Whilst writing a book about China I had the bright idea of trying to sell some of the chapters in article form to magazines. The market is a bit restricted, but someone recommended a company called Planet Syndication ( thank you and I am sorry I have forgotten your name) Anyway, they have sent me a contract which promises them 50% of everything they sell, even if they sell the same thing several times over. I will make an enquiry to the Society of Authors before signing but it would be quicker if anyone else has exerience/advice about this company. As my New Year Resolution was to make an effort to sell my work, I am pleased to have some kind of result so soon, although I think I queried this company weeks, or even months, ago. From my point of view 50% of something is better than all of nothing.

Sheila

Sheila, not to stop you asking here too of course, but the Society of Authors are pretty quick to look at contracts: inside a week seems to be fairly standard.

Emma

Thanks, Emma. I will send them a copy today. By coincidence, the company headquarters are in Greenwich, quite near to where I live. I am of a mind to sign up as the possible markets for my China articles are quite limited and I can still go ahead and try to market my short stories directly.

Sheila

Sheila, that makes sense, but you might also want to check out the deal if you do happen to sell your China pieces independently from them.
Emma

From what it says in the contract they can only try to sell what I send them, and I can still try to place other pieces independently. I retain the copywright on pieces I send them, I kind of lease the copywright to them for a year, as far as I can see.

I can't find a link on the Society of Authors website to submit contracts direct, but I've emailed them. I know it's a service they offer to members.


Thanks again for your comments.

Sheila

Sheila, if you look under 'Staff' on the Soc of A website I think it has all their email addresses.

I was more wondering what would happen if you gave Planet S. a piece of yours, and then found somewhere to sell it elsewhere, not through Planet S. Would they still get their 50%?

Emma

<Added>

Try this:

Try this:

http://www.societyofauthors.net/soa/page_id.php4?pid=57§id=2&urlsection=About%20the%20Society

Thanks, Emma. I already tried the link but it didn't seem to allow for attachments. However, I tried cutting and pasting the email address into a new message and attaching the contract. I should have done that in the first place, but thanks for prompting the thought.

As I understand it, any piece I send to them is theirs to try to sell for a year or as long as the contract runs. Any I don't send I can try to market myself, first. It seems to me the risk is minimal because if they don't place the articles I have lost nothing and I get to try again myself after a year. My main concern is that eventually I want to publish them as a book so I need to know the implications. My previous experience leads me to believe this won't be a problem, but I need to check. In fact, then it was the other way round - I had written a book and I needed to check with the publishers of an encyclopedia that I could use some the same material for some articles that would appear in it.


Sheila

Yes, it does sound like a perfectly sensible arrangement, if you think you're unlikely to sell or bother to try to sell them elsewhere.

Emma

Sheila
It might have been me - I'm signed up with Planet. For me, it works out really well because I can re-sell things I've already been paid for. Someone described it to me as 'passive income', which always sounds attractive! Lots of magazine companies make you sell your soul and all copyright at commissioning stage, but with some, and with most newspapers, you can just re-use a piece after a decent amount of time. I don't get lots of money, but for example, the other day I got an email saying I could invoice them for about £100. Not bad, considering I've already been paid once.

Caroline, thank you for the original recommendation and for the reassurance, althugh I haven't sold these articles already. Maybe I should try harder, but it's not easy without a knowledge of the international magazine and newspaper markets which is where I think they will sell.In fact, I have already been paid for one of the two pieces I sent them, and as for the other I just didn't have a clue as to where to place it, although I think it's a good read.

Sheila

Sorry this is a bit muddled -it's late. What I meant to say was that I sent them two pieces as examples and I had already had one of them published and been paid for it.

Sheila

Wow! That was quick - a one-day turn-round. I got a very reassuring email from Kate Pool at Soc of A commenting on the contract I'd sent, saying how it differed from standard literary agent contracts and pointing up one or two issues I'd perhaps like to have clarified. It seems syndication contracts - of which they don't see many - all stipulate 50%, if not more, and as Caroline says, because one has, hopefully, already been paid first time round or despaired of finding an outlet through one's own efforts,it seems fair enough. It's certainly a boost to my confidence to think the agency consider there's a market out there for my stuff.

Thanks for the advice.

Sheila