(The following article excerpt was taken from the SCBWI BULLETIN. The statement was originally released by the Author's Guild. The SCBWI is the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.)
"Simon & Schuster has changed its standard contract language in an attempt to retain exclusive control of books even after they have gone out of print. Until now, Simon & Schuster, like all other major trade publishers, has followed the traditional practice in which rights to a work revert to the author if the book falls out of print or if its sales are low.
"The publisher is signaling that it will no longer include minimum sales requirements for a work to be considered in print. Simon & Schuster is apparently seeking nothing less than an exclusive grant of rights in perpetuity. Effectively, the publisher would co-own your copyright.
"The new contract would allow Simon & Schuster to consider a book in print, and under its exclusive control, so long as it's available in any form, including through its own in-house database -- even if no copies are available to be ordered by traditional bookstores.
"Other major trade publishers are not seeking a similar perpetual grant of rights."
(To which I might add, "Yet." -- Ed.)
"The Author's Guild puts it bluntly: 'Your book will live and die with this particular conglomerate.' Until an agreement can be reached, the Author's Guild advises authors to proceed with caution."
Russ Heitz
www.russheitz.com
www.crimespace.ning.com/profile/1essej
