All posts with the ‘ practical advice ’ Tag

The following is the first of five emails from a free e-course about understanding publishing contracts. You can sign up for the rest of the course here.

In any publishing deal, you’re in charge. That’s because a publishing contract is you giving the publisher permission to use your work. They need permission and you’re the only one they can get it from. … Read More

One of the great things about making art is the opportunity to collaborate with other creators. You get to borrow each other’s brains, see stories through one another’s eyes, and create things together that neither of you could have created on your own.

There’s just one little thing: it can be really hard to collaborate with other people.… Read More

What does it mean when a publisher or distributor says that the things they sell are “creator owned”?

It’s a great question, but (surprise!) it doesn’t have a simple or straightforward answer. … Read More

“I’ve got to negotiate with someone in 30 minutes. What should I do?”

My usual response to this question is, “stall.” Postpone the meeting, call in sick, delay at all costs. … Read More

When you first start working for yourself, having a DIY contract can make sense. There are a lot of good resources online so you don’t have to start from scratch, not to mention blog posts for just about every industry with Very Strong Opinions™ about what should and shouldn’t be in a standard contract.

Most importantly, DIYing a contract means that you can make sure … Read More

If I could wave my magic negotiation wand and change just one thing that would help artists and freelancers in their negotiations it would be this: I would have them share information with one another about what they’re paid.

Despite popular belief, power, bravado and money do not determine who the victor is in a negotiation. How well you do in a negotiation depends on … Read More

If one of your goals for the new year is earning more money, you’ve got two options: work more or get paid more for the work you do. I like the second option, personally, but I know it scares a lot of people because it means they’ll have to negotiate over MONEY.… Read More

The fear of missing out leads a lot of creators to sign bad contracts.

I know, because I’ve talked to a lot of smart, curious, professional creators who’ve signed bad contracts. And I know that signing those contracts had very little to do with how smart the creators were and just about everything to do with the fear of missing out.… Read More