Re: Simon & Schuster rights grab

**M* L* <m*@earthlink.net>**

I'd like to see some responses to Graham Rice's post of yesterday 
regarding Simon & Schuster's change in contract language.  Hasn't it 
been customary to contract for first (and perhaps second) North 
American rights?  Isn't this "you're fastened to this firm forever" 
redolent of Rodale?  Thanks, Margaret Lauterbach

>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.
>
>There have been further announcements on this topic from the Authors
>Guild, and from Simon & Schuster; these can be found on their website
>at http://www.authorsguild.org.
>
>It just seems to me that as it gets more and more difficult to make a
>living as a writer, this is another example of a publisher looking
>after itself and not looking after its authors. Having had the rights
>to a number of my older books revert to me - and one revised and
>republished, with the possibility of revisions to two more also being
>republished - I'm glad that the Authors Guild is taking this issue so
>seriously.
>
>Graham Rice

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