Above the Dotted Line

Copyright to Contract for Authors and Self-Publishers

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Services

Free 15-Minute Consultation

Our services begin with a free 15-minute consultation. You can tell us what you need and we’ll talk about how we can help. Current clients include —

Authors
Joint Authors
Self-Publishers
Ghostwriters
Work-for-Hire/Freelancers
Book/Writing Coaches
Editors
Bloggers
Literary Agents

Book an appointment with Personnel Calendar using SetMore

For more information, click on the boxes below.

Contract Reviews
For a flat fee, we review all kinds of writing and publishing contracts as well as non-disclosure agreements. Here’s the process for reviewing yours:

  • Send it to us in Word or as a PDF—we’ll review it and prepare notes that both explain the meaning of provisions and suggest revisions that benefit you;
  • We return the notated contract to you for your review—you can prepare some questions for us based on our notations; and
  • After you review our notes, we’ll have a conference call for forty-five to sixty-minute where we review the contract together and you ask as many questions, time permitting, as you like!
Contract Revisions
We’ll review your contract and make suggestions about possible changes to the content. If you decide you want those changes, we can insert questions and revisions so that the other contracting party understands the exact nature of the revisions you want to make.

  • Whether you, your agent or your attorney negotiates the contract, having revisions that state clearly what you want are often a help in speeding up the negotiations process.
  • Once the other side can see what your priorities are, you’ll soon find out what theirs are as well.
  • Even if the other party refuses to incorporate all or part of your suggested revisions, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect from the contract and whether you really want to sign.
Contract Creation
  • Publishing Contracts
  • Agency Agreements
  • Joint Author Agreements
  • Work-for-Hire and Ghostwriter Agreements
  • Licensing Agreements
  • Permissions
  • Releases
  • Non-disclosure Agreements
  • Limited Liability Company (Articles and/or Operating Agreement)

And any other documents you might not know about but are necessary to your success!

Traditional Publishing Services and Editing
  • Book Proposal Drafting
  • Creation/Writing Issues
    • Using quotations
    • Citing sources
    • When to obtain permissions
  • Interviews: Best Practices
  • Copyright Questions
  • Copyright Registration
  • Pre-Publication Review for Libel and Privacy Issues
    • Editing
    • Websites
    • Ad Copy
    • Manuscripts
    • Articles
  • Business/Legal Letters
    • Contract Negotiations
    • Dispute Resolution
    • Cease and Desist
    • Business Proposals
From Copyright to Contract Webinars
We will soon release From Copyright to Contract, a three-part series for authors and self-publishers. If you want to know when, add your name to either of the opt-in boxes above or below.

Module I: You Want to Write? What Copyright Has to Do With It

Module II: Corralling Your Copyright! Protect Your Work and Publishing Future

Module III: A Stick for You and A Stick for Me — Using Contracts to Grant and Reserve Your Copyrights

We Accept PayPal and Credit Cards
Payment Plans Available

It can be far more expensive and problematic
to hire an attorney to take action about a contract after you sign it
than it is to hire a literary attorney to review and explain
the contract’s terms before you sign it.






What Authors and Self-Publishers Need to Know About Copyrights
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Article Topics

  • Book Proposals
  • Co-Writing with a Professional Writer
  • Don't Assume – Get an Attorney
  • eBook Publishing
  • Editing
  • Negotiation Points
  • Permissions
  • When Words Matter
  • Writing for Hire
  • Writing for Hire






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What Authors and Self-Publishers Need to Know About Copyrights
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Contact Denise

(631) 875-6600
dhgibbon@abovethedottedline.com

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Legal Disclaimers · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Copyright © 2014-2023 Above the Dotted Line

Denise Gibbon is a licensed attorney in California and New York. However, this website is not a law firm and any legal advice or services provided by this website’s author are unrelated to this site. This material is for informational purposes only. No information provided here constitutes privileged and confidential legal advice for or to any reader and is not intended to substitute for the advice of an attorney. Prior results of legal matters mentioned here do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future matter.