January : publishing contract

Illustration : Jean-Claude Denis

© ADAGP, Paris, 2023

"I see I see that you always sign your contracts without reading them..." 

"Bad surprises are only revealed after signing."

"The mistake to be avoided"

The publishing contract makes it possible for an author or his rightholders to transfer, in part or in whole, economic rights (and not moral rights) on a work to a publisher in order to publish it as a printed or digital book.

Read your contract

A contract should always be read carefully because it specifies the rights and duties of the signatories. So take the time to analyze its contents before signing it.

Ask for advice

Consult the legal services of the ADAGP or the SNAC and the tools to help you understand the contract, such as Le Contrat BD commenté, Le guide des auteurs BD, etc. You are a comic book author and not a lawyer. So don't hesitate to ask for help in understanding the clauses of your contracts.

Do not hesitate to negotiate

A negotiation is not a declaration of war towards your publisher. The parties signing a contract are free to negotiate what they want, as they want, provided that they do not violate the public order provisions of the intellectual property code (Code de la propriété intellectuelle - CPI). Above all, organise and prioritise your negotiations.

Reference :

- Article L.132-1 - Code de la Propriété Intellectuelle (intellectual property code)