Contracts Class

Erik Sherman

Complex ideas elegantly expressed

Learn how to read and understand publishing contracts from a working writer, not a lawyer, who is considered an expert on the subject.

Class Overview

· Learn contract basics.

· Understand copyright and what it means to you.

· Keep a watch for contract problems.

· Get a handle on rights, fair use, and how to protect yourself.

· Gain skills in methodically reading and decrypting contracts.

· Have a grasp on common contract terminology.

· Discover the common contract clauses and what they mean to you.

· Know helpful fixes for typical contract problems.

Price: Contact Me

Negotiating contracts may seem tedious, but your business is at stake. The more you know, the better you guard your own interests. You’ll learn to read contracts and understand what you’re in for so you can make informed decisions. You’ll see future dangers, and even know if a contract will work against your long-term interests. This class isn’t a substitute for a lawyer, but then a lawyer isn’t a substitute for being informed.

The six-week class takes place online: you read a section each week and then do an assignment. But you don’t need to be at the computer at any given time, so there’s flexibility.

I’m not a lawyer, but organizations including the American Society of Journalists and Authors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Science Writers, and the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism, magazine publishers, and hundreds of professional writers have all sought my insight and advice.

Contracts are as important as assignments.