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Publishing Agreement
Free publishing agreement template between an author and a publisher for a book or written work.
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This free publishing agreement covers 1. Grant of Rights, 2. Delivery, 3. Advance and Royalties, 4. Editorial Process, 5. Rights Reserved to Author with 13 clearly marked [placeholder] fields to fill in — built for founders, freelancers, and small business owners formalizing a business decision or agreement without paying a lawyer to draft it from scratch. Copy it into your own word processor, fill in the placeholders, and review it — or adapt it — before use. It's part of docstoc's free document template library, alongside business, legal, real estate, finance, and HR templates. Every template here is free to copy with no signup required, and each one carries a plain disclaimer: this is a starting point for informational purposes, not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Publishing Agreement
Author: [Name] Publisher: [Name] Work: [Title/Description] Effective Date: [Date]
1. Grant of Rights
Author grants Publisher the [exclusive/non-exclusive] right to publish, print, distribute, and sell the Work in [Territory] and [Formats — print, ebook, audiobook], for [Duration/term].
2. Delivery
Author will deliver the final manuscript by [Date], meeting [word count/format requirements].
3. Advance and Royalties
Advance: [Amount], recoupable against royalties. Royalty rate: [%] of [net receipts / cover price], paid [Frequency].
4. Editorial Process
[Describe editorial review/approval process, and Author's rights over final content changes.]
5. Rights Reserved to Author
[e.g. Author retains film/foreign translation rights, unless separately negotiated.]
6. Out of Print / Reversion
If the Work goes out of print or sales fall below [Threshold] for [Duration], rights revert to Author upon request.
7. Warranty
Author warrants the Work is original and does not infringe any third party's rights.
Author: ______________________ Date: ____________ Publisher: ______________________ Date: ____________
*This document is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Rights reversion terms (Section 6) matter enormously to an author's long-term interests — a book that goes out of print with no reversion clause can leave an author unable to republish or sell rights elsewhere.*
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What's included
- Edit online — click the document, fill in placeholders, download a PDF
- 7 standard sections: 1. Grant of Rights, 2. Delivery, 3. Advance and Royalties, 4. Editorial Process, 5. Rights Reserved to Author, 6. Out of Print / Reversion, …
- 13 clearly marked [placeholder] fields for quick personalizing
- Free to use — no account or signup required
- Fully editable — adjust any clause to match your actual situation
- Includes a signature block, ready to print or sign digitally
- Fixed docstoc.io footer on every PDF (not removable)
Who this template is for
Freelancers & solo founders
Handling routine business paperwork without commissioning custom legal drafting for every document.
Small businesses
Standardizing recurring documents — leases, agreements, notices — across a growing operation.
Anyone reviewing before signing
Using a clear starting structure to understand what a document should cover, even if a lawyer finalizes it.
Early-stage businesses
Getting the basics documented before things get more complex.
FAQ
Is this publishing agreement template really free?
Yes, completely free — view, edit, and download this publishing agreement as a PDF without creating an account.
What does this publishing agreement cover?
This business template includes 1. Grant of Rights, 2. Delivery, 3. Advance and Royalties, 4. Editorial Process. Fill in the [bracketed] placeholders, edit any clause online, then download a PDF — the docstoc.io footer stays on every export.
Is this legal advice?
No. Templates like this cover the common ground most businesses need, but they can't anticipate your specific deal terms, jurisdiction, or industry rules. Treat it as a first draft to build from, and get a business attorney's eyes on it before signing anything that matters.
Can I edit the wording?
Yes. All 13 placeholder fields and every clause are editable right on the page — change what doesn't fit, then download an updated PDF anytime.
Where can I find more free templates like this?
Browse more free business and related document templates in the docstoc library at /document-templates/.
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Templates are drafted for general use, not a substitute for legal advice — check the note on each page for specifics.
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