www.sellforeignrights.com

SELL FOREIGN RIGHTS MASTERCLASS with Alinka Rutkowska (Multi-Award Winning, #1 International Best-Selling , LibraryBub CEO; 5-Figure Author Challenge Host)

& Sylvia Hayse (Foreign Rights Agent) WHY LISTEN?

• Discover the four different approaches I used to dominate foreign markets with 18 ; • Find out what you can expect from a foreign rights deal; • Discover the nitty gritty of contracts; • Find out which fairs are worth visiting; • Get the trends in licensing rights; • Discover how to impress foreign publishers; • Get unique insight from a real foreign rights agent. Part 1: Alinka Rutkowska

• Multi-award-winning and #1 international best-selling author.

• A coach who transforms struggling writers into profitable authorpreneurs;

• Founder and CEO of LibraryBub, which connects librarians with award-winning and best-selling books from independent publishers;

• Founder and host of the 5-Figure Author Challenge, which gives winning strategies to get to 5 figures in 5 months.

• Featured on Fox Business Network, affiliates of ABC and NBC, Author Marketing Club, The Author Hangout, Kindlepreneur, Book Marketing Mentors, Examiner, She Knows, She Writes, The Writer's Life and many more.

• Voted top 5 speaker and named most creative book marketer at the Bestseller Summit Online. www.authorwisdom.com 4 APPROACHES TO FOREIGN RIGHTS

1.DIY 2.Wait-for-it 3.Proactive 4.Professional DIY

• Many authors believe that they can’t sell self-published books to traditional foreign publishers and decide to choose the “Do-It- Yourself” approach to foreign rights. • They get the book translated (easy part).

+ - • Exposure for local authors • Distribution (if you live in a non-English • Marketing (how are you speaking country) going to market the book in • Reach a different audience a language you don’t (you might become a hit!) know?) DIY DIY WAIT-FOR-IT

• This can happen when you focus on selling your original titles. When you do well, foreign publishers notice and might contact you.

+ - • Requires no effort in • Beware of con-artists, it obtaining foreign rights could be a scam. (but does require effort to • You might not be able to sell books). get your royalties apart from the advance. WAIT-FOR-IT PROACTIVE

• Take matters in your own hands and approach foreign houses yourself. • Suggestion: get a catalog of foreign publishers from a book fair like Frankfurt and contact publishers who carry titles similar to yours.

+ - • Hands-on experience, you • Time-consuming and possibly frustrating. This is a full time learn how the foreign rights job. market works. • Some publishers might not • You can do this without want to talk to authors (only traveling. foreign rights agents). PROFESSIONAL

Go where foreign publishers gather = book fairs BOOK FAIR STRATEGIES

•Booth •Shared booth •No booth •Representation BOOTH

+ - • You can sell copies. • Expensive. • You can sign books. • Doesn’t allow you to scout • Visibility. and network. • Usually worse location. NO BOOTH

+ - • You are motivated to • You’re on your own (no fair network and mingle. “home” for your books). • Gain visibility one publisher at a time. • Minimum expense. REPRESENTATION

+ - • A fair “home” for your book. • A representative might pitch your book. • You give up control • You could land a foreign rights agent. (outsourcing), can be • Cheaper than a booth. tough for control freaks :) • You can network too. • You don’t even have to attend. • Prime location. REPRESENTATION COMPANIES

• Foreword Reviews (https://publishers.forewordreviews.com/trade-shows/)

• American Collective Stand (http://www.americancollectivestand.com)

• The Combined Book Exhibit (http://www.combinedbook.com/book-fairs-2015.html) YOU AT THE FAIR

• Bring a carry-on. • Your books. • Business cards. • Brochures / Catalogs. • Dress Smart. • Comfortable shoes. • Elevator pitch. • Assistant / Friend. YOUR CATALOG SCOUTING

• Approach a stand and check out their books. See if your titles would be a good fit for that publisher. • Ask if they are potentially interested in buying foreign rights. • Say you think your books could be a good fit for them and ask if you can show them. • Elevator pitch with books and catalogs. Mention awards, sales, reviews, other foreign rights sales. • If the publisher is interested leave them your catalog, if very interested, leave your book. • Ask for their contacts (acquisition editor) to follow up. • Ask for feedback - what are they looking for? OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS

• Long-term strategy. • You sell rights for a certain territory for a certain time. • The foreign publisher handles the translation, production, distribution. • Industry standard is $2,000 advance per title and 6-7% royalties. • You can and should negotiate the initial offer. NITTY-GRITTY

• You always send out low-res pdfs before the deal is closed. • Once you’ve signed the contract and received the money, you send out high-res pdfs and Indesign files. • You should have a signed contract between yourself and your foreign rights agent. • They can represent all your works or just some, worldwide or in selected territories. • The agent usually takes a fee of 20% and then transfers you the money from the publisher minus foreign taxes, fees, banking charges. MAJOR BOOK FAIRS

• Beijing International Book Fair • Frankfurt Book Fair (300,000 visitors, the largest, 30 times larger than the London Book Fair, 10 times larger than BookExpoAmerica) • China Children's Book Fair • Bologna Book Fair • The London Book Fair • BookExpo America TRENDS

• High quality series sell. • Books with a foil seal on the cover reflecting recognition of any sort continues to be a draw, particularly with the Chinese. • Selling rights is a numbers game—the more interest and leads you garner, the more deals you can complete. • Korea is the strongest buyer of translation rights from European and English speaking countries. HOW TO IMPRESS FOREIGN PUBLISHERS?

• Books optimized for online sales • Strong author platform • Successful author website • Email list • Strong social media presence • Strong sales • Book awards • Numerous reviews • Press Part 2: Sylvia Hayse

Sylvia Hayes started as Marketing Director and foreign rights manager for Beyond Words Publishing, Inc. a partner of Atria Books which is an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and has handled their translation rights till today.

She taught book marketing and promotion for students of the publishing course at Portland State University's Center for Excellence in Writing, Graduate Publishing Program.

She’s a successful business owner of a bookstore and web agency, an experienced event manager, publicist, librarian, overseeing staff of budgets and campaigns.

In January 2004 she formed the Sylvia Hayse Literary Agency, LLC, located in Bandon, Oregon, USA, specializing in international licensing of books and documentaries.

Her network of publishers and co-agents spans the globe, www.SylviaHayseLiterary.com and she is well connected to large and small publishing houses as well as to agencies throughout Europe and Asia. WHAT’S IN STORE?

• What exactly are foreign rights; • How to license translation rights to foreign publishers; • Why attend trade shows; • How to prepare for a trade show; • What to do at the show; • What to do back home; • How to get organized; • The art of negotiating a deal: terms and legal issues. FOREIGN RIGHTS

• You grant the rights to translate your book into a language to a certain publisher or a company and for a certain territory;

• A very easy stream of income, you get paid upfront, it’s the publishers expense to translate your book; HOW TO LICENSE RIGHTS

Make sure you have all the right to grant copyright to your work including illustrations, pictures, cover, etc. if not get permission in writing by any contributor, illustrator, online galleries!

• Attend domestic and international trade shows to meet with foreign publishers and agents; • Use the services of publishing, exhibiting or distribution organizations who attend major international book shows (Like Foreword Small Press Collective, Combined Book Exhibit); • Use website and internet representation (be searchable and contactable!); • Offer seminars and workshops in foreign countries (know the language!); • Hire an agent who specializes in translation rights licensing. WHY ATTEND TRADE SHOWS

•Establish new contacts and strengthen professional relationships; •Discover new business opportunities; •Create a steady source of income; •Obtain increased overseas readership and exposure; •Discuss and examine the latest trends and developments; •Find ideas and scout out competition; •Reduce production costs, maximize profits; •Explore how well your book travels internationally; •Learn about different cultures and adapt your manuscript to foreign markets (what works for one culture, won’t work for another). PREPARE FOR THE TRADE SHOW

• Schedule as many appointments as possible months before the show; • Contact editors and publishers you are certain they may be interested in the topic of your work; • Work and practice your pitches (short, elevator pitch, AIDA, include sales); • Have a short press kit or one page flyer available as pdf and hand out (+ show that you have a platform), respect their luggage restrictions. AT THE SHOW

If you have your own stand: visibility, presentation, presence are crucial for success:

• Create an atmosphere that is attractive, inviting and hospitable. The booth is always manned; there is material, business cards, and information available to pass out. Welcome walk ins. • Walk the aisles and halls and scout: look for alliances, distribution, subsidiary right sales- like book clubs, audio, mass market, dramatic, movie, TV, derivative or spin-off (art work, calendar, notebooks, etc.) • Look for new stories, trends, and agents. • Tell, tell, tell: your ‘elevator’ pitches ready and adaptable, network at meetings and receptions at night.

You never know where you might have that synchronistic opportunity and serendipitous meeting! BACK HOME

• Follow up in due time by sending of reading copies/email galleys, pdfs; • Focus on the one publisher where your book fits best; • Keep on top of your partners publishing plans and timelines; • Provide tidbits of news to the foreign partners (send reviews, media activity, reprints, sales numbers); • Build a relationship, stay close, follow up. GET ORGANIZED

Foreign relationships can be complicated: • Consider that there are language and communication barriers; • Pay attention to details, good record keeping a must; • Collecting payments, gathering royalty statements and dealing with taxes and exchange rates in foreign countries can be tricky; • Build a database and keep it updated; • Archive and organize your production material (high res digital files for illustrations, layout, cover, text, images, stock photos, etc.) DEAL NEGOTIATIONS

• Learn about key terms: language and territory (= the geographical area of grant), the time period of grant, royalties, royalty advance and royalty terms, selling price, quantity of ; • Ask for legal advice before signing a foreign publishers contract; • Know your contract and use a bulletproof boilerplate! EXAMPLE ROYALTIES

Publisher: ”I’m going to plan to print 2,000 copies," off my translation and my book will cost $10 per , then we would say we normally charge 6% royalties on the retail price.

You're going to take 6% of $10, multiply this by 2,000.

$10 x 6% x 2,000 = $1,200

And this is the amount of total royalties that this foreign publisher owes you for this book.

Negotiate to $1,500 or $2,000. SUBMISSION TIME

http://www.authorremake.com/go/rights

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