10 Questions to Ask Anyone Who is Helping You Write Your Book

Do you remember the 1950’s TV show, I Love Lucy?  In nearly every episode, Lucy’s husband Ricky Ricardo would survey the chaos Lucy had created and exclaim in his Cuban accent, “Lucy!  You’ve got a lot of explaining’ to do!”   Well, perhaps you don’t want Lucy to help you write your book and to make sure you’re not getting Lucy, ask these questions:

Explain . . .

1. The difference between a publisher’s rights and an author’s rights.  Wow!  You mean publishers have rights to your book?  Yep, you betcha!  Find out what they are.

2. The difference between public domain and private ownership.  Does this mean someone can lift your work and call it their own?

3. The difference between exclusive and non-exclusive publishing agreements.    What are you signing and who does it involve?

4. The difference between an author’s rights and a ghost writer’s rights?    If someone is helping you write your material, can they claim ownership of it?

5. The difference between defamation and speaking (writing) your mind.  Are public figures fair game in the “telling it like it is” game?  What about your grandmother who has never been a public figure?

6. The difference between protecting your intellectual property and your pocketbook.   Think copyright, trademark, fair use, license, waivers, royalties, audio and video rights and your creativity.  

7. The difference between a coach, a publisher, and a printer.    These aren’t three guys who walk into a bar waiting for a punch line.  These are three distinct professions that will impact your work for the better or for the worse.

8. The difference between registering for an ISBN number and not registering.   What is an ISBN number?  Where do you get one?  Do I have to pay for it?  Why is it necessary?

9. The difference between publishers.    What happens to your book if your publisher goes out of business?  What is the policy on getting more copies of your book?  What if you want to relaunch your book with a new printing?  

10. The difference between who controls your book’s pricing.  Does the author set the price for the book?  Does the publisher?  Does the market?  How many volumes have to be sold to make a profit?   

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Frederick Jones is an attorney, professor, and bestselling author of Publish Me Now.  He is the founder and president of Publish Me Now University™ and creator of Write Your Worth™ seminars.  To learn more about his Write Your Bestseller course, go to bit.ly/2bookyourbusiness to start writing and publishing today.