First book, contract question

[Bookworm]

I received my book contract this week for my first book, and I had a few questions that I hope the fora can weigh in on. This is a UK press, and they received two sample chapters, and my book proposal. The materials went out to two reviewers, then I responded, and they gave their feedback on my response. The proposal was approved by the board last week, contingent on peer review of the full manuscript. I was supposed to be on sabbatical in the spring, but I'm expecting my first child in January and so I'll have Dec-Jan to work, and then the late spring and summer.

1. The manuscript is due next August (2021), and the final draft after any requested revisions is due February 28 2022. This seems like a generous/standard timeline—especially because the manuscript was already drafted and I've been revising this summer. I know academics are infamous for asking for extensions—do they ever turn them in early? I could imagine turning in the manuscript by late January, before I give birth, but I wouldn't want that to reflect negatively (like I didn't take all the time I could to work on it). I work at a SLAC that doesn't require a book for tenure (I have 5 peer reviewed articles and book chapters, which is our research threshold), so I'm not worried about having the book out before tenure (dossier due summer 2022).

2. The contract asks that I become an author of the Author's Licensing and Collecting Society; I'm a US author who has never heard of it, but that appears like a standard practice for British presses.

3. The contract advises the author to "maintain...a full and comprehensive insurance policy with a reputable insurer to cover any potential liabilities which the Author may have to the Publisher under this Agreement." What kind of insurance is this? Other parts of the contract reference libel--but I'm not concerned about any slander in my work of literary criticism!

No one in my dept has published an academic monograph, so I'm eager to hear your feedback before I sign.

[Hegemony]

I have no idea about 2 and 3. They sound somewhat fishy to me, and I've published in the UK, but basically I have no idea.

But I can answer no. 1. You certainly will not be penalized if you turn your MS in early. That would be a delightful development for both you and the press. And even if you thought you didn't want to turn it in early, you could always finish it by January, and wait till later to actually turn it in. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with turning it in early. I have never yet known anyone to finish ahead of deadline, but if you think you can do it, it would be an excellent decision. Particularly as you will have an infant in the spring and summer. In fact, I would wager that if you finish your MS and turn it in before January, in spring and summer you will think it is the wisest thing you've ever done.

[fourhats]

First, congratulations! A book AND a baby!

A revised manuscript turned in early (or even on time) is a publisher's dream. Do not worry about this. Just finish it up, and send it in when it's ready. You'll be relieved to have done this, especially if the baby also decides to make an early appearance.

I've published several books in the UK, one just this year. What they are saying is that they will not be held liable if there are incorrect, libelous, or any otherwise legally problematic issues, so if you're worried about that (and you don't seem to be), you need to have a lawyer. Basically, they're saying they won't be held legally responsible should one of those issues arise with your book.

[Ruralguy]

Oh, heck no, no publisher would be upset if you get it in earlier, though someone might have to pick your managing editor off the floor when (s)he first sees it!

[jerseyjay]

Congratulations on the child and the book.

I don't think that your editor will be angry if you turn your book in early. That said, your editor is probably being realistic. As both a parent and an author, I can attest that things often take longer than when originally planned.  If you are done (and done doesn't mean just written, but also revised as per peer reviewed, with all permissions in hand, photo captions written, scholarly apparatus done in the right style, etc.) before you child's birth, by all means you should probably turn it in. But if things take longer than expected, or are more complicated, you might be happy for the extra "wiggle room".

I am not sure about the other clauses, but I would urge you to pause, if only a moment, and consider if there is anything in your book that might be considered libelous. British libel laws are very different than American libel laws, and can result in grave consequences (see the famous David Irving case where he lost but still managed to tie up the academic and publisher for a while). While the British courts now seem to want to avoid "libel tourism," publishing in Britain would seem to mean that you would fall under British libel laws. I am not even sure if the clause would shield the press from a libel suit, but that is not really your concern. If your literary criticism is about people who are dead and gone, you probably have no problems.

[As an aside, you seem to be using your sabbatical as a sort of faux maternity leave, which is okay if that is what you want and you can use it that way, but people shouldn't have to use their sabbatical to have a child. Have you explored if you would also have actual maternity time? A colleague's wife gave birth during his sabbatical, and he was able to take a semester's paternity leave at some percentage of salary and the full sabbatical.]

[Bookworm]

[As an aside, you seem to be using your sabbatical as a sort of faux maternity leave, which is okay if that is what you want and you can use it that way, but people shouldn't have to use their sabbatical to have a child. Have you explored if you would also have actual maternity time? A colleague's wife gave birth during his sabbatical, and he was able to take a semester's paternity leave at some percentage of salary and the full sabbatical.]
[/quote]

Oh, no worries there-- I spoke to my Dean and HR last week, and I'll be taking a mix of short-term disability and paid family leave from Jan-April. I'm coming "back" to advise in April (with Zoom, I can do this from home easily with the 10 or so students I'll have). If I had taken my college's primary caretaker leave, I'd only get 75% of my salary from Jan-June, but with the other kinds of paid leave I'll have 100% salary because the institution "tops off" the 60-70% I get from the state. I'm anticipating some salary cuts this year because of COVID, so I wanted to avoid compounding cuts by taking the caretaker leave. I do feel very, very lucky-- I managed a nicely timed baby due the first week of classes in January, and the total leave time I could would bring me through May if I wanted it.

So interesting to know about the different libel laws in Britain! I work on contemporary fiction, but the only author I'm even slightly critical of is Naipaul, and he is indeed dead and gone. :)

[bacardiandlime]

The Author's Licensing and Collecting Society is a useful organisation, but I've never heard of a press requiring membership (it is free though, they take a fee if you end up getting royalties over a certain amount).

The Writers Guild (writersguild.co.uk) might be a place to start for advice on liability insurance for authors.