Book Publishing Agreement
A book publishing agreement is a contract in which an author grants a publisher the right to produce and distribute a literary work in exchange for royalties and possibly an advance. Use this for a small press signing an author for a single title. It covers delivery date, editorial process, royalty rates, and when rights revert if out of print.
What's included
A ready-to-use book publishing agreement covering work title, format, and delivery deadline, grant of rights scope and territory, advance and royalty rates by format, with signature fields already placed for Publisher and Author. Fill in the bracketed details (like [Company Name] or [Date]) using Docracy's built-in text editor, then send it out for signature.
This is a general template for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney to review it for your specific situation and jurisdiction before use.
Key clauses
- Work title, format, and delivery deadline
- Grant of rights scope and territory
- Advance and royalty rates by format
- Editorial approval and title/cover consultation
- Subrights split (audio, foreign, film)
- Reversion/out-of-print thresholds
What you'll fill in
[Publisher Name][Author Name][Book Title][Delivery Manuscript Date][Advance Amount][Print Royalty %][Territory Granted]Legal summary
Author delivers publishable manuscript; publisher exploits rights diligently and pays royalties per statements. Rights revert on agreed out-of-print or low-sales triggers if stated.
Free for up to 2 signers, no account required. Need unlimited? Flat $10/month.
FAQ
Is this Book Publishing Agreement legally binding?
Signing through Docracy uses a simple electronic signature (SES), which is legally recognized for everyday business agreements under laws like the U.S. ESIGN Act and the EU's eIDAS regulation. This is a general template, not legal advice — for high-stakes or regulated agreements, have a qualified attorney review it for your situation.
Who needs to sign this Book Publishing Agreement?
This template includes signature fields for Publisher and Author — already placed — plus 7 placeholder fields to fill in before you send it.
Can I edit this Book Publishing Agreement before sending it?
Yes — Docracy's editor lets you edit the text, add or remove signature fields, redact sections, and reorder pages before you send it.
Do I need an account to send this Book Publishing Agreement?
No — it's free for up to 2 signers with no account required. Create a free account only if you want to save it to a dashboard or reuse it later.
Try it with an AI assistant
Paste one of these into ChatGPT, Claude, or your assistant of choice:
“Fill for world English print+ebook with $5K advance and 10% print royalty.”
“Add reversion if fewer than 100 sales in 12 months.”
“Give author consultation on cover and title.”
Why teams start with Docracy
“Docracy is a great product that I have tested and am using. It is easy to use, has good tools, is always up to date, and implements new features. Highly recommended.”— DACH Advisory
Free for up to 2 signers, no account required. Need unlimited? Flat $10/month.