Authors are granted copyright protection as soon as they produce their work in a “tangible form” even if that form is unpublished. To have their works published, then, authors simply need to grant publishers permission to do so. Nonetheless, most publishing agreements transfer all of an author’s rights to the publisher. Authors, consequently, would have to request permission to use their own works (unless the use could be considered fair use). Authors have alternatives to signing away their rights, however.
- Negotiate your contract. You can negotiate your contract to make changes that will allow you to retain some rights over your work. Alternatively, you may attach an addendum to the contract that retains your rights within a scholarly and educational setting.
- Consider an alternative publishing option.
Dr. Kenneth D. Crews, director of the Copyright Advisory Office at Columbia University, gives an overview of issues and strategies for getting better agreements that respect your scholarly works.
