events listed in the Events section of your local newspaper, at readings in bookstores, local writing groups, and cool websites and blogs for writers.
Give instructions and questions in advance. Let them know that you want the honest truth in their opinions. Ask that they underline any misspelled or questionable words, circle unclear passages, and note rough transitions with a question mark. Also encourage them to jot any suggestions in the margins. Good questions to ask:
· What did you like best?
· What did you like least?
· Did the book deliver on its promise?
· Was anything confusing or awkward?
· Was any information missing?
· Did the arguments make sense?
· Where is it choppy?
Taking criticism from them
Get comfortable now with harsh feedback from familiar faces so that you can more easily handle crippling criticism later on. Listen instead of defending yourself or your work. If you still have questions about their criticism, ask civilly for clarification after you have calmed down emotionally. Criticism is never meaningful if it doesn’t hit home.
4. Writer and niche communities
Post your work, get reviews, and connect with other writers. See www.reviewfuse.com, www.writerscafe.org, www.critiquecircle.com, www.absolutewrite.com/forums, www.kboards.com/index.php?board=60.0, and http://forums.nathanbransford.com/index.php.
Find other people who share your passions, start commenting on their posts, and mention them in your posts. When you see a way to help them, seize the chance to create a relationship. You cannot expect strangers to jump at the opportunity to help you, but you can expect people to reciprocate because of what you've done for them.
When you've done something for someone, and the person thanks you, the optimal response is "I know you would do the same for me." In other words, let them know that they owe you. When people then owe you, give them a way to pay you back so that they can clear their debt. The constant exchange of favor and reciprocation builds very strong relationships.
5. Crowdsource the editing
Ask your followers on Google+, Facebook, and Twitter to give feedback from the beginning to end of the publishing process. All these people should have to do is provide some information via an online form as well as to agree not to send the manuscript to others. Send them the Word file after turning on "Highlight Changes" so that it will be easy to find their comments.
6. Only now hire freelance editors
If you spend money on only one thing, spend it on an editor. An objective professional can really help your book. If you don't hire an editor, get at least several friends to read the manuscript before it goes to press. Show potential editors a chapter or two. See what comments you get back. Are they thorough, interesting, thoughtful, and knowledgeable?
Hire your editor in advance. It will be difficult to find one who can work on your manuscript right away. However, if you are confident in your writing ability and have friends as free editors, wait in hiring a professional until your manuscript is complete. If an editor tells you that he can edit your entire manuscript in a few days, find someone else.
After the manuscript is finished, allow several weeks for your editor to properly complete the editing process. Don’t be surprised if he comes back with many changes. You're probably extremely attached to your work, but you need to trust him enough to improve your text. The editor is simply transforming your manuscript into the most professionally written book possible.
That being said, remember that it's your book. You have final say on all suggested edits and revisions. Good editors subsume their egos and enter the writer's mind. They never try to take over a book, conform or contort it to their ideas, or make any changes unilaterally, without your approval.
Finding them
If you don't know any editors, consider these options:
· the editor of your local newspaper
· members of a local writers’ group
· a co-author: www.asja.org
· general freelance websites
· www.freelancewritersearch.com
· www.alanrinzler.com/home.HTML
· www.kirkusreviews.com/author-services/editorial - Kirkus Reviews Book Editing Services offers three editorial services:
o Collaborative Editing: This focuses on content editing and examines tone, organization, voice, characterization, dialogue, and clarity.
o Copyediting: Kirkus copyeditors go through your manuscript line by line to fix typical copyediting issues such as grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
o Professional Editing. This package includes a consulting session and three rounds of editing that includes both collaborative editing and copyediting. At the end of the process your manuscript should be ready to publish.
· classified ads in publications about writing (www.writermag.com/wrt, www.writersdigest.com, or www.publishersweekly.com)
Questions when interviewing them
In general:
· What is your approach to editing?
· Do you review galleys too?
· What manual do you use as a guide? (It should be The Chicago Manual of Style.)
Their background
· What type of experience do you have with editing full-length manuscripts?
· What are some of these titles?
· Do you have a relevant degree? (Editing is a specialized field. As such the editor should have a degree in journalism, English, literature or some variation of those.)
· Do you have experience in the publishing industry? (Freelance editors should pay their dues and get real world experience before soliciting writers.)
· Do you have references? (You should be able to talk to past clients to see how their working relationship was and what effect the editor’s guidance had on their project.)
What they think of your book:
· Does the concept of my book make sense?
· What changes do you foresee in the content or direction of my book?
· What are the weak points, and how would you fix them?
· What are the strong points?
· What kind of publicity/marketing plan do you envision for my book?
Their preferred style of working:
· How do you like to work? Do you want a complete manuscript or several chapters at a time?
· Do you review and edit the work multiple times?
· Do you edit the manuscript sentence by sentence?
· Do you prefer working with a printout or a Word document?
· How soon would you be able to return the manuscript?
· If we can’t meet in person, can we communicate through Skype or Google Hangout?
Price
Plan on spending anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 to have your book-length manuscript professionally edited. This is one of the dumbest places to try to save money because poor copyediting destroys the quality of your book.
The final price depends on many factors:
· your manuscript’s length
· the complexity of the material
· how long the editor thinks it will take
· how closely you work with the editor
· the editor's current workload
· how quickly you need the work done
· the type of editing needed
The types of editing rounds and their costs
Content editing ensures the accuracy and consistency of content and focuses on extensive restructuring of sentences, themes, and characters. A fair price is $.034 to $.044 per word, or above $75/hour. Watch out for prices in the $25/hour range, since they are more in line with copyediting, not content editing.
Line editing is copyediting on steroids, a detailed line-by-line process to correct errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The editor will also make suggestions to improve syntax and word choice. A fair price is between $.015 and $.020 per word or around $35 per hour. Copyeditors can work their magic at the rate of roughly ten pages per hour.
Technical editing checks facts, including
· phone numbers
· addresses
· website URLs
· names
· facts
· figures
· statistics
· research materials
· cited works
When interviewing a potential technical editor, focus on their knowledge of the topic and their willingness to fact check and research the accuracy of the book’s information. The cost is considerably less than what it costs to hire a copy editor. Plan on spending anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $2,500, depending on your manuscript’s length and the type of work involved.
Design and layout
A helpful website
www.helppublish.com/layout.HTML
Sharing of large files
· Google Drive (www.google.com/drive/about.HTML) (free for up to 15 GB)
· FilesDIRECT (www.filesdirect.com)
· SendThisFile (www.sendthisfile.com)
· SendYourFiles (www.sendyourfiles.com)
· YouSendIt (www.hightail.com)
· Dropbox (www.dropbox.com)
Interior photos and artwork
Permission needed for copyrighted artwork
You will need
permission to use any type of copyrighted artwork. This includes drawings,
photos, graphics, logos, charts, illustrations, or icons created by someone
else.
Other types of permission needed
You also need
permission from anyone in the photo. If the photo contains trademarks or
copyrighted artwork, you need those permissions too. Lastly, if the photo shows
someone's private property, get permission from that owner, even if it was you
who took the picture.
Stick to black and white
Many books use just black ink and black-and-white photos in the book's interior. Having other colors for photos or utilizing full-color printing throughout your book increases costs dramatically. Most ebook reading devices can’t even handle colors.
Adding figure numbers and captions
Add a caption and a figure number under each artwork item. Refer to the figure number within the text to connect the text and the image. Figure numbers begin with the chapter number, followed by a dash or period and are in chronological order. The first image in Chapter 3, for example, is labeled Figure 3-l or Figure 3.1. The second is Figure 3-2 or Figure 3.2 and so on.
Hiring a photographer
When you need a
certain picture to be shot, you hire a photographer. This is called assignment
photography. The photographer sells all
rights in an assignment photograph so that the person who pays the photographer
is free to use the photograph for any purpose.
Acquiring an existing photo
If you have to pay for an existing photo, your best bet is to pay a
flat fee for a royalty-free stock photo from an image library. Unlike
rights-protected photos, royalty-free means you don't need to make ongoing
payments for continued use of the photo, and thus you will spend much less
money, often under $20 per image. To know the maximum to pay, look at
comparable photos on www.corbis.com,
an expensive library, and then aim to pay a much lower price.
A great option is iStockphoto.com, which
pioneered a new approach to stock photography known as “microstock,” a system
for very inexpensive licensing. The prices are based on a micropayment model
and can be as low as $2 per image. Veer (www.veer.com) is another good one. If you use
these photos, you don’t have to worry about permissions or copyright
infringements. However, you cannot use the images on merchandise.
Always ask whether the image library
possesses all rights for the stock photo. It may seem odd, but there are
occasions when an image library has a stock photo but not its licensing rights.
In such cases, contact the rights holder to obtain permission to reproduce the
photo.
Stock-photo aggregator services
Stock-photo
aggregators enable you, via subscription or other payment system, to access a
variety of the images on the stock-photo sites.
· Thinkstock - www.thinkstock.com
· Fotosearch - www.fotosearch.com
· Punchstock - www.punchstock.com
Stock websites for photos and illustrations
· Flickr - www.flickr.com (you likely won’t have to pay anything at all)
· istockphoto - www.istockphoto.com
· Veer - www.veer.com (similar to istockphoto)
· Jupiter Images - www.jupiterimages.com
· PhotoObjects.net - www.photoobjects.net
· Photos.com - www.photos.com
· ShutterStock - www.shutterstock.com
· Theispot.com (for illustrations) - www.theispot.com
· Corbis - www.corbis.com
· AP Images - www.apimages.com
· Getty Images - www.gettyimages.com
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