Rights Under the Spotlight

 

If you’ve skimmed through any of my posts, or even my About Paper Chapters page, then you must know that one of the fields I want to place myself in is the worlds of rights. Where exactly in rights, you may think? That’s what I’m going to break down in today’s blog.

So, what got me interested in rights? Truth be told, I was ready to leave law behind when I entered publishing, but only if I could truly escape it. Rights have a way of following you wherever you go. No department in any organization works in isolation; there is always one or more areas you need to collaborate with to achieve your goals, and rights is one of them. I also want to make a meaningful impact in this sector. Publishing relies on a variety of rights transactions. Without the negotiation of rights, publishing simply cannot happen. Let’s start by exploring what there is to discuss.

Primary vs. Subsidiary Rights

First, let’s differentiate between the types of rights in publishing. Primary Rights are the core rights an author grants a publisher to produce and sell the book in its original form, which is why they are called primary. This includes all the standard formats such as print, e-book, and audiobook, usually within specific territories. Primary Rights cover the basics, including publishing, distribution, and edition decisions for the book.

The second type is Subsidiary Rights, which is the area I am more drawn to. As the name suggests, these are additional or secondary rights that allow a work to be modified, adapted, or republished in other forms. This could include film, television, audio, or translation, extending the life and reach of the work beyond the main book publication.

Where I Fit In

Where do I fit into all of this? During what I like to call my “puberty in publishing,” I discovered that I wanted to explore many different areas. Some were intentional, while others I had to bypass in order to reach my intended destination. I have often said that I want to work with publicity teams, which is still as far from rights management as you can get, since it involves promotion and events. The Venn diagram came into play when I realized I wanted to tackle subrights and work closely with editorial and publicity teams to bring projects to life

Special Editions and International Rights

I’ve developed a keen interest in making special editions and bonus content more widely available in Europe, including the UK, and my focus in publishing is on rights management. For example, King of Wrath by Ana Huang had an Indigo exclusive edition with a bonus chapter, but not everyone had the chance to purchase it. Searching high and low for it made me invested in working with the people who control these decisions so that readers everywhere can have the same opportunity.

My work sits firmly within subsidiary rights, specifically territorial and foreign rights, as I focus on bringing existing US content to the UK and Europe. While edition rights allow the creation of special content versions, my goal is not to design or produce new editions myself. That is left to the publisher or designer. Instead, I monitor which rights have been sold, ensure books and editions can be legally distributed across different markets, oversee that contracts are properly followed, and keep an eye on prototypes or special editions to ensure they respect the rights already granted. Essentially, I want to manage who can sell what, where, and under which terms, bridging the gap between markets without touching the creative or production process.

Television and Film Adaptations

I have also developed a strong interest in television and film adaptations of books, which, like special editions and foreign distribution, fall squarely within subsidiary rights. This area lies at the intersection of creativity, business, and legal precision. In this post, I want to explore the contract and negotiation side of these adaptations. My focus would be on ensuring that an author’s work, vision, and intent are fully protected when their stories are translated into new mediums. This would involve reviewing adaptation agreements, monitoring the rights granted, clarifying what creative input or approvals the author retains, and making sure all terms align with both the author’s and publisher’s interests. For me, it is about bridging the gap between the literary and entertainment worlds, helping beloved stories reach new audiences while maintaining the integrity of the original work.

Not every book needs to be adapted, and not every story benefits from moving beyond the page. Sometimes, the work’s impact on paper is more than enough. Take Danielle Lori’s Made Man series, for example. It has remained a cornerstone of the community long before self-publishing became mainstream, and no adaptation has improved on the story itself. When an adaptation is truly the right choice, however, it becomes essential that the negotiation process reflects the value of the intellectual property being sold. In upcoming posts, I will explore specific examples of this in practice, which is part of why I am drawn to this area of publishing.

 Practical Examples

Let me give you an example of each, as this approach really helped me navigate the busy and often overlapping world of publishing.

For this example, let’s use HarperCollins as the publisher. HarperCollins might sell the rights to a special edition or bonus scene of a book in the U.S. to a specific retailer, such as Barnes and Noble. Later, another publisher in the UK or Europe might want to release the same edition in their market. As someone overseeing rights, my role would be to check the contract details and confirm whether the original U.S. license allows this international distribution or if a separate territorial agreement needs to be arranged. These actions involve tracking the chain of rights across borders, ensuring that no company releases content they are not legally permitted to, while also making sure the author’s work is fairly accessible in all markets.

Applying this to adaptations, the first step would be reviewing the proposal or offer, which is usually handled by an agent. An initial adaptation offer from a production company would alert both the author and, by default, the agent. My goal would be to advise the author and discuss potential next steps, which is traditionally an agent’s role, but one I hope to specialise in. This would include explaining contract terms, highlighting potential points for negotiation, and helping to protect the author’s creative vision, territorial rights, and other key clauses. Protecting the author’s vision is especially important to me.

Next would be reviewing the existing rights, such as those for the book, edition, and translations, to ensure that the adaptation does not conflict with previous agreements. I would also hope to provide negotiation support, covering issues like territorial rights, streaming and distribution platforms, the author’s creative input and approvals, royalties and compensation structures, and timing and release schedules.

Once negotiations are completed, my focus would be on making sure the contract accurately reflects the agreed terms and that all rights are properly granted. Finally, post-deal monitoring would involve tracking the adaptation to ensure it is distributed only where allowed and in line with the author’s retained rights.

Why Rights Matter

Rights make up a major part of publishing. Once an author has finished their work, it is the negotiations and management of rights behind the scenes that bring the book to the public. It is also crucial that the work is presented in its strongest and most authentic form, protecting not only the story itself but also the author’s intended vision. My approach is centred on the reader’s experience, ensuring that rights are handled in a way that truly reflects and respects the author.

Rights expand access, protect authors, enable adaptations, maintain fair distribution, and keep the industry organised. I want to ensure that authors are guided through the process so they do not get lost in the excitement and can make decisions that have the long-lasting impact they intend. In my next few posts, I will provide examples of each, dedicating them to the areas I have discussed here as well as in my previous posts. Time and time again, we have seen in the book community how mishandled rights can have a lasting effect on both authors and their work.

My Goal

I’m all about working in right management but I also want to be a built-in advisor making sure to guide clients in my area of expertise just as agents do in their expertise.

Let’s put an end to this technicality because If I’m tired of writing it that means you’re probably tired of reading it.

Ultimately, my goal isn’t just to track contracts or oversee rights; it is about being a reliable guide for authors and publishers alike. I want to make sure every decision around rights—whether it is a special edition, an international release, or a TV or film adaptation—is made with clarity, fairness, and respect for the author’s vision. Rights may feel like the hidden backbone of publishing, but they are what allow stories to travel, evolve, and reach new audiences. For me, being in this space is about more than legal precision; it is about making the publishing world more accessible, organized, and author-focused. That is exactly the journey I am committed to navigating, one rights decision at a time.

With that, let’s sign off here because my fingers are tired.

Don’t forget to check out my sister blog, Paper Pages.Pr, my bookish testing lab on Instagram, and my LinkedIn. You can find links to all of them on the Let’s Connect page of my blog.

See you between the pages.

Vivian.