January: publishing contract
The publishing contract is the contract by which the creator of a work of authorship or his/her rights-holders transfer to a publisher the right to make or have made copies of the work or to produce it or have it produced in a digital form, with the responsibility of publishing and distributing it.
Article L.132-1 - Code de la Propriété Intellectuelle
Drawing by Christophe Bataillon
Read your contract
Always carefully read your contract, which specifies the signatories’ rights and duties.
There are different contract models, such as:
- The SNE model (Syndicat National de l'Edition)
- The CPE model (Conseil Permanent des Ecrivains)
- The SEA model (Syndicat des Editeurs Alternatifs)
Seek legal advice if necessary, from ADAGP or SNAC, and resources for clarification, such as the commented contract, or the guide for comic book authors.
Don't forget that you are a comic book author and not a lawyer. So there is no harm in seeking help understanding the clauses of a contract.
Negotiate
A negotiation is not a declaration of war against your publisher. The parties signing a contract are free to negotiate what they wish, as they wish, provided that they do not violate the public policy provisions of the IPC.
Above all, organize and prioritize your negotiations.
See also
March: remuneration for signing sessions
February: collective rights
