Subsidiary Rights and Spin-Offs

If you were submitting to an agent or publisher, the next part of a proposal you would write would be the one called subsidiary rights. When you sell your book to a publishing house, the publisher acquires primary rights. This enables them to sell the book as is or in adapted or condensed form. To see a list of primary rights, see Michael Larsen’s How to Write a Book Proposal.

Subsidiary rights include things like first-serial rights to excerpt the book before publication, British and translation rights, rights to produce abridged, unabridged and dramatized audio and video versions of your book, etc.  A more complete list is included in How to Write a Book Proposal.

While you are wearing your business hat, you might consider if your book has potential for subsidiary rights. However, this section is not really necessary to the blog-a-book process. I’ve just included it here so you’d be aware of it; if you plan on approaching a publisher, the addition of subsidiary rights to your proposal can prove attractive.

A more pertinent section of the proposal, but also one that is not really necessary to consider prior to beginning to blog your book, is the spin-offs section. Acquisition editors and agents like to know that you aren’t a one book author. The spin-off section of a proposal is where you look at your first book idea and consider what other books you might write as follow-ups.

Could your book be a series? Is there a way for you to entice a publisher into a multi-book deal?  Does your book naturally lead you to write books on similar or related topics?

If you want to be found by an agent or publisher, or if you plan on approaching them yourself, it might be a good idea to be prepared to answer the question, “Do you have other books you plan to write after this one?” Your answer could make the difference between getting a contract and being turned down.

Additionally, while you have your business hat on consider what you will do when you finish your blogged book. How you will capitalize upon that success? Having your next book idea lined up and ready to go, means you don’t lose any readers. That’s key to becoming a successful author long term.

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