Want to win a publishing contract?

[CariGransnet]

If you're an aspiring children's book writer, now's your chance to see your work in print. Over on Gransnet we're running a competition where first prize is a contract with independent publisher Bobaloo Books. Runners up will get signed books and feedback on their entries, with guidance on how to progress in their writing career. All the details are right here

Oh fabulous!

All rights worldwide?

The T&C are unusual, compared to other children's novel competitions. Whoever wins this should run the contract past the society of authors before they sign.

[If you win] - "By entering this competition you hereby (a) unconditionally and irrevocably grant and assign to Bobaloo books throughout the world in all languages all copyright and rights in the nature of copyright and all other rights in your entry"

So sounds like if you win there's no negotiation involved. No agent to stick up for you. You just have to trust the company to treat you well. And if you don't like it and want to take your book somewhere else instead, you can't because you no longer have rights to it?

Think I'll give it a miss.

For a layman, could someone decipher the terms for me? As per the lawyer in Philadelphia "Explain this like I'm a 7 year old"

Thanks in advance

It means the publisher can make a fortune by republishing the winning entry in every country in the world while paying the author nothing/very little. It also suggests they they can cut you out of any other copyright-dependant income streams such as merchandising, tv adaptations, etc.

The terms are horrendous

Oh dear, that sounded like an exciting opportunity but I'm glad previous posters have highlighted those terms.

Thanks Space

Think I'll give it a miss as well then

Got all excited there for a minute.

This, from The Authors Guild, is pertinent:

"Never assign or transfer your copyright to a publisher; grant only specific rights (e.g., book publication, not film and TV) and review each rights grant carefully. Consider what specific territories and languages you want the publisher to have and be sure the grant of rights is limited to those territories and languages. Make sure you understand and agree to all of the rights and formats granted to the publisher, including all electronic and audio book rights, and insist on a clause reserving to you all rights that you don’t specifically grant to the publisher."

I'm disappointed that this competition is being run on MN. It preys on people's eagerness to be published, obviously hoping that newbie authors won't be too clued up about publishing contracts.

I have reported.

They're not having my snot book.

I always trust space unicorns.

I'm disappointed that this competition is being run on MN

Oops, that should say promoted on MN, since it's actually being run on GN

Indeed Space as perfectly illustrated (excuse pun) by me.

I possibly would have gone ahead but have thankfully been stopped in my tracks.

Can Mumsnet HQ explain why it is they think it acceptable to promote the shafting of loyal subscribers like this?

Blimey. Those terms are appalling!

There's actually more, after the section quoted earlier in the thread:

"By entering this competition you hereby (a) unconditionally and irrevocably grant and assign to Bobaloo books throughout the world in all languages all copyright and rights in the nature of copyright and all other rights in your entry, together with full title guarantee and all rights of action to the same belonging or accrued and shall hold the same to Bobaloo Books for the full period of copyright and all extensions and renewals thereof and thereafter (Note: applicable only to the winning entry); (b) waive all moral rights as defined by sections 77-83 of the Copyrights Designs and Patents Act 1988 or any similar laws of any jurisdiction;

Your 'moral rights' include the right to:

be identified as the author of your work
object to changes made to your work

So they can change any aspect of the winning entry, and publish it under someone else's name if they want to.

Is this just as bad, guys? Daily mail comp which will be decided in near future:-

Publication is subject to the winner entering into a contract with Century, an imprint of the Publisher. This will afford an exclusive licence to the Publisher, permitting the editing, adapting, publishing and licencing of all or part of the novel in all editions, formats (including print and electronic), in all languages and territories globally and setting out all applicable financial details including a net advance of £20,000 (the gross figure, before the deduction of the agency commission contemplated below, being £23,000) on completion and acceptance (by Publisher) of the complete manuscript and providing the Publisher with an option over a second book. Should entrants not want to grant these rights they should not submit materials. In the event an agreement cannot be reached, as regards the contract, within 30 days of the discussions commencing, the winner shall instead be awarded the substitute prize.

I'm going to enter my book "Annie Derms and the Appalling Terms".
It's about a little girl who wants to grow up to be a writer but gets shafted by a shit "competition".

The "exclusive licence to the Publisher, permitting the editing, adapting, publishing and licencing of all or part of the novel in all editions, formats (including print and electronic), in all languages and territories globally" seems to be along similar lines, though this one at least allows a 30-day 'discussion' period.

Just

Crafty buggers

Love it Just

'm going to enter my book "Annie Derms and the Appalling Terms". It's about a little girl who wants to grow up to be a writer but gets shafted by a shit "competition

That's def got legs, Just meanwhile, I have stupidly eneterd the daily fail one. I'll stick to riding Poldark I think...

I also think MN cookbooks and parenting guides are in some ways exploiting MN users.

The books are literally full of MN users' content, with no financial remuneration given to those that have contributed. I believe that is unfair.

A bit more on this ‘competition’: there’s been some discussion on the SCBWI (Society for Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) UK facebook group about this. Gransnet have been asked to comment on the terms of the comp: their response (via the publisher concerned, which seems to be a newly established company: jennyharperauthor.co.uk/janet-kelly-starts-a-new-adventure/), is that they ‘require assignment of copyright so we can publish’, adding that this is ‘industry standard’.

Several authors have responded that this is NOT ‘industry standard’: you do not need to assign copyright in order to be published, and the phrase ‘run a mile!’ appears once or twice

Interestingly, there are 3 books for sale in the online bookshop of the publisher running the competition (www.bobaloobooks.co.uk/shop/). All of these were written by the lady who set up the company. I guess they’re really keen to expand their stable of authors