Future have sent out updated contracts. I'd just like to remind everyone who has received one to read it, and to be sure they understand the terms, and agree to them BEFORE signing it.
I'm currently away from home and not able to read it thoroughly right now.
UPDATE 24/9 I've now read it, queried the parts I didn't understand and had a reply. I'm now going to have to research insurance for writers.
43 comments:
Thanks for passing this on, Patsy.
Thank you, Patsy. I've just received the email from Future too. I assume it isn't a scam? I received a payment from Future on Friday... before signing the new contract. I'm going to hold fire, like you, until I've had time to read it properly. The deadline of today seems a bit unlikely.
Why have other people received this new contract, and I haven't? I hope they haven't introduced a closed list.
@Sharon, I'm beginning to wonder if it is in fact a scam. I might check with Andrew Shaw. It all seems very odd.
@Sharon Just received it - 26 minutes ago. They are obviously not all going out together...
Alyson
I've now received this email, too, but the date to sign on mine says 21st September 2027 - so a year from now.
I've got it now! Phew! It's not a scam, Maisie. I haven't read it yet but another writer who has says we have our rights back and you must agree not to use AI in your work.
Mine received as well. I will read through thoroughly before signing.
Received mine. Only had a quick.look so far but think its okay.
Thanks for your comments everyone!
Sorry, I hadn't realised the due by date was a year from now! That's a lot less alarming.
Having only had a cursory glance at it, it appears to be very similar to existing contract, note section 6.1 "you give Future full ownership of the work etc" so no change there.
It mentions having insurance?
Ah right. I thought we had our rights back.
I'm wrong. sorry for the confusion. I give up the rights in my contract. It might be a different contract for others.
Hmm, I was going to email and ask re ALCS, but am I pushing it? I know we have been enjoying the facility, and we check that we can (I did when I had my first publication), but is it an extra? Only thing is, once we have it in black and white, and it might be a "no"? Any thoughts?
I have not submitted for a few years but, as I didn't get a new contract email, I emailed Andrew to ask if I would be getting one. He replied by return which was much appreciated.
'You are still on our system. However, because you haven't been commissioned recently, your account has been marked as 'inactive'.
Only 'active' accounts are being requested to renew contracts.
However, there is no cause for concern. Once you receive another commission, your account will be reactivated. '
@Marguerite, good question about ALCS. I see what you mean, that we need to know what the situation is, but don't want a 'no'!
The insurance clause merits discussion here.
In other news, Woman's World have cut their fiction fees in half. A solve-it-yourself mystery is now $200 and romance $250. Their word counts are different too - 400 for mystery plus 40 for the solution, and between 550-680 for romance. I've sold a couple of mysteries to them in the past but haven't submitted for ages, mostly because I can't get hold of the mag any more. Anyway, they're still the best payers out there, but this downward trend is do dispiriting.
Are there any writer's societies that offer insurance for creative writing as part of membership? I can imagine why the contract would request it for journalism but for fiction? Do many womag writer already hold an insurance policy?
No I have never held insurance or do I have any idea where I would find such an insurer. But it clearly says you must hold insurance and make these documents available to Future at any point that they request it
It does. And that's a potential problem. I'm unconformable with signing until resolved
It'd be good if you could report back and tell us what they say, please.
I am guessing this is all to do with making sure they don't get the sort of trouble that's come out high profile in the news this week — libel etc...,. With the insurance AND ALCS, if we do write and ask, we really might not like the reply and we'll have to make some decisions from there. Even if someone on this blog has the friendly ear of someone on the team, they are simply employees as well. So, no further on: sorry.
My feeling re ALCS is to go with what we've already been told, i.e.that we can claim. I can't see anything in the new contract to warrant questioning this. However I am reading it on a small phone screen. On the insurance question, I've just had another look and can't see what kind of insurance they are talking about. Insurance against what exactly? Again its late and I'm reading on a phone, so not sure if I'm missing something.
I know some book publishers are bringing in an insurance clause following some high-profile cases of books (including novels) needing to be pulped because of something the author has done. We've had that happen with a couple of children's writers here in Australia this year. I am surprised that magazines are introducing it, though.
On another matter, my attention has been drawn to this crime collection put out by DC Thomson: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1917436793?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
I'm assuming these are cosy crime long reads. The only author name I can see is Alison Carter's. Does anyone know who the other authors are? Hopefully the authors were made aware of this.
Liz, one of the stories is mine, Growing Suspicions, first published in a PF Special - yes, a cosy crime long read. The authors were not informed.
You can get insurance from the Society of Authors if you're a member.
Hmm. I can't say I'm surprised, Kate. Sorry that your story is caught up in it.
I've now had a chance to look at the contract properly. Some parts don't seem to apply to freelance fiction writers, so I've used the email supplied for questions to check that they really do need us to sign this one.
I've also asked about insurance - what kind and how much for. It's very vague – and I have no idea what it is they want us to be insured against.
Rather than reply to everyone individually, I'll share my thoughts - but do remember I'm not a legal expert, and my understanding and opinion has no impact on the legal implications of the contract.
I don't think it's a scam, and expect we'll each have to sign before we get paid for a new story.
It's entirely possible that not everyone will have been sent the exact same contract. Also remember that we have differing opinions on things such as all rights. Just because one person says it looks fine to them, don't assume you'll agree to every point.
re ALCS - the submission form requires you to state you have the right to claim that. IF you give ALL rights, then you won't have those rights. I understand that previously, some people who gave up all rights had permission to claim ALCS. If you sign any all rights contract, and still hope to claim ALCS you'd need permission from both the rights holder (publisher) and ALCS.
I believe ALLI offer public liability insurance. That might be very valuable if you intend to give talks or workshops, or sell books at events. I don't see how it would apply in terms of this contract, and have no idea what kind of insurance they do want.
If you get replies to any questions you may ask of the people issuing te contract, make sure you keep a copy as well as the contract yourself, as I believe these will be legally binding.
If a publisher does something allowed by their contract (eg Woman's Weekly stories appearing as reprints in 'best of' or DCT publishing the crime collection mentioned above), they don't have to inform us – and we should assume they might at some point do everything the contract allows, even if they've never done anything like it before. (I really wish they would tell us!)
To sum up - it's up to each of us to read the contracts we're sent, to query anything which is unclear, to only sign if we agree with all terms, and to keep a copy of the contract and any associated correspondence.
@ Liz - thanks for the info on Woman's World. It is dispiriting, as you say.
I'll share it in my next post, as I think it might get lost here.
My understanding is that we have until 21st September 2027 to sign that contract so no great rush. Furthermore I got paid yesterday for a story despite it saying on top of page that payments were subject to agreeing with the terms & conditions of the contract.
@ Sheelagh - thanks for the update.
We'll still be bound by the last contract we signed unless / until we sign an updated one, and that new one will only apply from the date we sign, not when it was issued.
I got a swift reply to my queries. (I don't feel I can share it without permission.) You need to use the rights email, rather than contacting Andrew.
I'm one of the authors. If you go to Amazon you can see the index in their 'see inside page'. I can't remember what the story is now, so will have to find a copy before I can claim ALCS, and no, I was not informed either.
I don't understand why publishers don't tell authors ther work has been reused. Many would buy a copy and/or share details which might encourage others to buy.
Good news! Using my trusty system with the index page, Eirin, you have The Road to Success' in BOWW (issue 74) and congrats to Marian and Sheelagh :)
Patsy, has anyone suggested that to the publishers? Surely that would be to the editors? They might not be aware how it matters exactly?
On the insurance issue, if anyone finds a professional indemnity policy which would work well for womag writers, please share info
US Amazon lets you have a' sample' and you can clearly see the 5 titles. Hope this helps ados123 :)
Thank you for the congratulations, Marguerite - it's nice to see a few of us in the issue together.
Like others, I've emailed Future and am now off to research insurance!
Why should we research insurance? It's up to them to provide a clear, detailed description of what they mean by it, in the contract. Most of us seem confused by this clause, so it's up to them to clarify matters.
Thanks for the good wishes Marguerite, always a thrill.
Thanks so much for the tip-off, Marguerite - exciting! I have never submitted to BOWW, so think this must be a story that first appeared in WW. Hope I can find it in the shops!
Enjoyed your story Marian, I was amused to see that our main protaginists shared the same first name!
Great minds think alike!
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