Q: “How do you determine the division of royalties, the typical percentages for members of the author team, and the…
Q&A: Author’s questionnaire–What it is and what you need to know
Q: “What is an “author’s questionnaire’?”
A: Mary Ellen Lepionka, author of Writing and Developing Your College Textbook: A Comprehensive Guide:
“An Author’s Questionnaire usually comes from the marketing department to develop leads for reviewers of, contributors to, and especially adopters of your text. I suggest filling it in as completely as possible to make your contacts, colleagues, affiliations, and achievements known to the people who will attempt to market and sell your title. Also include any press–news articles about you (and keep sending them). List your upcoming opportunities to promote your book, such as guest lectures, keynote addresses, interviews in the broadcast media, academic conventions, teleseminars or webinars, etc.
Q&A: How to research content for your textbook
Q: “How do you go about researching content for your textbook?”
A: Janet Belsky, author of Experiencing the Lifespan, 2e (2009):
“I go to a library database where I can get every single article on the topic I’m writing about in every journal in my field. If I am updating a book, I will only look for articles that were published from the time of the last edition to the present. This strategy gets me about 100 or 200 new articles for each chapter. I do a cursory look at everything, but I won’t need to read all of those articles.
Q&A: What is a fair royalty arrangement when taking on textbook co-authors?
Q: “I would like to phase out of my textbooks and take on co-authors to keep them going. What is a fair royalty arrangement?”
A: Michael Lennie, Attorney, Lennie Literary & Author’s Attorney:
“I usually deal with this issue in the revised editions clause by negotiating a 60/30/15 percent provision. Under this provision the retiring author receives 60/30/15 percent of the full royalty for the first/second/third and thereafter edition in which he does not participate. Higher percentages are available depending on the number of prior editions and the reputation of the retiring author.”
Q&A: Can you renegotiate your textbook contract when going into subsequent editions?
Q: “Can I renegotiate my book contract when going into subsequent editions?” A: Steve Gillen, Attorney, Wood, Herron & Evans:…
Q&A: How to get your textbook rights back from your publisher
Q: “My publisher has decided to drop my books. How can I tell from my contract whether this means I could get another publisher to pick them up for a new edition, vs. writing a totally new work?”
A: Steve Gillen, Attorney, Wood, Herron & Evans:
“Most publishing contracts have a ‘reversion’ or ‘out-of-print”‘clause that requires the publisher to return the rights to a work to the author if and when the publisher takes the work out-of-print. Sometimes this right of reversion is triggered automatically. More frequently, however, the author must request the publisher to execute a copyright assignment. The more problematic issue is likely to be at what point does the right mature — i.e., when is the work “out-of-print.” Look to the language in your contract for the answer to that question.”