What Every Freelance Writer Needs to Know

Glossary of Terms Used in Contracts for Freelance Writing

May 25, 2009

Rights, Kill Fee, Payment on Acceptance or Payment on Publication: when freelance writers sign contracts it's important they understand the terms they are agreeing.

Freelance writing jobs often throw up unusual terms and phrases. Anyone thinking of becoming a freelance writer, needs to become acquainted with the vocabulary of the professional writer’s world: in particular, the terminology used in contracts.

Know Your Rights

The copyright to your original material is yours. When you make an agreement with a publisher or online magazine, you give them the “right” to publish your material. Where and for how long they retain that right depends on what you agree in the contract,

All Rights

If an editor buys “All Rights” to the article, then it means what it says. They have the rights for all places and forms of publication, without limit of time.

All Electronic Rights

If you agree to give a publisher “All Electronic Rights” then they have the sole right to publish the article in an online magazine or on a website.

First Electronic Rights

“First Electronic Rights” give a publisher the sole right to publish the article in an online magazine or on a website for a limited length of time. For example they may have sole right to the article for 1 year, thereafter, you are free to re-publish the article in another online magazine or on another website.

First Publication Rights

If you give an editor or publisher “First Publication Rights” then you retain the right to sell your work to someone else at some point in the future.

Second Publication Rights

You may sell “Second Publication Rights” to any editor or publisher after the requisite time has elapsed on any “First Publication Rights” contract. The editor must be aware of the first publication.

Regional Rights

Reprint

A reprint refers to any articles that has been published previously in any medium.

Kill Fee

Always check contracts to see if there is a “Kill Fee”. This is a fee which is agreed and paid if a publication decides not to use an article that it has commissioned.

Signature Payment

The “Signature Payment” is a payment which is made upon agreeing and signing a contract. This is normally used in the television and book industries on works which take a long time to write and deliver.

Payment on Delivery

“Payment on Delivery” means that the publisher will authorize payment as soon as the commissioned work has been delivered to them as agreed.

Payment on Acceptance

“Payment on Acceptance “ means that the publisher will authorize payment as soon as they “accept” apiece of writing.

Payment on Publication

“Payment on Publication” means that the publisher will authorize payment for the work only when it has been published.

Deadline

The deadline is the date when you must deliver your article to the editor of the magazine. A professional writer must never miss a deadline.

All of the Above

Many contracts will use a combination of the above terms, dividing a payment into parts and paying in stages.

None of the Above

Because technology is always changing, it is important to look out for catch-all phrases in a contract which might hand over rights that you might wish to retain. E-books and PDFs are in a grey area contractually at the moment. When in doubt, strike vague terms from any contract and insist on specifics.

The copyright of the article What Every Freelance Writer Needs to Know in Freelance Writing is owned by Janice Hally. Permission to republish What Every Freelance Writer Needs to Know in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.