Get a Contract

I’m having a few things published in an anthology of online writing, and was notified by the editors that writers will be given contracts by request only. I requested one. The editor asked if there was anything specific I was concerned about (she would gladly give me a contract)–payment? Rights?
I told her the truth. I wasn’t really concerned about anything. But I have had the good fortune to have a really bad publishing experience that involved no contract–I say ‘good fortune,’ because in the end, I wasn’t financially hurt and I maintained the rights. But any bad experience was enough for me–now, there is no such thing as no contract.
Be the same way. Even if you feel you don’t need a contract regarding a particular job, get one. You can even use my story if you feel it seems rude to ask for a contract: “Sorry, but I had a bad experience once and I just prefer to have one. It’s not that I mistrust you.” You don’t want to end up hearing any of these ten lines from Writers Weekly.

MEDIABISTRO EVENTS

Get Social Media Marketing Secrets from Experts

Create a social media strategy, launch your campaign, and track the results in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. The online event and workshop will feature speakers including The Onion's Baratunde Thurston (left), Facebook's Morin Oluwole, and bitly's Tim Devane. Register now.