A company has asked me to ghostwrite a book for them. I’m dealing with a nice guy at the company, who invited me to submit a proposal with my terms for payment, due dates for blocks of chapters, etc. Nice Guy looked my proposal over, told me it seemed fine, and passed it on to the Legal Department for incorporation into the contract.
I just received the contract, which faithfully incorporates my terms – with a little change that has made me wonder: when is after?
In my proposal, I had divided the total fee into five payments. The first payment was to be given to me upon signing of the contract; the second payment upon delivery of the first set of chapters; the third payment upon delivery of the second set of chapters; the fourth payment upon delivery of the final set of chapters, and the final payment when all the edits had been completed and the company had approved the final draft.
As I eagerly flipped through the contract they sent, I saw that the Legal Department had changed “upon” to “after,” as in, the writer will be paid “after the first two chapters are submitted on…” and “after the final two chapters are submitted on…”
I’m not a lawyer, but I believe I know what “upon” means: It means as soon as I give them some chapters, they give me some money. Simultaneously. At the same time. Allow them a few days to locate their checkbook, a few more to write the check and still a few more to find an envelope and stamp, but otherwise, pay me now.
But after? What does that mean? That they pay me a few seconds after the chapters are submitted? A few weeks? Years? Presidential election cycles? If I agree to “after,” will I ever-after be wondering where my money is?
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