Should Writers Sell All Rights to Articles?

First, Second Serial, One-time, Syndication, Electronic or Copyright

Feb 25, 2009 Sharon Kirby

Publishing rights writers can sell with their articles include first and second serial, one-time, syndication and electronic rights, as well as full copyright.

When a freelance writer sells an article, there are various publishing rights, or licences he or she can sell along with the piece regarding its usage. Some examples of sellable rights include first serial rights, second serial rights, one-time rights, syndication rights, electronic rights and all rights. A well written article can be sold multiple times, each time with different publishing rights attached to it, thus becoming a lucrative revenue stream for the writer.

Publishing Rights a Freelance Writer can Sell

Here are the basic publishing rights that a freelance writer can sell with an article:

First Serial Rights - The exclusive right to publish an article for the first time in a newspaper, magazine or other periodical. This can be limited to geographical area, as with First North American Serial Rights.
Second Serial Rights (Reprint Rights) - The non-exclusive right to publish an article for the second time, after it has already been published elsewhere. This right can be sold multiple times.
One-time Rights (Simultaneous Rights) - The non-exclusive right to publish an article once. This right can be sold simultaneously to several different buyers.
Syndication Rights - The writer gives a syndication service the right to sell an article many times, and the writer gets a percentage of each sale.
Electronic Rights - The right to publish an article on the Internet, on CD-ROM, or in some other electronic form.
All Rights - The exclusive right to publish an article anywhere at any time, multiple times. The writer gives up all control over the article’s use, no longer owns the article’s copyright, and can never sell it again.

Should Writers Give Away Copyright to Their Articles?

When selling the rights to an article, with the exception of all rights, the writer retains the copyright to the work and can sell it again. If all rights to an article are sold, the writer permanently gives away copyright and no longer owns it. The written piece becomes the property of the client that purchased it, who is then free to publish it elsewhere, any time, any place, and in any format. The writer is still at liberty to claim that he or she wrote the article in the first place, but is not allowed to republish it.

If a writer sells all rights to an article, it means he or she can no longer control where the work appears (there is the possibility the article will appear somewhere inappropriate that harms the writer’s credibility). The article may also be sold on elsewhere, and the writer will not be entitled to any of the sales.

Rather than selling all rights and giving up copyright to an article, a writer is better off trying to identify the different uses a client has for the work, and offering to sell separate rights for each separate use. By giving their clients specific rights, it allows writers to re-sell their articles at a later date and retain control over where they appear. Writers must sometimes negotiate to get a better deal.

In general, writers should try to avoid handing over all rights to their articles, unless the money offered is good enough to reflect the rights that are being given up. Before selling an article, it should be absolutely clear between the writer and the client which rights are being sold.

Resources:

Writers Write. "A Novice Writer’s Guide to Rights." (Accessed February 25th, 2009)

The copyright of the article Should Writers Sell All Rights to Articles? in Freelance Writing is owned by Sharon Kirby. Permission to republish Should Writers Sell All Rights to Articles? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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