The Anatomy of a Translation Rights Contract
Most authors dream of having their books translated into foreign languages. For them, it’s more than just the excitement of seeing their book covers and content translated into different languages. It’s the possibility that their books and messages might travel around the world and reach a global audience.
That dream has become a reality for more than 1,500 books here at DropCap, and has provided outstanding authors the ability to boost speaking engagements, endorsements, and unlock countless professional opportunities.
But the truth is, it takes a lot of work to take this →
Almost Alchemy: Make Any Business of Any Size Produce More with Fewer and Less
by Dan S. Kennedy; published by Forbes
To This →
Almost Alchemy, translated into Korean
Or this:
Book
by David Miles; Illustrated by Natalie Hoopes; published by Familius
To This:
Book, translated to German
When it comes to representing titles and securing foreign translation rights for them in other countries, there is a saying:
Will it travel?
In other words, does this book have international appeal? Will it resonate with an audience overseas? Are the messages, themes, and approach to the topic universal?
If the answer is yes, then that’s where the agents at DropCap come in.
““Our job at DropCap is to match titles with international book editors and buyers who are already looking for that content. We have an extensive collection of incredible titles, and have spent many years cultivating relationships with buyers around the world. We know what they are looking for, and can anticipate what will interest them.” ”
Attending international book fairs is a big part of our business at DropCap, and is a great way for us to showcase our titles to international buyers and begin talks about securing foreign translation rights.
Our big red booth has become a staple at major book fairs across the globe, and our interactive rights guide is a signature part of our ability to connect more books with more buyers whether it be in person or virtually.
So, what happens when an international rights buyer shows interest and is ready to create a book deal?
The truth is, most authors who are approached by international book buyers for translation rights are totally unsure as to what to do next.
They have no way of knowing if the deal is a good one. They don’t know if the overseas publisher is reputable, if the contract is fair, or how they would handle any communication back and forth.
That is where DropCap comes in.
Our job is to vet publishing companies, agents, and of course contracts, so the author or domestic publisher doesn’t have to.
Essentially, a translation rights contract is comprised of three parts:
1) Terms
The terms of the contract can include all sorts of things, such as how long the license is (typically five years)and what the specific language(s) and territories will be.
For example, a book that can be translated into Portuguese could be selling rights to one publisher in Portugal, and another in Brazil.
2) Money
This part of the contract talks about advances, royalties, and how they will be paid out over time. Royalties may vary between book formats, and are generally a percentage of books sold.
The contracts we design specify when royalty reports and payments are due to the author. And we do the follow up to ensure compliance
3) Sales
A timeline for publication of the foreign edition is clearly specified in order to get the book onto their market quickly to maximize the potential that royalties (based on units sold) will exceed the original advance and earn out.
There is a sales “threshold” that is expected to be met within a certain period of time, and the contract will state what happens if that sales threshold isn’t met.
Understandably, the average author or publisher doesn’t know what a “good deal” is as far as terms, money, and sales go. It’s not uncommon for an author to google something like “is my translation rights contract good” and find us here at DropCap so we can help with negotiations.
Here are a few ways DropCap helps negotiate the best translation rights deals for our authors:
Advances can be anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, typically. The dollar amount depends on sales or potential sales of the original edition, geography, topic, and any number of other factors. Each market has a threshold based on their economic and physical size. Of course, we negotiate for the highest advance possible, and are experienced in knowing what the market can bear.
We usually push for 5 year terms . While having a longer term might feel better to the author, we feel as though if the book is selling well after 5 years we can always re-negotiate. If it’s not selling well after 5 years, we at DropCap can start showing it to new buyers.
Sometimes, there are technicalities in the contract that authors don’t think to negotiate. At DropCap, we ensure that our contracts include what is best for the author, including scenarios around licensing artwork, selling remaining stock, and what happens if the publisher doesn’t publish or sell the book.
If this feels like a lot of detail– it is! That’s why DropCap is so invested in making sure we have the best relationships worldwide with only the most reputable rights buyers, editors, and agents.
““It’s the relationship building that we’ve done in the past 25+ years in this business that makes all the difference. Our clients are confident that their books are in the best possible hands to match it with a trusted overseas buyer.” ”
