Monday, November 30, 2009
A Guide to writers and publishers contracts
How do you strike a deal with publishers to have your manuscript published? What are your inalienable rights as an author of a published work? What procedures can you follow to reap from your literary sweat? Scratch not your head laboring to get answers to these mind-boggling questions; you have a timely intervention in Sambalikagwa Mvona’s ‘A guide to writers’ and artists’ contracts.’
The 80-page book which can as well be described as the writers’ bible tackles a wide range of issues that writers have to come to terms with. It can be argued that it is a red card to the exploitation of writers. As the Malawi Writers Union (MAWU) president writes in the foreword of the book: ‘it is common knowledge that publishers, being businessmen are there to make money and increase their enterprises. If writers do not know and exercise their new rights and, therefore, do not promote their own interests they only have themselves to blame.’
Flipping through the book gives you an edge to have an insight into the century old history of writing in Malawi, general guidelines for publishing contracts, rights of the author, a brief history of royalties, Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA), and the role that the Malawi National Library Service plays in promoting the writing and reading culture in the country.
The issue that dominates most is publishing contracts. The book carries with it examples of contracts, among them: a normal Malawian contract, a contract in Finland, standard contract for non-fiction literature between the Norwegian Publishers’ Association and the Norwegian Association of Non-Fiction Writers and Translators, so too a memorandum of agreement for a commissioned contract in Malawi.
The author of the guide is well aware that writing has gone electronic as well as more authors are resorting to publishing online. This writers and artists guide also gives an example of a contract governing an electronic book.
By the time you will have finished reading this guide you will have been conversant with general publishing contract guidelines on illustrations and quotations; infringement of existing copyright, libel, and censorship laws; obligation to publish, advance payment and royalties; choice of law among many others.
One admirable element in the book is that it does not leave a reader in the vacuum regarding which institutions to contact. The last four pages of the book have contact addresses of vital stakeholders in the arts, communication and book industry. Some of the noticeable addresses include those of Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture; Department of Arts and Craft; Malawi Writers Union; National Archives; Musicians Association of Malawi; National Theatre Association of Malawi among many others.
Pertaining to the coverage of the Malawi National library Service which the author calls a writer’s nest, Mvona looks at one of the crucial contributions of libraries worldwide as to uplift a country’s writing and reading culture. He then questions if the Malawi National library service has achieved that goal since independence from colonial masters. It is well expounded in the book that through its Children books in the Werengani series the Malawi National library service has made remarkable strides in promoting a writing and reading culture.
A guide to writers’ and artists’ contracts is a silent constitution for writers and deserves to be on bookshelves of serious writers. Of course one can argue that in line with the title of the book, the book has only addressed interest of writers thus negating other artists like musicians, fine artists, photographers, sculptors and many others. Of course taking into account that the author is in the first instance a published writer therefore much of his knowledge would be in his field. However, that being said, the guide is as well meant for writers and artists combined.
The author, Sambalikagwa Mvona is a renowned creative writer with a string of books to his name , some of them: The blind search, The trap, the sun at Njuli, Modern stories from Malawi and The special document. He is the current president for the Malawi Writers Union.
The 80-page book which can as well be described as the writers’ bible tackles a wide range of issues that writers have to come to terms with. It can be argued that it is a red card to the exploitation of writers. As the Malawi Writers Union (MAWU) president writes in the foreword of the book: ‘it is common knowledge that publishers, being businessmen are there to make money and increase their enterprises. If writers do not know and exercise their new rights and, therefore, do not promote their own interests they only have themselves to blame.’
Flipping through the book gives you an edge to have an insight into the century old history of writing in Malawi, general guidelines for publishing contracts, rights of the author, a brief history of royalties, Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA), and the role that the Malawi National Library Service plays in promoting the writing and reading culture in the country.
The issue that dominates most is publishing contracts. The book carries with it examples of contracts, among them: a normal Malawian contract, a contract in Finland, standard contract for non-fiction literature between the Norwegian Publishers’ Association and the Norwegian Association of Non-Fiction Writers and Translators, so too a memorandum of agreement for a commissioned contract in Malawi.
The author of the guide is well aware that writing has gone electronic as well as more authors are resorting to publishing online. This writers and artists guide also gives an example of a contract governing an electronic book.
By the time you will have finished reading this guide you will have been conversant with general publishing contract guidelines on illustrations and quotations; infringement of existing copyright, libel, and censorship laws; obligation to publish, advance payment and royalties; choice of law among many others.
One admirable element in the book is that it does not leave a reader in the vacuum regarding which institutions to contact. The last four pages of the book have contact addresses of vital stakeholders in the arts, communication and book industry. Some of the noticeable addresses include those of Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture; Department of Arts and Craft; Malawi Writers Union; National Archives; Musicians Association of Malawi; National Theatre Association of Malawi among many others.
Pertaining to the coverage of the Malawi National library Service which the author calls a writer’s nest, Mvona looks at one of the crucial contributions of libraries worldwide as to uplift a country’s writing and reading culture. He then questions if the Malawi National library service has achieved that goal since independence from colonial masters. It is well expounded in the book that through its Children books in the Werengani series the Malawi National library service has made remarkable strides in promoting a writing and reading culture.
A guide to writers’ and artists’ contracts is a silent constitution for writers and deserves to be on bookshelves of serious writers. Of course one can argue that in line with the title of the book, the book has only addressed interest of writers thus negating other artists like musicians, fine artists, photographers, sculptors and many others. Of course taking into account that the author is in the first instance a published writer therefore much of his knowledge would be in his field. However, that being said, the guide is as well meant for writers and artists combined.
The author, Sambalikagwa Mvona is a renowned creative writer with a string of books to his name , some of them: The blind search, The trap, the sun at Njuli, Modern stories from Malawi and The special document. He is the current president for the Malawi Writers Union.
