The SoA Advisory Clinic: The What, Why and How of Contracts: Publishing agreements and how to negotiate them

Learn how to navigate contracts with the SoA Advisory Clinic!

Contracts are legally binding agreements, recognisable at law and enforceable through the courts. They can be made orally or in writing, and on clear and express terms or implied by conduct. But what makes a contract and how best to navigate what this means in the context of a commission or publishing deal? What steps should be taken to protect your interests and what rights are available to you? How can you use ‘clarifiers’ ‘sweeteners’ and ‘softeners’ to ensure you are getting the best possible deal? Join SoA Advisory Clinic hosts Johanna Clarke and Theo Jones as they explore all of this and more in this important and timely episode, to follow the earlier bonus special ‘Can’t Pay Won’t Pay’ originally recorded as part of the SOA@Home Festival.

You may also be interested in...

10 December 2025

As we continue to call for the responsible use and development of generative AI, we invite you to join us in solidarity with human translators and celebrate what makes human-authored translation so unique and irreplaceable by technology.

20 November 2025

24 October 2025

The practice of using authors to write children’s books with a celebrity or in a celebrity’s name has become increasingly common in the industry, yet the work of the ghostwriter is often insufficiently acknowledged or credited.