The Writers' Union of Canada : TWUC About Contracts and Grievances

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We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, which last year invested $20.1 million in writing and publishing throughout Canada.

	The Ontario Arts Council is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

I have just received a contract, should I sign it?
Review the contract carefully. The Writers’ Union’s Contracts Self-Help Package has a Model Trade Book Agreement you can use for comparison or you may want to hire a lawyer who has experience with publishing contracts to review the contract. Don’t be pressured into signing quickly; a reputable company should give you time to review any contract with a lawyer. Choose the things that are the most important to you to negotiate. This will avoid problems down the road. If you have a bad feeling you may want to consider not signing the contract. Members’ contracts are reviewed by staff. We cannot stress enough the importance of reviewing the contract and ensuring that you understand it before signing.

Also see Dangerous Clauses and Dubious Practices