Quote:
Originally Posted by pwalker8
Being a literary agent is a business, just like many businesses. How do you know you are hiring a good plumber? You use recommendations from people who have used them before. I believe that most agencies have lawyers who specialize in publishing contracts. Agents look at your book, give you advice on making it more attractive to publishers, help you find a publisher and negotiate a deal for you. They basically handle the details so you don't have to.
Publishing isn't the only business that really require a middle man. Computer contracting is mostly done through contract firms in the US these days. Most sports figures have agents. Most people who buy and sell a house use a real estate agent, at least in the US. I doubt that literary agents are any more likely to have a conflict of interest than any other representative. Can you get by without an agent? Sure. You can also represent yourself in a court case. It's just not particularly wise to do so.
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Very true. The traditional publishing industry is not unique in using "agents". But literary agents are largely unregulated, and, unlike most other agents, are usually dependant on a relatively small number of publishers with whom they have close relationships. It is generally not in their interests to aggressively pursue their clients' interests, which is one reason why such terrible contract provisions have lasted for so long. They became an industry standard and what literary agent was going to contest an industry standard. Similar with sports agents who are "accredited" by the bodies they negotiate with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pwalker8
The US Copyright Act gives the original author the right to issue a notice of termination for a work created after Jan 1st, 1978. You can issue the notice 30 years after copyright is granted, or 25 years after publication, which ever occurs first. The termination then becomes effect 35 years after the copyright was granted.
Here is a relevant article by a publishing attorney and writer about rights reversion. (note the article does not mention the US copyright act. You can find that at the US government copyright website which is down for maintenance as I post this, but is easy enough to google)
http://writerunboxed.com/2016/01/10/...-bad-the-ugly/ |
Thanks for this. I only had a vague recollection of it. Better than nothing, of course, but not particularly helpful.