First contract tip

Some of the questions asked were, "Do you have a blog? How often do you post? Do you have a web site? How often do you update?"

In other words, you need to have both a blog and a web site. I suggest you start before you receive a contract. My timing was perfect. I took a blogging class on Monday. I also signed up someone to create my web site on Monday. On Wednesday, I received the contract.

I might also suggest you check all bases. Such as, I thought once an art museum owned a piece of art, they kept it. Not the case. Two of the pictures I used in my book were sold and they have no idea who purchased them. While touring the Charles Russell exhibit this past summer at the Denver Art Museum, I discovered one of my pictures was now in a Denver man's collection. As a prior docent for the DAM, I'll probably be able to obtain permission and picture file. Lets hope so. Will my having to replace the pictures negate the contract. We'll see.

I also didn't realize this publisher would ask me to provide the permissions and picture digital files at my expense. I have no problem with that since I get an advance. Cost is fairly minimal $25 per picture or, if the publication is educational, $15 per picture. Mine is educational.

For more information on why to have a blog, check out this Writer's Digest article.

More to come on Thursday.