Rights
What 'world rights' usually means, and why you rarely want to grant them
A single clause can hand away twenty markets you have never discussed. Here is how to read it, and what to counter with.
Draft, pending publication · 8 min read
Blog & insights
Working notes from the desks.
Practical, unglamorous explanations of how international publishing actually functions, written by the colleagues who do the work. Articles below are drafts pending editorial publication.
Editorial line
Useful before persuasive.
Every piece must answer a question an author has actually asked us. If it only exists to attract search traffic, we do not publish it.
Translation
Reading a translation sample when you do not speak the language
Rhythm, dialogue tags and paragraph shape tell you more than you expect. Four checks any author can apply.
Draft, pending publication · 6 min read
Audio
Why audiobook files get rejected, and how to avoid it
Loudness, noise floor and room tone cause most retailer rejections. The fixes are mechanical, not mysterious.
Draft, pending publication · 7 min read
Distribution
Metadata is not marketing copy
Categories, keywords and comparable titles do quiet, compounding work. Write them for the retrieval system, then for the reader.
Draft, pending publication · 5 min read
Rights
The reversion date is the most important line in your contract
Rights that come back to you are rights you can license again. How to negotiate the end before the beginning.
Draft, pending publication · 6 min read
Translation
How we build a translation brief
The document that prevents most disagreements later: register, names, dialect, humour, and what must never change.
Draft, pending publication · 9 min read
Featured
What 'world rights' usually means, and why you rarely want to grant them
A single clause can hand away twenty markets you have never discussed. Here is how to read it, and what to counter with.
Draft, pending publication
Series
Recurring threads we return to.
- Contract clause of the month, one clause, explained without jargon.
- Market notes, what a specific territory is buying, and what it is not.
- Production diaries, how a real title moved from manuscript to editions.
- Reader letters, questions authors send us, answered publicly with permission.
Topics
What we write about, by desk.
Translation
Briefs, sample assessment, register, terminology and query logs.
Rights
Territory strategy, clause reading, reversion, sub-rights.
Audio
Casting, direction, technical standards, retailer compliance.
Distribution
Metadata, channels, pricing, royalty reconciliation.
Further reading
Guides and templates live in Resources.
Longer reference material, checklists, glossaries and sample documents, is collected separately.
Contribute
Guest pieces from translators and narrators
We publish craft essays from working professionals. Pitches are read by the Editorial Director; contributors are paid and credited.
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If several authors ask the same thing, we write it up properly. Send yours.